By Nebal Snan

Fatmah Taqi

Growing up, Abdulaziz Hamad didn’t fully grasp the meaning behind celebrating Kuwait’s national days beyond the festive family gatherings and the decorations adorning the streets. But that soon changed when he moved abroad to study. “It means so much to me now. It’s a way for me to reconnect with my roots. It’s also obviously very important for us to remember Kuwait’s history and what our ancestors went through to build the country,” he told Kuwait Times.

Since then, Hamad, who is based in Canada, makes it a point to mark the National and Liberation Days with friends every year. But it can be difficult to enjoy the holidays, which fall on Feb 25-26, away from home. While the occasion is widely celebrated with a variety of events that span the month of February in Kuwait, Hamad and his friends don’t have many options. Still, they go all out - from dressing in traditional clothes to decorating with flags and Kuwait’s national colors.

Authentic cuisines

“It’s a lot about community, really. My friends and I come together on this day and share a national dish. This year, I’m making machboos for everyone,” he said. “Sometimes, we invite our non-Kuwaiti friends over and share our food, and usually they’re really impressed. It’s interesting because we grew up with this food; I feel we really don’t appreciate the depth of flavor that’s in our cuisine. Something as simple as the taste of cardamom and saffron could really blow some people’s minds away.”

Fatmah Taqi, a pharmacy student at the Royal College of Surgeons in Dublin, also shares the holiday with her Irish friends and other international students whenever possible. She tells them about the history and culture of Kuwait and offers them traditional food and souvenirs. Although she hasn’t been able to celebrate the holidays in Kuwait since 2018, Taqi tries her best to participate with other Kuwaiti students in the celebratory event held by the Kuwaiti Medical Sciences Students Association in Ireland (KMSSAI).

Abdulaziz Hamad gathers with his friends over food to mark the national holidays. Pictured is the Machboos he prepared for the occasion.

“Although these festivities can relieve some of the homesickness feelings, they are certainly not enough for me,” she said. Through the sadness and longing, Taqi reminisces about the happy memories of celebrating with friends and family. “I really feel nostalgic, (and) my feelings are mixed up. I remembered the way I was celebrating with my family; that we used to gather and watch the fireworks (and) parade beside the sea,” she said. “I really miss being in Kuwait during this special day surrounded by my loved ones, but I will get over it and make my country proud of me one day.”

For Zainab Abbas, who is based in the United States, the national holidays are one of her favorite celebrations in Kuwait. “I love seeing people everywhere we go celebrating, kids having fun even through the chaos they bring with their water balloons and how the people who have lived through the liberation start reminiscing on the events of that time and retell us the stories,” she told Kuwait Times.

Music and festivities

While she’s heartbroken to be missing the festivities at home for the second year in a row, she plans to celebrate big this year. Abbas and her friends will “dress up with anything that represents Kuwait, call (their) families and put on Kuwaiti national songs”. A favorite of hers is “Ya Bilady” by Nabeel Shuail.

The songs are a must-have for Hamad as well. While Hamad is always on the lookout for new releases, Abdul Kareem Abdul Qader’s Watan Al-Nahar is the closest to his heart. “It really conveys the emotions people felt at the time,” he said. “In February if you’re riding in my car, you’re definitely listening to national songs.”

Taqi, Hamad and Abbas wished Kuwait prosperity and peace on the occasion. “I wish that Kuwait will rise from all the darkness it’s under (and) undergo a liberation of everything that is wrong with the country. Kuwait has so much potential and this new generation can help it fulfil this potential to the largest extent, but we need to set our priorities straight and fight for our country,” said Abbas.