\n
SALALAH, : The \u2018Return of the Past\u2019 event continues to welcome visitors at Al Saada in the
\nWilayat of Salalah, amid the atmosphere of the khareef (Dhofar\u2019s monsoon season) and the
\nwarmth of a cherished past.
\nOrganised by Dhofar Municipality as part of Khareef Dhofar 2026, the event is one of the season\u2019s
\nleading heritage destinations. It highlights the diversity of the environments found across Dhofar
\nGovernorate through faithful recreations of earlier ways of life and the occupations, crafts, social
\noccasions and folk arts that shaped Dhofari society across generations.
\nThe event recreates the details of traditional Omani life and presents Dhofar\u2019s artistic and cultural
\nheritage through live scenes depicting the governorate\u2019s different environments, customs and
\ntraditions, folk arts, handicrafts and old markets, taking visitors on a journey back to the time of
\ntheir ancestors.
\nThe marine environment<\/p>\n
The journey begins with the marine environment, which reflects the close relationship between
\nthe people of Dhofar and the sea.
\nIt features traditional fishing equipment, old boats and net-making, alongside the maritime arts
\nand chants once performed by seafarers during fishing trips to build enthusiasm and cooperation.
\nAmong them are Al Shabaniyah and Al Dawari (traditional maritime performance arts), together
\nwith Al Hawalis and Al Sayyad (traditional children\u2019s games associated with coastal
\ncommunities).
\nThe section also presents Al Sifarah, the custom of receiving travellers and announcing their
\narrival. Accompanying chants convey the longing of families and their joy at a safe return.
\nTogether, these elements recreate the atmosphere of coastal life and the occupations, customs and
\ntraditions associated with the sea.
\nThe urban environment<\/p>\n
The urban environment presents aspects of social life in Dhofar\u2019s towns in earlier times.
\nIt highlights traditional wedding customs, including the groom\u2019s procession, as well as
\nperformances of Al Bar\u2019ah (a traditional music-and-dance form from Dhofar) and Al Tabl (a
\ntraditional drumming art), alongside other folk arts associated with social occasions.<\/p>\n
The section also depicts everyday life in old neighbourhoods and the strong social bonds and
\nenduring values that characterised those communities.
\nThe agricultural environment<\/p>\n
The agricultural environment reflects the relationship between the people of Dhofar, the land and
\nfarming.
\nIt displays crops for which the governorate was traditionally known, including coconuts, locally
\nknown as mashli, as well as bananas, papayas, lemons and a number of other fruits and
\nvegetables. It also depicts customs and traditions associated with farmers, the spirit of
\ncooperation during cultivation and harvesting, and the practice of honouring guests with produce
\nfrom local farms.
\nTraditional clothing associated with the lives of local communities is shown here, together with a
\ncollection of old shops that once formed part of traditional markets. These include shops selling
\nhoney, fruit and vegetables, birds and sheep, as well as outlets offering fandal (sweet potato),
\nwatermelons and mashli. The display also includes a shop selling agricultural seedlings and tools
\ntraditionally used by farmers for ploughing, irrigation and harvesting.
\nThe section further presents the barter system once common in the past, under which goods and
\nproduce were exchanged directly among members of the community \u2014 a practice that reflects the
\nsolidarity, social cohesion and cooperation of Dhofari society in earlier times.
\nThe rural environment<\/p>\n
The rural environment presents an important aspect of traditional life in the mountains of Dhofar
\nGovernorate.
\nAt its centre is the traditional rural house, one of the principal elements of family life in the past.
\nIt was built from locally available natural materials such as mud, stone and wood.
\nThe house contains a range of objects used by residents in their daily lives, including the qirbah (a
\nleather container used to store water), vessels made from palm fronds and other simple tools
\nreflecting the nature of life at the time.
\nThe section also demonstrates traditional methods of preparing food, most notably madhbi (meat
\ncooked on heated stones), the cooking of meat that had been dried on tree branches, and the
\npreparation of milk using hot stones.
\nTraditional indigo-dyed clothing worn by both men and women, known locally as al sabighah, is
\non display, along with the khanjar (the traditional Omani curved dagger) or the mahfif,
\ntraditionally used by men as part of their attire. These elements reflect an Omani heritage
\npreserved by successive generations.
\nThe section also presents houses built from straw, stone and mud. Layers of straw and tarbal (a
\nlocally used insulating material) helped maintain moderate indoor temperatures in summer and
\nwarmth in winter.<\/p>\n
The environment also recreates facilities associated with everyday life, including livestock
\nshelters, traditional storerooms for provisions and food, and a sheepskin container used to
\npreserve food.
\nDhofar\u2019s mountain and rural communities are rich in traditional arts associated with social
\noccasions. These include Al Raqeed (a men\u2019s performance presented at weddings), Eili Maqbool
\n(a traditional duet performance) and Al Nana (a vocal art performed individually or as a duet). In
\nAl Dabrart, two or more poets exchange sung or melodically delivered verses in a poetic dialogue.
\nChildren also practise traditional games such as Al Tab (a traditional children\u2019s game).
\nThe Bedouin environment<\/p>\n
The Bedouin environment takes visitors into the life of the desert and the values traditionally
\nassociated with it, including generosity, courage and social solidarity. The display is divided into
\ntwo sections.
\nThe first features the Bedouin tent, woven from animal wool, together with the majlis (the
\ntraditional guest reception area), in which desert communities received their guests \u2014 a reflection
\nof the importance of hospitality in Bedouin society, where coffee is served to visitors. It also
\nincludes a dedicated frankincense exhibition presenting a model of a frankincense tree, the stages
\nof extracting and collecting its resin, and its journey along ancient trade caravans to countries
\naround the world. Traditional Bedouin crafts are also shown, including woven palm products,
\npottery, leatherwork and the qirbah.
\nThe second section recreates everyday Bedouin life. It features the tent in which Bedouin families
\nlived, the stone-built kitchen and examples of traditional attire, including the khanjar and the
\nkhayzam, which was tied around the head.
\nVisitors can also experience a number of Bedouin performing arts. Among them is Al Taghrood, a
\nchant once sung during the journeys of frankincense caravans to ease the hardship of travel, along
\nwith the rousing camel-related arts Merad Al Ibil and Shaddad Al Ibil, and Al Haboot, performed
\non social occasions. The section also recreates traditional wedding ceremonies, including the
\ncustom of Al Maghboor, under which camels and sheep were presented to the groom as gifts to
\nhelp him begin married life.
\nThe traditional shops<\/p>\n
The traditional marketplace takes visitors through the details of everyday life in earlier times.
\nAmong its attractions is a tailor\u2019s shop displaying an old sewing machine, heritage fabrics and
\ngarments dating from the 1970s. The tailor demonstrates how women\u2019s clothing was cut and
\nmade in the past, and introduces visitors to traditional fabric names, among them Abu
\nTuffahatain.
\nThe market also includes an old grocery shop stocked with products once commonly sold in local
\nstores, including vintage soft-drink bottles. A photography studio displays early cameras and
\nequipment, together with the stages by which photographs were printed to document everyday<\/p>\n
life. Visitors can also explore the clinic of the Dokhtar, the traditional folk healer, where methods
\nof healing are presented through the herbs, oils and tools once used in folk medicine.
\nThe old post office and the kuttab<\/p>\n
The old post office presents the journey of postal delivery and displays old postage stamps.
\nNearby, the kuttab (the traditional Old school) presents the beginnings of children\u2019s education
\nand the memorisation of the Holy Quran.
\nThe Wali\u2019s house<\/p>\n
The Wali\u2019s house illustrates the traditional role of the wali (the local administrative official
\nresponsible for the wilayat) in overseeing the affairs of local communities and resolving disputes.
\nThe display portrays the wali making his daily rounds through the area and receiving members of
\nthe public, who would bring their complaints and concerns to him for resolution.
\nSouq Al Fardhah<\/p>\n
The site also hosts Souq Al Fardhah, one of the event\u2019s distinctive attractions, recreating the
\natmosphere of traditional markets through the participation of productive families (home-based
\nproducers), who display and promote their local products.
\nThe market offers handicrafts and traditional products, traditional Dhofari foods, frankincense,
\nincense, perfumes, incense burners, clothing of all kinds and women\u2019s accessories.
\nOmani Women\u2019s Associations pavilion<\/p>\n
The event also features a pavilion for the Omani Women\u2019s Associations, highlighting the identity
\nof Omani women and their role in preserving the country\u2019s heritage and folk traditions.
\nAssociations from ten wilayats of Dhofar Governorate, among them Salalah and Taqah, present
\nthe products for which their communities are known, including perfumes, traditional clothing,
\nhandicrafts, crafts made by women and local cuisine. Together, the displays reflect the diversity of
\nDhofar\u2019s heritage and the creativity of Omani women.
\nDaily cultural performances<\/p>\n
The Return of the Past Theatre hosts evening performances every day, presented by Al Mazyonah
\nFolk Arts Group and Al Shati Troupe. The programme is led by performances of Al Bar\u2019ah
\nalongside a range of other folk arts and traditional games, recreating the atmosphere of earlier
\ngenerations.<\/p>\n
Heritage restaurants and caf\u00e9s<\/p>\n
The event also includes a dedicated area for restaurants and caf\u00e9s designed with heritage-inspired
\nd\u00e9cor reflecting traditional Omani life. The setting offers visitors an experience that combines
\nauthentic traditional cuisine with a variety of contemporary dishes, reinforcing the heritage
\ncharacter of the event and enriching the visit.
\nA living record of Dhofar\u2019s heritage<\/p>\n
Return of the Past remains one of the leading heritage destinations during Khareef Dhofar 2026,
\npresenting the artistic and cultural legacy of Dhofar Governorate and giving visitors the
\nopportunity to discover its different environments, customs, performing arts and crafts.
\nThrough this experience, the event keeps the memory of the place alive in its authentic spirit and
\nallows successive generations to maintain their connection with the legacy of their parents and
\ngrandparents.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
SALALAH, : The \u2018Return of the Past\u2019 event continues to welcome visitors at Al Saada in the Wilayat of Salalah, amid the atmosphere of the khareef (Dhofar\u2019s monsoon season) and the warmth of a cherished past. Organised by Dhofar Municipality as part of Khareef Dhofar 2026, the event is one of the season\u2019s leading heritage …<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":134385,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[439],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-134388","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-english-news"],"yoast_head":"\n