On the occasion of their inaugural visit to Qatar, Albert 'Nino' Reyos, the Native American leader of the US Arts envoys, expressed his pride in donning the Qatari Bisht at a ceremony at Gulf Times Wednesday.

“I will cherish it for the rest of my life”, Nino remarked after Gulf Times Editor-in-Chief, Faisal Abdulhameed al-Mudahka draped the Bisht over his shoulders, during an exchange of cultural gifts.

The leader of the American Indian arts envoys, Nino, was raised on the Ute reservation in Northeastern Utah. He is a member of both the Laguna Pueblo and Northern Ute Indian Nations.

In an interview with Gulf Times, Nino said: “There are similarities between our culture and the Arab culture. We have our own ways of life, whether spiritual, traditions and history. I have noticed during our visit that you have similar strong traditions, ways of life, and history that goes back for generations. Also how you evolve into more modern ways of life and keep your traditions.”

On the souvenirs that he will take with him, Nino said: “Of course, I would recommend my fellow people to visit Qatar, it was certainly an opportunity to learn and expand our knowledge and experience about the similarities as well as the differences of different people. To travel across the world allows one to understand the culture, the ways of life and the history of other people. It was really important to have this opportunity and to be able to visit Qatar.”

Concerning the impression that they have experienced in their interaction with Qatari people, Nino said: “I will take with me a whole lot of knowledge, the people here are so welcoming, the interesting traditions, the friendship, the hospitality of the different organisations that we have visited, and the excitement of the young people whom we saw already learning about our ways of life. I will also take with me the understanding of other people’s excitement about learning about our culture as well as we want to learn about your culture.”

The six Native American cultural ambassadors were equally excited and appreciative of their visit to Qatar. Representing multiple tribes including the Diné (Navajo), Ute, and Pueblo peoples, their week-long Qatar visit is concluding tomorrow (Friday).

This ensemble brings together award-winning artists and cultural educators whose combined experience spans decades of preserving and sharing traditions through performance, music, art, and storytelling. The group includes recognied cultural leaders such as Miss Indian World 2024-2025, master flute performers, champion dancers, and respected craftsmen and women. Each member brings unique expertise in bridging traditional knowledge with contemporary presentation, creating meaningful cross-cultural exchanges that promote understanding and respect for Indigenous ways of life.