#YES_TO_OMAN

A book dedicated to Omani youth

Oman — Faces & Places is available at Stall No P1 of the Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertisement -
By Maryam Khalfan -

A pictorial book featuring unique and memorable images of the Omani people in their natural settings and social lifestyle in the first decade of the Sultanate’s renaissance is among the latest editions of volumes on display at the current Muscat International Book Fair.
The volume, which has been unveiled to the market for the first time, is a special dedication to the youth of Oman to witness and experience their country in the past.
Dubbed Oman — Faces & Places, the book is available at Stall No P1 of the Oman Establishment for Press, Publication and Advertisement (OEPPA), the distribution agent of the volume.
Authored by Aida al Rowas, the volume features an assortment of colour and black & white pictures from diverse regions of the Sultanate ranging from the Governorates of Dakhiliyah to the South of Al Sharqiyah in Wilayat of Sur and Dhofar Governorate.
The pictures, which demonstrate the past were taken by the author during one of her jaunts as journalist when she was invited to the Sultanate’s 7th National Day in November, 1977.

Among such unique pictures include a traditional cradle in the mountains of Dhofar, traditional mountain dwellings, which was made of waste materials and stones, and the old doors and windows in Dhofar.
Other unique pictures include portraits of tribesmen from the Dhofar mountains sporting their traditional costumes and weapons, the camel rearing legacy and a pride of the local herdsmen and the native hospitality of offering fresh camel milk to respect guests.
Images from the Dhofar section of the book also feature natives adorned in their traditional costume and jewellery as well as aerial view shots, which were taken by the author when she explored the Dhofar Governorate in a Beaver plane.
Memorable attractions from Al Dakhiliyah and Al Sharqiyah governorates include portraits of women in the old date processing factory and the pottery making activities in Nizwa, the Bedouins at the goats and fodder market, and images of men and women working in farms besides each other.
Other attractions include memorable shots of boys and girls attending the Quran classes, a woman grinding henna, the traditional stove and the utilisation of water from an aflaj.
Interestingly, other inspiring photographs in this volume includes snaps of the old Souq of Nizwa, which to date has been kept intact and preserved to portray the ancient traditions, handicrafts and activities of the natives of the region.
Equally eye-catching in this volume incudes snaps of the traditional mud-brick houses in Nizwa, the gateway to a cluster of houses in a village and pictures of girl students carrying their school bags on their heads as they walk to their newly constructed school.
According to the author, she came to Oman in 1977 and from that moment she was mesmerised by the beauty of the natural environment in which Muscat is set and the magic of its silent mystique.
“I was given an opportunity to venture deep into Oman’s heartland, the interior region — where I was welcomed with graciousness into the daily lives of the people. I captured some of the unassuming moments encountered using my simple camera”, recalls Al Rowas.
Since then, she settled in Oman and witnessed the nation developing and its transformation. She witnessed its cities and regions prosper and grow, even as new generations have the opportunity for a comprehensive education that introduce them to the modern world.
Nevertheless, after 36 years, she felt, this year was the ripe time for her to publish a book from an autograph album of an amazing memory of her journey after her first visit to the Sultanate and to dedicate it to the new generations who know very little about the lives of their forefathers.
“This book is to those who take their modern surroundings and convenient way of life for granted, with little thought to the effort and hardships their predecessors endured to secure it,” she noted in the preface even as she paid tribute to His Majesty the Sultan for leading Oman’s transformation to what it is today.

Tuesday 04th, March 2014 / 19:13 Written by Oman Observer 

in Features