When buildings of old Doha disappear, where do the souls that inhabited them go?
Take a look around and you will see the old Doha disappearing before your eyes. When gleaming mega-structures replace the old and dilapidated buildings, at least some people feel that the city’s soul is lost forever.
When old buildings are demolished, it displaces families that have known no other home. While some leave for newer buildings, others simply return home.
A great many people in the country today have grown up in this city. This is their home away from home. This video, by Egyptian Mostafa Shestawy, takes a poignant look at his final memories about Ateya, the low-rise building he grew up in, the bonds it nurtured and the life he built around it.
Sheshtawy captures the memories of the community in the small complex through interviews with his family and neighbours. As Doha continues to modernise rapidly, this video is as a reminder of the importance of community in any city.
A comment on the video by Gary Vaspol perfectly sums up the emotions.
“Mostafa, A beautiful film that poignantly discusses the importance of community set in an age of institutional failure. I love how this film transcends the many aspects that seem to divide humanity — race, religion, politics, culture — and allows the viewer to recall a simpler and saner time when people had more compassion for one another. Bravo, my friend,” he said.
Do you have such an memories about Doha? What do you think the most about the building you grew up in?
Doha's modernity is crushing down the old sweet days memoirs of its long time residents.
A new law is set to kick out your old parents (60 years and above) whose RP shall not be renewed, thus condemning them to exit.
Well done
I still remember, I had tutions at the Atteya buildings, my dad would drop me there and we used to just go and chill out at the istanbul restaurant downstairs! Until one day he caught me red handed lol...man good old days!
Mostafa, such a beautiful work done by you and your team. Like you, even me and siblings are raised here and this is home. I still drive around my first home and sometimes just wish things were back as it is when we were kids!