The story
Festival National de Qassayid in Bibliotheque nationale de Djibouti
The Festival National de Qassayid is an annual competition, organised by Djibouti's Ministry of Youth and Culture, built around Qassayid, devotional poems traditionally performed at Eid, Mawlid and other religious observances honouring the Prophet Muhammad. Now well established after more than a decade of editions, recent competitions, sometimes falling during Ramadan, have brought together around 29 performing groups from across the country, with finals and prize ceremonies held at rotating locations including Obock and Djibouti's National Library.
Qassayid, devotional poems traditionally performed at religious observances including Eid and Mawlid, the celebration of the Prophet Muhammad's birth, honour the Prophet's life and teachings and the example of his companions in spreading Islam, forming a specific genre of religious oral tradition with deep roots in Djiboutian and wider regional spiritual practice.