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Riyadh Book Fair Hosts Lecture on Impact of Camels on Arab History, Culture

The Riyadh International Book Fair 2024 held a lecture on the role of camels in Arab history and culture. SPA
The Riyadh International Book Fair 2024 held a lecture on the role of camels in Arab history and culture. SPA
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Riyadh Book Fair Hosts Lecture on Impact of Camels on Arab History, Culture

The Riyadh International Book Fair 2024 held a lecture on the role of camels in Arab history and culture. SPA
The Riyadh International Book Fair 2024 held a lecture on the role of camels in Arab history and culture. SPA

The Riyadh International Book Fair 2024 held a lecture on the role of camels in Arab history and culture, delivered by Turki bin Al-Ghanami, a member of the board of directors of the Saudi Society for Camel Studies.
Al-Ghanami highlighted the fact that Arabs have not coexisted with any animal as they have with camels, marking a significant turning point in their history.
The Arabs’ reliance on camels led to the growth of their trade, expanding across land and sea borders from the southernmost part of the Arabian Peninsula to beyond the Mediterranean Sea basin, Al-Ghanami said.
Thanks to camels, trade routes flourished, including the Incense and the Silk roads, and Arab livelihoods improved due to their reliance on camel milk and meat as their staple diet, he stated.
Camels have become partners in all aspects and details of Arab lives, he added.

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New Zealand Reclaims Record for Largest Haka Dance

People take part in a world record attempt for the largest mass Haka at Eden Park in Auckland on September 29, 2024. (AFP)
People take part in a world record attempt for the largest mass Haka at Eden Park in Auckland on September 29, 2024. (AFP)
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New Zealand Reclaims Record for Largest Haka Dance

People take part in a world record attempt for the largest mass Haka at Eden Park in Auckland on September 29, 2024. (AFP)
People take part in a world record attempt for the largest mass Haka at Eden Park in Auckland on September 29, 2024. (AFP)

New Zealand has set the world record for the most people to perform a haka, a traditional dance of the country's indigenous Maori, reclaiming the title from France.

A statement by Auckland’s Eden Park, which hosted the record attempt on Sunday, said 6,531 people had performed Ka Mate, the haka, which surpassed the current record of 4,028 people, held by France since 2014.

"Haka is an important part of our culture and returning the mana (prestige) of this world record away from the French and back to the land of its origins and ensuring it was performed correctly and with integrity was vital,” Hinewehi Mohi, cultural ambassador for HAKA and co-founder of the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust, told New Zealand’s 1News.

The haka, a customary dance by Maori, was traditionally a way to welcome visiting tribes or to invigorate warriors ahead of battle. It is now performed at important events and is the most well-known as part of the New Zealand rugby teams pre-game ritual.

There are many haka but the one performed at the world record attempt is the most well-known and was composed around 1920 by Te Rauparaha, chief of Ngati Toa iwi or tribe.

Event organizers had hoped at least 10,000 participants would attend the event, which was also fundraising for Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust.

Nick Sautner, Eden Park chief executive, said watching thousands of passionate New Zealanders from young children to elders perform Ka Mate at the stadium was a truly memorable moment.

“It’s more than just numbers – it’s about honoring our cultural legacy on a global stage,” Sautner said in a statement released late Sunday.

Almost 1 million of New Zealand's 5.2 million population have Maori ancestry.