Damascus, March 1 (SANA) As night settles over the narrow stone alleys of Old Damascus, Al-Nofara Café begins to fill with families and regular patrons. Tea glasses clink, wooden chairs scrape across tiled floors, and anticipation builds for the arrival of the evening’s storyteller.
Dressed in traditional attire and seated on a raised wooden platform, the Hakawati lifts his voice above the hum of conversation. For the next hour, he blends history and legend, recounting tales of heroic warriors and epic battles drawn from centuries of Arab folklore. During Ramadan, this ritual takes on renewed energy, drawing audiences of all ages.
A living heritage
Al-Nofara, one of Damascus’s oldest coffeehouses, has hosted storytelling sessions for more than a century. Each night during the holy month, children sit cross-legged near the front while older listeners nod along, some quietly repeating familiar passages.
“The storyteller was our old television,” said Mohammad Yamen Al-Rabbat, whose family runs the café. “Before screens and phones, people gathered here for history, heroism and imagination.”
The Hakawati tradition dates back to the late 19th century, when cafés were central to social life in Damascus. Storytellers, known for powerful voices and remarkable memories, recited epics such as Antar and Al-Zahir Baybars without written scripts, captivating audiences through expressive gestures and dramatic delivery.
A ritual renewed
Longtime patron Adel Wattar described the custom as “an authentic Damascene ritual” inherited from earlier generations. “These cafés are places where people connect and share stories,” he said.
Although digital entertainment has diminished its prominence in recent years, Ramadan brings a revival. Locals and tourists alike visit Al-Nofara to experience a living piece of Syrian heritage.
In an age dominated by screens, the Hakawati continues to command attention the traditional way one story at a time.
