  The classical q-hypergeometric orthogonal polynomials are assembled into a
hierarchy called the q-Askey scheme. At the top of the hierarchy, there are two
closely related families, the Askey-Wilson and q-Racah polynomials. As it is
well known, their construction admits a generalization leading to remarkable
orthogonal symmetric polynomials in several variables.
  We construct an analogue of the multivariable q-Racah polynomials in the
algebra of symmetric functions. Next, we show that our q-Racah symmetric
functions can be degenerated into the big q-Jacobi symmetric functions,
introduced in a recent paper by the second author. The latter symmetric
functions admit further degenerations leading to new symmetric functions, which
are analogues of q-Meixner and Al-Salam--Carlitz polynomials.
  Each of the four families of symmetric functions (q-Racah, big q-Jacobi,
q-Meixner, and Al-Salam--Carlitz) forms an orthogonal system of functions with
respect to certain measure living on a space of infinite point configurations.
The orthogonality measures of the four families are of independent interest. We
show that they are linked by limit transitions which are consistent with the
degenerations of the corresponding symmetric functions.
