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Originally Posted by A.alnakkas
The problem is not with local people upgrading/fixing their jambiyas and khanjars. That is part of the dagger wearing culture within the gulf its something that I want to live on. The problem is with that of old items deliberately changed or 'upgraded' to be sold for tourists or outsiders in general :-)
I personally want to upgrade one of my dress khanjars into a rhino hilt and to get a proper belt for it but granted its new and even the rhino is new :P
Anyways Ibrahim, as our man in the field of Omani Khanjars, is there any signs of decline? I know that the younger generation in all societies tend to be the ones who rebel against older costumes.. but would be interested in reading what you think of the situation there.
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Salaams ~ In Muscat the deterioration is slow almost un noticed but in 30 years the entire feel of the souk has changed... I would estimate that only a handful of the genuine original old places exist. Her in Buraimi we lost a shop in the souk to general decline last week... in the age of the owner rather than anything else.. leaving a vaccuum ... A very important piece of antiquity has vanished forever... the same has happenend to silver makers... Most towns would have had about ten silversmiths 50 years ago... Now many places have none.
The ruler has decreed that silvermakers train at least one son ... in a bid to continue this great profession. There are gulids being set up in Muscat with apprentices being trained. In Salalah a womens guild has taken on the mantle of silversmiths..If the traditional methods are not expanded to keep pace wiith tourism ( and the demand for silver jewellery by locals) it will vanish by default... Already it is in steep decline owing to silver jewellery becoming out of fashion and gold is replacing it. The trouble is that the apprenticeship is long... In the old days a silversmith would start at about 7 years old and by the time he was 17 would know almost everything ....It is hard work with long hours and total dedication... People would rather become business men engineers doctors ...etc etc.. How to fix the decline??
Open a college for craftsmanship covering the skills like dhow making, metalworking, silversmithing, wood carving, weaving, sword smiths....?
One thing for certain... unless it is reversed it will vanish.
I should add that when a big museum (there are many now in the Gulf) goes shopping in say Muscat .. they are quite capable of sucking everything up like a huge fishing trawler... and for months the souk is emptied of decent artefacts... This is going on continuously and when you consider that along side ..a 4000 tourist passenger ship parking right next to the main souk... the drain on antiques is considerable.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.