Honeymen in Feequin

‘Honeymen’ in Feequin
BW March 15 2010
Mohammed bin Rashid bin Waleed Al Busaidi gingerly plucked a hive swarming with bees from its home (a small brick structure) in his farmland in Feequin and displayed it to us. Bees swarmed him, but, surprisingly none bit him, or us, who were within close proximity.

Full with the belief that bees would attack us, we were more concerned about our safety than getting the story, but the 75-plus Mohammed Al Busaidi put us at ease. “I have never been bitten before and they won’t bite, relax…”
So, we relaxed and as the bees droned and hummed around us because they were slightly disturbed, Mohammed declared solemnly: “It is from these bees that you get the best of honey in Oman!”
This was no mere boast. The small village of Feequin, which is some 22kms east of Nizwa, is considered to be the ‘honey capital of Oman’, and its residents, are all savvy of the honey making business, because it has been part of their tradition here.
Mohammed, one of the oldest member of this honey business and still happily pursuing this trade, says that today, it was an admix of a career cum hobby for him. He used to have a government job before and at that time he took honey making and trading as more of a hobby. But, after retiring from his job, he is now into this trade, fulltime.
“Currently I have over 30 to 40 hives. During the seasons, I can make around 40 to 100 honey bottles and I have a proper market for it.”

Mohammed’s day starts at the crack of dawn. “I am up very early in the morning, and after my morning prayers, I start off with my bee hives,” he tells Black & White.
He explained how he worked on the hives, building partitions, cleaning up, setting their homes etc. “It may look quite hard, but, honestly, by noontime, my work is over,” he gleefully explains. “I don’t know whether to call it a job or a hobby. Whatever, it occupies my full time now.
“It is very much a part of my life now and even though it may not enjoy the glory of a time past, I think the future is promising,” he said, highlighting the exciting moments that he had in the past.
A decade or so ago, Mohammed, who was rummaging in the circuit of Mannah, some 30-odd kilometers away from Feequin, stumbled on one of the biggest hive (in his experience). “I got four bottles of excellent quality honey from it.”
Mohammed sold small bottles for around 25rials while larger bottles were sold at 80rials.

Later, at his home, as we sampled fresh honey along with some paper thin Rukhal (a type of Omani bread), Mohammed gave us his tale of honey and beyond:

Honey village of Al FeequinAll of Mohammed’s ancestors lived in Al Feequin. “I was born here and I can say honey and beekeeping has been part of this village for many years.
“As for me, I began collecting honey when I was a young boy of 10. I am into the honey trade for the last 40 to 45 years now.
“My father was very passionate of this trade and he was considered one of the best ‘honey man’ in this region. Nizwa and Rustaq are the centres for honey and Al Feequin used to be one the most sought after honey centres in Oman. I used to work in the ministry of defence before, but, currently I am fulltime into the honey trade. A few of my sons help me, but, I do it full time by myself.”
Mohammed explained that Oman has two types of honey bees: big and small. According to him, the small-sized ones make the best variety of honey. “Honey trading is a good business. It used to be better in those early days. But no complaints, I can still make a good income out of selling honey.”
Three seasons for honey
In Oman, there are three seasons for honey. Two of them are in the winter months (February and November) and one in summer (May/May end). The honey is harvested during these months.
“During winter I take the bee hives to the mountains or the forests, because it is during this period that the Muscat Municipality sprays disinfectants and it will harm my bees.
“I keep my hives away in the plains some 40 kms away from Feequin.”
Mohammed’s passion for bee keeping and honey making is quite evident. In fact, he is passionately attached to it.
But, he feels he could do a lot better in this trade with a little more support from the local authorities. “It is a good trade. During good seasons we can get 40 to 100 bottles of honey.
“Currently I have over 30 to 40 hives and every hive needs a queen bee. In the earlier days I had around 100 hives and queen bees,” he tells us.

Where the Queen is King The queen bee is indispensable in this business of honey. No queen bee, no honey, it is as simple as that.
Mohammed tells us how, in the earlier days, during the time his father was the king of the honey trade in Feequin, they used to get the queen bees from the jebels. “We follow the same pattern. Once the queen bees breed, we have no problem. But, when there is a dearth for them, we scour the jebels and the forests, catch them in special cages and bring them back.”
Like all animals and insects, the bees come to wet their parched mouths in the water holes. Once they have had their fill, they return to their hives, and bee trackers like Mohammed adeptly trail behind them.
A captive queen bee lives for four to six years, but, she is productive only for three years. “I still search for queen bees whenever I am out in the jebels.
“We keep them in separate partitions. Two queen bees can never be put in the same cage, they fight and kill themselves. But we can keep four to five together.”


Omani honey the bestIn Oman, the Dakhliyah region is known to have the best variety of honey. Batinah region also has good honey too, but, it is lighter in nature. “Shuhoud is a high quality variety and Rahyah is the second best. In the Batinah region, the palm trees are more and people make beehives out of date palm trunk usually three to four feet in length and hollowed out and the honeycomb and the queen are placed inside. Ingenious ways of harvesting the honey and combs are done from the rear of the date log hive to minimise disturbance to the bees. Here in our village we are dependent on sidr trees. Oman can proudly boast of the quality of its honey in the region. I have customers coming from the United Arab Emirates and buying honey for 100rials.”
Mohammed said the honey created by the small varieties of bees are unique in this part of region and are the tastiest. “I only pray there are more rains, so there is more water. It is the water and greenery that brings the honey bees to us. In the earlier times, we had lot of greenery, which is now scant now.
“Our prayers and wishes are for Oman to have more flowers. The quality of honey depends on the trees and flowers from which the nectar is collected by the bees. The Sidr trees are very good and the honey from it has a pleasant smell. It is very thick and has very good taste. It fetches good rates too. There are cheaper ones, which are thinner in nature and we sell them for 25 rials per bottle. You can buy these at the Nizwa souq.”
No dearth for honeyMohammed noted how, earlier, there were only a handful of the villagers and there was plenty of honey. “Of course, there is no dearth of honey and bees today. It is just there are more people getting into this trade. All we need is more water, trees and flowers. I hope more and more youngsters take up this trade and create a market for this trade.”
Speaking to us, Mohammed took a dab of honey in his hand and as the golden drop glinted in the sunlight that streamed into the room, he said: “Honey never gets spoilt. It has a good shelf life. The older the honey, the tastier it gets. It is a good product worthy of your time and investment. It has immense medicinal properties and it will always remain an integral part of our lives.”
Honeymen of Al Feequin
Before we met Mohammed, we had bumped into Mohammed Hilal Al Busaidi near the Feequin fort. He led us Nasser Hamoud Saif Al Busaidi, one of the younger generations of Omanis, who were equally passionate about honey making and all that went about it.
He led us to his home where he brought out a freshly plucked hive and took us on a brief journey into honey making.
Nasser Al Busaidi noted that their ancestors in Feequin village began this ancient tradition of honey making.
“Today, it is a family tradition for me. You can find little boys hunting for honey here. What starts as a childhood hobby, slowly becomes a full time hobby for us. It has happened to me.”

Nasser’s father used to do it on a large scale and he had many bee hives. Honey making and setting up beehives used to be the main hobby for many of the villagers of Feequin. “I grew up seeing our elders hunt for the queen bee, searching for hives and setting up hives for making honey. Omani honey is considered to be one of the best in the AGCC region and good honey can cost up to 80 rials.”
Nasser began his honey hobby when he was just 10. “I think most kids in this village grew up with this hobby. Because of the history of the elders in the village tending to bee keeping, our village was famous for it. All of us have our own hives and we somehow find time to this hobby.”

Nasser took us to a space behind his home where he kept the hives. According to him, the honey during winter was much better tasting and thicker than summer. There are five types of tree from which the bees make their honey: Sidr is the most common as well as the most famous one. Then it is Harmel, Sarhah, Sumr and Assr. “Both, the seasons of Sidr and Harmel are over. The Harmel season just got over recently.”
Nizwa and Rustaq are the honey centres. “You get good honey in Salalah too, but it is thinner. The best varieties are from Nizwa and Rustaq. And the village of Feequin has got the best. The numbers of honey makers in our village have reduced to three or four. But, we still are in demand. It is a trade, in the season we sell up to 30 to 40 bottles. We get order from many. The consumers know it. We even get orders from the UAE.”

Nasser’s father used to bring the queen bees from the mountains. “I still do it. I have a very close childhood friend Ahed who tags along me to the jebels to help me bring back the queen bee. Bees need water and they build their hives next to the water resources. When we see a bee drinking water, we know there is a hive nearby. Then we start looking for it.”

By adarsh madhavan, Priya arunkumar, Najib Al balushi

Captain Juma, the sailor at 12

The adventures of Captain Juma, the sailor
Will God fulfill the prayers of old men whom time forgot?
Will God heed to the desire of a proud, old Omani sailor?
These queries played in our mind as we talked to a venerable old sailor, a former ship (dhow) captain, and an icon of a proud part of Oman’s history, who while lovingly caressing a miniature model of a dhow at his home in Al Hail South, was also saying that given a chance he would sail an Omani dhow once again. Even though he was old, tired and his sailing days were all behind him.
Captain (former) Juma Said Salem Al Ruzaiqy pointed to an elevated spot on the vessel and said that from that vantage point he could see everyone on board the vessel and the sea. “This is where I used to stand,” he told Black & White, his once-tired eyes gleaming with a mixture of emotions: pleasure, pride, and perhaps a tinge of sadness. He could not take his eyes off the miniature vessel, made in the likeness of Al Ghanja (a type of Suri dhow/boat).
“My sailing days are over,” the 75-plus sailor and captain who had sailed for more than 50 years wistfully tells Black & White, adding however that he wished to sail once more. “I want to become the master of a ship, steer it to safety…just once more,” he said in a voice heavy with experiences and remembrances of sails past.
Praying somehow that his dreams would come true, we listened to Captain Juma Ruzaiqy reciting some moments of a glorious past. He told us the tale without remorse, regret or self pity. It was a hard life on the sea that he described, but here was a man who took everything that fate threw on him and accepted it. If life was tough then, it just so happened that he was a bit tougher.
For a boy who took to sailing at a mere age of nine, sailing was the only profession and life that he knew. But the sea has taught him the most valuable lessons that life could ever teach anyone. And, one of the most important lessons was patience, Captain Juma added to B&W.
For Capt Juma, patience was the key to his success; to a successful sailing and trading career. On the sea, the odds that they faced were mostly insurmountable. “But with the fortitude of patience in us, we could face anything. Because we knew that the bad times would not last and even if we were totally away from land for months, we would still somehow reach our destination. Despite confronting the worst of moments, worst of storms and despairing moments when we would be lost and off track for weeks, we still had the patience to wait for the seas to calm, for the path to clear, the winds to settle and from dark moments of loneliness and fear of the unknown to turn into utter bliss, togetherness and happiness,” Capt Juma said.
Good old years
“I would love to live those days all over again. I still prefer to go back to my old life and be part of the older generation,” Capt Juma said, slightly bent over on his chair at his home. “Our focus was not comfort and easy life. Yes, it was a tough life, but we were tougher. We were people with tremendous amount of inner strength; our hearts were more open and we were not burdened with guilt like the youngsters of today.
The comfort and easy life has made the younger generation weak and dependent on others. We were self reliant and self dependent. But, then we had no choice. We had to. I have had a full-fledged and a satisfying life. I have fulfilled my mission. I have no regrets whatsoever. I had a good life and I am still enamoured by the sea…”

At that time, Capt Juma was one of the youngest one to have sailed on a dhow. He was merely nine then. “I had completed my certificate course at the Quran School. Formal education was not easy to come by. I did perform well at school; after passing the course, the only option I had was to join my father on board the dhow.”
Harsh sailing life
But, life was not hunky dory. “A life of sailing is a harsh one; but it makes you strong. A sea never hurts you and it teaches you what you need most in your life – PATIENCE! I learned it the hard way, it taught me strength, it taught me team work. Those unexpected storms and strong winds and dead winds were the dangers we faced those days. Imagine being on a wooden ship, with no engine or motor totally dependent on the winds? If there was no wind, life would literally come to a stand still…”

Memories: sweet and sour; salty and bitter
Capt Juma had an answer to almost everything we asked him. At times, he mentally pored over a query and then unveiled slices of his sailing life. At one point, he went very quiet and then slowly, he told us of an incident on the sea, when they were lost in sea, in the middle of nowhere. Capt Juma and his crew were stuck between two opposing winds and they literally stood still for days. Strong westerly winds then blew them off course and they had to literally resort to an alternate route on their return journey to Muscat from Mumbai. Their reserves had run out and they were on their last leg. He put his distress flag out and finally a passing steel oil ship yielded to their SOS. By this time, they were somewhere near Sugatra (near Yemen). A boat was sent by the oil liner to the captain of the dhow.
Kid with a strong heart
Capt Juma gently rubbed his cheek with a glint in his eyes and a hint of a smile on his face as he recalled these moments. “In shipping circles, I was just a kid and I looked it too, without even a hint of a growth on my face.
“The captain was quite taken aback when he met me and asked several times whether I was actually the captain.” Seeing the youngster who claimed he was at the help of the vessel, the captain feared that the dhow was in danger because of a rank inexperienced hand at its helm.
“The captain looked down at me and gave me a series of tasks to do to prove that I could handle my vessel. ‘You are too young to be the captain of the ship. Tell me the position of your ship,’ he asked me sternly. He got a map and asked me to pinpoint our current position.
“This was not a difficult task for me: I pointed to the map and said, ‘we’re here – 12 noon!’
The captain’s eyes popped out: ‘Dead on,’ he said, slapping me on my back. ‘Dead on, lad,’ he said, almost hugging me. Then he transformed himself from a doubting Thomas to a fountain of plenty. He gave us water, provisions and even a gift for me. “The experience was a lesson for all of us!”

Sailing at nine
This was nothing unusual for Capt Juma was just nine when he joined his father on the ship to India. “They say necessity is the mother of invention and that is how I took up sailing. My family had the necessity to take up sailing. My sister, older to me by two years had some eye problem and since Mumbai had good medical facilities, my father decided to take her there.
This is how I began my sailing career. I became a trader for many companies and started sailing to Mumbai (It was called Mumbai then during the 1940s, not Bombay, he clarified).
“If the winds were favourable, it took me and my crew just seven days to reach Mumbai. Otherwise we could be sailing for over a month, from Muscat to Mumbai and back. Normally we stayed one month at our destination, before we start our sailing back.
“In those days Sur was a trading centre and its only other competitor was Kuwait. Sur and Kuwait were filled with demand and supply of merchandises from Mumbai, Karachi, Burma, and Madras etc. Sailing was not new to Oman. It started very early and many Omanis set off from Sur, to the adjoining AGCC countries and other coastal towns to far China, India and Africa in search of fame and fortune.
I have sailed to India frequently and to Pakistan, all the AGCC countries and Africa
My father and grandfather have sailed up to Madras, Siam (Thailand) and even Madagascar.” Capt Juma’s family owned over seven ships – at one point they had three ships sailing -- and we had our own shipyard. Sur was the only centre in Muscat that had trading at its peak.”

Salted fish, lemons, and dates
Other than Arabic, Capt Juma could also converse in Hindi. He could also handle English and a bit of Swahili.
“Have you heard of Surmai machi?” he asked us in Hindi… “That fish is named after Sur and I am sure it is still available in Mumbai. We used to fish for 30 days or more and salt the fishes and take it up to Mumbai to sell. Other stuff traded included salted lemons and dried dates. We brought back rice, cereals, spices, medicines and many more things from Mumbai.” He also remembered his connection with Kerala. “Calicut (Kozhikode) and Beypore,” he said, his face breaking into a smile.

Cut out for sailing
Capt Juma noted that he was dependent on ships, throughout his life. “As sailors, we had our lives cut out for us. We were alive and everyday was a challenge. Yes, it was a very tough life. We were out in the vast, empty ocean and at the mercy of harsh nature for days and months. Our family owned seven big ships which we acquired for trading purposes. We had contracts with various companies and we brought cargo for them. The 1940s saw Sur as a busy trading centre and without any other transportation facilities ships were the only means for trade. Two of our family ships were biggest in the whole region.”

Omani ships, built to last for 100 years
Omani ships, which can last for 60 to 100 years, are distinguished by their variety of types although some are no longer made. The largest type was the ocean-going cargo vessel, the Baghla with a length of 135 feet and a load capacity of 150-400 tonnes, which could be distinguished by its high poop deck and quarter galleries.
Al Ghanjah was very similar to the Baghla, and is considered by many Omanis to be the most beautiful of the large dhows, Capt Juma noted.

No one wants the long, hard route
“The seas and sailing were the only means of money for our family and we chose sailing as our profession. No regrets till date and I am still wanting to sail more. Sailing is my life and it is sad to see that the younger generation will never experience it on sea.
It is not modernity, it is the progress of technology and transportation that has created newer sources of trade that has brought a decline in trading by sea. Today no one is dependent on the sea routes. The air cargos, the land transport has developed by leaps and bounds – so why choose the long hard route?”

Oman’s only master ship builder
Sur, on a sleepy February afternoon is just that: sleepy. But, along its harbour, considered to be one of the oldest in the world, there are some buildings dedicated for shipbuilding. Enter one of these and you will bump into one of the only Omani ship craftsman/builder alive, who is still fully engaged in the ship building trade.
Ustad Juma bin Hasoon Juma Al Araimi, 70, is neither sleepy, nor lazy. And neither are his workers, all immersed in the activity they know best.
Master craftsman Juma Hasoon is still active as the first time he took a ship-building tool, some 55 years ago in Kuwait. He returned to Oman 16 years after, taking up the reins of shipbuilding in 1971 and thereafter building more than 2000 vessels, most of them costing over 90,000 rials (to be built).
He is the only active Omani ship builder left in Oman. But, neither is he a relic or a man with a singular past alone. Juma Hasoon is today a timeless reminder of the glorious shipbuilding past of Oman.
He is also keen that this ancient craft of building wooden vessels does not die with him. “I have trained my three sons in the same trade and I have 10 expatriate workers too,” Juma told Black & White, taking some time off from his busy building schedule to talk to us.
Juma was keen to spend some time with us so that he could unveil some nuggets of information of his past, thereby preserving some salient points of a glorious era to posterity.
But, he is neither sad nor depressed. Although times are tough now and there is hardly any shipping activity to speak of, Juma is confident that he could spark the ship building desire in young Omanis to continue, as he noted, a “glorious tradition”.

Legendary ship builders
In the earlier days, Juma used to have over 40 workers under him. “The demand for ships was very high then. I remember a time when there were six shipbuilders (including him) in Sur. Five have passed away. Only I am left today. Mohammed Khamis Al Shagagh, Yakuth Suleim Al Ghailani, Ismail Hasoon Al Araimi, Rubaiya Hamad Al Araimi and Mohammed Hamad Al Shagagh were the other five,” he said, reeling off the names of his now-dead contemporaries. “They are no more today, but they were some of the best builders Sur ever saw.”
Juma also described a former legendary ship builder, Khamis Al Jhowi, who, he said, could merely feel the wood and instruct how to build. Khamis died last year. “Another good ship builder was Zubait Khamis Al Alawi, but he is too old today and has retired from the trade.”
Passing a legacy
Most of the Omani ship builders have left the trade because of the lack of demand. “I will not blame anyone, it is just that life styles have evolved and modernity has made lives easier and faster for all. Ship building is not a fast-paced activity. A person or business house building one will have to wait for nearly six to eight months minimum. We do not build a ship for ourselves. We do not hold stocks too. Only after the order is placed we start to build.
“My three sons, Saleh, Ali and Khalid are trained in this trade. I don’t have the heart to let the ship building die. It will eventually, but as long as my family continues in this trade, I feel there will be someone to take the trade forward.”
Seven shipyards in Sur
Juma explained how during the time when the ship building trade was at its peak, Sur used to have more than seven shipyards. Today at the place where the largest shipyard used to be has been redesigned as a park!
Juma noted how ship building was not just a passion, but more importantly, a family tradition. “My father, grandfather, uncles were into ship building. So I was groomed, taught and trained by the best in the field then. I dot keep count of how many ships I build, but I can say definitely over 2000. I have built ships for Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.”

Day begins and ends with ship building
For Juma, building a ship is like breathing. He has to do it to keep himself alive. And Juma, despite his age, was as sprightly and energetic as a teenager. “My day starts and ends with the making of the ship. It is a tough job, but very satisfying.
“For me it is a family tradition. I don’t know of any other trade. Being a native of Sur, the sea is an integral part of my life. Other than Sur, Kuwait is one of the major centres for trading and ship building. These ships were basically created for trading. The sea route was the chosen one for trading since centuries. That made ship building a part of Sur and its people. Sur can boast of many talented and professional shipbuilders and traders.”

Building a ship is tough
Then and today, building is a ship is tough business. “First of all there should be a demand for ships, which is slowly declining. Today, the trading or business houses are not dependant on dhows or wooden ships. The fibres have taken over. And it is easier and faster with fiber building. A wooden ship takes a lot of craftsmanship and time. It is expensive too. It requires 90,000Rials to build a big ship. It takes around eight months to build a big ship, while a small one takes around six months. Wood is a dependable element. Oman’s temperature gets the wood in a proper and perfectly dried condition. I only take time off for my prayers in a day. I have dedicated my complete day to the ship building trade.”


Box/separate

Six types of ships
Sur boasts of six different types of ship: Al Ghanja, Boom, Sabookh, Badan, Jalbooth, and Shuwaiei. Al Ghanja is the best and popular one from Sur. These ships are mainly created for shipping cargo – trading -- and fishing. Nowadays it is used predominantly for races and for tourism. “I only wish and hope that the authorities will take up the trade and pass it on to the future before it becomes extinct and just history,” Juma opined.
The wood for these vessels usually came from Malaysia, India, Burma, Africa etc. But the designs came from the craftsman’s head. “We carry the design parts in our head. I do not follow a blueprint or a design. The building process depends on the length and breadth of the ship. Once that is decided and ordered, the other parts can be created,” Juma said.

Omani dhows - the best
Support or interest from Oman Inc is still not very forthcoming, but the Omani corporate does order ships for taking part in boat races. “I am very proud to say that I have built many such ships for races and these ships have always emerged as winners.”
“I remember one such instance where the organisers of a race in Dubai actually said all ships should be of the same origin (as the country where the race was being held) and thereby the Oman team was not allowed to use Omani dhows...,” Juma said, adding with a laugh that this rule was applied because Omani dhows always won in such races.
Was there any special vessel that he created and was there any one of them very close to his heart?
The master craftsman loved all of his works of art: “I love all the ships that I have created. Yes, one special dhow, which is close to my heart is the one largest ever dhow - Al Messarrah -- made in Oman – it was made for the Royal Yacht Affairs, in August 2005.

Like father, like son
We also spoke to one of the sons of the master craftsman, who Juma fondly hopes will carry on with the trade. The ship building yard of Juma also houses a mini-show room for miniature models and other paraphernalia of ships and ship building. Khalid Juma Al Araimi, one of Juma’s three sons, who is also a
shipbuilder, said he was proud to have obtained an opportunity to take his family trade forward. “I am confident that I can build a ship on my own, but I am fortunate to learn it from my father. He is one of the best teachers anyone can have. Sometimes my father tests us, asking us to do certain jobs on our own. And we try to perform to the best of our capacity. We have a good team of workers with us, who do great work.
Ship building is a great trade, it is slow and steady. I only wish the demand is more.”

Proud lineage
Saud Al Ruzaiqy, who led us around in Sur, comes from a proud lineage of famous ship builders. He
agreed that it was quite tragic that the ship building activity was no longer in the fore as it used to be in the past.
But, he said he was quite confident that the sons of Juma Hasoon would carry on the trade. “I come from a family of ship owners and traders. At a particular time there used to be an exclusive shipyard to house our ships. My father used to be a captain too. For trading purposes, our family used a great number of ships. I remember the elders of my family telling me that one of the ships we sold to Yemen was embedded in one of the Yemeni coins.
It is sad that the younger generation will now only see the ship as a souvenir. There is very little ship building activity because the demand for these ships has reduced phenomenally.”
By adarsh madhavan, Priya Arunkumar, Najib al balushi

Where eagles dare...

Bird watching in Oman
Feb 15, BW
If you want to see the happiest man on earth – come to Al Ansab lagoon. You will find him bent over a spotting scope aimed at some faraway objects. You might wonder why this man, who is doubled up on this contraption for hours, suddenly exults. You wonder why he suddenly throws his hands up in the air and does a little jig as though he has stumbled on something unique.

What is it, you wonder, as you close in on him? The man in a little hat tries to tell you why he is suddenly so excited, but you don’t understand. He gestures to the contraption through which he is looking at the lagoon and you try to peer into it and see naught.

It is a rare bird, the man happily announces and you wonder what was all the excitement about…Why was he excited at spotting a ‘bird’?

These bird watchers are crazy, you mutter under your breath, but, when they unveil their passion for bird watching, you realise that it is not just that. You realise that it is you who needs to be educated: Bird watching is more than just a free man’s pastime/hobby, or just a boring activity – it is a passionate love for not just birds, but environment, for this ground that we step on...for life.

Bird watching could easily give man an insight into the intrinsic value of nature, its spiritual, aesthetic, emotional and recreational values which are as important as its economic value.

The more you learn, the more you understand that you need more and more bird watchers in this world. These are the quiet, yet content, sentinels of mother earth and all the natural treasures it has; these are the type of people in whose hands the future of environment lies.

Changing bird behaviour indicates that the climate is changing already, and it is known that birds are an excellent early warning system to what is happening to climate.

Various studies have highlighted the impact of climate change on the survival, migration and reproduction of different bird species.


Bird watchers paradise
It was not easy to spot even a duck. We were not accustomed to viewing the world through a looking glass. Our inexperienced eyes blundered on the angled scope, and we tried in vain to position the optic the way we wanted it.
Catherine de Reynier fidgeted from the background. She was generous enough to allow us to view through her scope and even explained how, but, we were only seeing spots.
We were at the bird watching perch at Al Ansab lagoon recently along with a group of Swiss bird watchers who were keenly peering through their scopes and binoculars at the feathery activity in the lagoon, some distance away.

It took a while to get our eyes adjusted to the scope and we finally sighted up close and clear some ducks, purple herons and the like in the lagoon. We were there thanks to an invitation from Seyad Farook, ophiologist/field herpetologist at the Sultan Qaboos University (SQU).
Farook was invited by Peter Wiprächtiger, who headed the Swiss bird watching group to Oman, to highlight some of the snakes of Oman.

Bird watchers feel up snakes
Farook entertained the Swiss guests with a variety of his snakes in the natural settings and for some moments, everyone forgot about the birds and began busily clicking at the Saw Scaled Viper, Puff Adder, the Ball Python (Royal Python), Corn Snake and other snakes.

Farook lectured on the types of snakes, how to differentiate the venomous from the non venomous and offered them great copy as well as an opportunity to take some close shots of the venomous creatures. “These snakes gave a chance for some of them to feel a snake for the first time and also understand the morphological characteristic and some of their behaviour,“ Farook said.

But soon, the flapping in the background turned the attention of the Swiss guests back to the winged creatures in the lagoon and they got busy with their scopes and binoculars.

One with nature
Catherine has been bird watching for the last eight years only, she says. But, she is already a mini-veteran bird watcher. “I find it quite calming. There you are, all alone with nature, quietly watching some innocent birds. You see their movements, their colours, their plumes and the more you watch, you get an insight into their behaviours. It is like being in a forest, alive and one with nature,” she told Black & White.

She dismisses the question on how one could spend so much time just watching birds with a retort: “You watch TV, don’t you? So many people spend so much time just viewing the idiot box. Isn’t that boring?
“But, bird watching is never boring, because the birds are never boring. They are always active and the migratory birds are really unique – in the sense, their sense of direction is amazing.
“And Oman is a fascinating spot for bird watchers. I have been here for just four days, and I realise already that this country is a bird watcher’s paradise.”

Although Catherine claimed that she was not in the major league of bird watchers, she still documented the birds she sighted. “Here, we saw plenty of Moor Hens. I totally loved the Red-wattled Plover. I also saw many Shovellers and Black-winged Stilts and also some eagles (but eagles are mostly seen in November).”,

Bird watching is for nature lovers
The older they were, the bigger the passion. Peter Wiprachtiger, a retired teacher, but now a fulltime tour organiser and avid bird watcher, who was bringing Swiss bird watchers for the third time to Oman maybe one of the oldest member present, but seemed to be one of the most passionate and sprightly bird watcher in the group. “I got into bird watching when I was just 14 – must have been the youngest one then,” Peter tells us, explaining with a cheeky grin that it was a good 50 years back.
But he dismisses the query whether bird watching was a hobby for the elderly, with a wave of his hand. “It is for people who are in love with nature; it is for people who want to live a simple life but in close contact with nature.
“I have been bird watching for the last 50 years and I still feel young. Bird watching keeps you young and alive as you are always on your feet and moving. It keeps you physically fit because you do a lot of trekking and are out there in the great outdoors.
“It is not an expensive hobby. Of course, you require good equipment, but most importantly, good eyes and ears – you watch and you listen!”
Peter noted that the younger generation was into bird watching, but unlike them, the youngsters were keen to pursue records (highest number of species in a day) than actually spend more time on a particular bird. “But, I have no complaints –at least, these young bird watchers are still in touch with nature.”
He says a good number of bird watchers existed in Switzerland, however, he feels that the English were more into it. “I read somewhere that every third Englishman is a bird watcher.”
Peter, who had, along with his wife, visited Oman as a tourist, some five years back not only fell in love with the country, but was also surprised by the great number of bird species he saw here. “Oman offers excellent bird watching opportunities. Oman is on the path of two migratory routes from the Asiatic towards Africa and vice versa, which is why we see a great variety of birds here at different seasons.
“It is imperative that all countries should preserve and protect its nature and its live treasures and Oman is one country, which has this on the highest priority list!” He promised us he would be back soon, with yet another troupe of bird watchers.


Save the planet
Bird watching is not a hobby or a sport of just international visitors to Oman. The Sultanate also has a growing number of Omani and resident bird watchers whose passion for watching birds was equally high. One of the best known names among the Omani fraternity is Hamed Khalfan Al Wardi, who is best known for his videos on birds and wildlife in Oman (Birds of Northern Oman, Birds of Dhofar and Wildlife of Oman), also gave us some details on the finer points of bird watching at the same time exhorting young Omanis to take up this hobby, set to give them mental and physical stimulation.

Capital of Egyptian eagles
While Oman is a migratory destination for eagles and vultures, the Sultanate is considered to be the capital of Egyptian eagles.
“Steppe, Greater Spotted, and Imperial eagles from Central Asia are quite commonly seen here. Tawny eagles are also found, as well as Lappet-Faced vultures, Egyptian vultures and brown-necked ravens.

“From winter onwards, it is the time of eagles and vultures. On hot days, you can see 25 to 30 Steppe eagles sitting next to each other, drinking water from one of the ponds in Al Ansab. In fact, the whole area must be one of the best for large birds of prey,” Hamed Al Wardi said.
Hamed considers Oman to be an ideal arena for bird watching. “There are no tall trees, the landscape is wide and open, and this facilitates good and open views.”
“Oman, as a country, can boast of its flora and fauna. And I have been fortunate to film three good videos on birds and wildlife of Oman.
“I took a video on the birds of Northern Oman, Birds of Oman and on the Wild Life of Oman. The Eriksen (Hanne and Jens) couple actually inspired me to venture out to capture the birds and wildlife on video. Working with Oman TV gave me the opportunity too. I am proud to say that the English version of my films was screened at the meeting of Ornithological Society of the Middle East in London and I was given a letter of appreciation. It is an honour for me because the society is considered to be the elite club of all bird watchers. The films were also relayed by Kuwaiti television and some other channels.”

But, Hamed lamented that he was not entirely successful in passing his bird watching enthusiasm or environment loving nature to the young generation of Omanis. “And, not many know about the bird species in Oman. Today very few people have the time or inclination to pause or stop by a bird.
“The younger Omani generation does not have time for the nature, the birds, and the wild life any more. And it pains me.
“We should, as a rule, know our planet earth, its living beings. It is easier to be in touch than at a later stage take up placard to fight to save mother earth. Prevention is better than cure. I would only say, love nature, stop and stare at it, enjoy, listen and become one with it.
This will help us save the planet earth.”


The wetland man/The bird whisperer
As we were speaking to the bird watchers, a man was standing quietly in the corner, intensely watching the wetlands. Suddenly, he broke through the silence with a “Shhhh…they will be here anytime…”
Dominic Harmer, wetland manager (Haya Water) looked at his watch. “It is 6pm…the Sandgrouses will be here any moment. These birds come only when darkness have fallen. Then, they seem to drop straight out of the sky.”
By this time, there was a swarm of them – not the birds, but mosquito type insects which whirred above our heads. “Don’t worry, they are harmless,” Dominic said, waving them away. “These insects are favourites of Nightjars.”

Dominic, a member of the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds), the largest wildlife conservation organisation in Europe with over one million members, has not completed a year yet at Al Ansab, but he is a thorough man with extensive knowledge of birds, the wetland and well, nature.


Oman, a bird watching destination
“Oman is on the migratory path of the birds. Every year millions of birds migrate to Oman as a land bridge between Asia and Africa. Birds in Oman ranged from the little green bee-eater to the huge lappet faced vulture. There are almost 450 plus different species of birds in Oman for you to spot,” he said reeling off many bird names: Indian Rollers, Purple Sunbird, little Green Bee Eater, Turtle Dove, Hoopoe, Black Redstart, Wheat Eater, Fly Catcher, Shrike, Sand Grouse, Warbler, Egret, Stork, Flamingo, Harrier, Kestrel, Osprey, Falcon, Sandpiper, Egyptian vulture, Lappet Faced vulture, Kingfisher, Cuckoos…
“Over 450 species of birds have been identified in Oman: some are passage migrants; some are residents while others are breeding visitors. There are just over 85 resident birds living in Oman all year round, while the majority of the ‘migratory’ birds visit the country only at certain times of the year.
In Muscat, Indian Rollers, Little Green Bee-eaters, Yellow-Vented Bulbuls, Graceful Prinias and the Purple Sunbirds can be seen at any time of the year. Muscat is also one of the best places in the world to study the Steppe Eagle.”

Eagles galore
According to Dominic, the species most commonly seen around Muscat are Steppe Eagle, Great Spotted Eagle and Imperial Eagle. “These birds are passage migrants and winter visitors. From my experience over the last two winters November has been the most exciting time to see these birds visiting Al Ansab wetland. Higher concentrations can been seen where additional food sources are available such as Al Amerat waste disposal site. Up to 100 eagles have been reported at this site.

Brought in for a meaningful purpose
Working in the ecological field is gratifying because you can contribute to the protection and promotion of essential ecological structures necessary for our continued existence, says Dominic. “Nature conservation is a must for every nation. I am glad to be part of the Haya team and I find this job very challenging.
Haya Water is responsible for the protection and future development of the area as a nature reserve and environmental education centre.
Oman is a great country and the coming years will be very crucial for the tourism sector. The Ceo of Haya is a big nature lover and is quite passionate of nature and protecting wildlife and I was brought in here for this meaningful purpose.

“There is not much public awareness here about sewage and waste water treatment. Mass believe it is just about dumping garbage. No, it is all about treatment of sewage and waste disposal.
“The creation of Al Ansab lagoon is for the purpose of nature conservation. It is about creating the right environment, the right habitat for the wildlife. And when it is all done, nature has its own way of bringing in the wildlife. Migration is one such process.
As part of creating awareness, with the support of Professor Victor from the SQU, we shortlisted some Omani students of biology and brought them here for hands on experience. And out of the 10 students we have shortlisted two students Zarhan and Manal who will be joining us soon in our endeavour.
We hope to bring in new audiences too. Bird watching is a great hobby with loads of health benefits. It is not about being still in a place, it is about listening, watching learning. When you are out in the nature, you walk a lot, you stand, and you are physically and mentally active. You are closer to nature, your mind is stimulated. You will be healthy and fit.”
Al Ansab lagoon project, a man made wetland, will be fully operational in another three-year period and will be a spot for bird watchers, international and locals. “We are talking to the Ministry of Tourism and education and we hope to promote this amongst school children. The young ones will learn much more from nature than their books. It will be a different experience for them. There will be full- fledged discovery centre and an environment play area coming up soon,” Dominic said.

Never had a bad day in my job!
“When you love your job, you do it well. If your job is following and protecting the nature, it is all the more fulfilling. At a very young age, I fell in love with nature and wanted to get in to a lifelong commitment with it… here I am. My job is all about appreciating the nature; it is being alive every single day. And in this job, there are no bad days!

Birds, your first view to nature
“Birds are fascinating creatures that exist nearly everywhere on the planet; in every climate imaginable from Antarctic snows to the burning desert. A bird is your first look at the nature, colourful feathers, live and moving… and yes, Bird watching is a fantastic hobby. It, in many ways, is similar to hunting; only in this instance you do your shooting with a pair of binoculars, perhaps even a camera, a bird identification book, a notebook and pencil. If more and more people started bird watching, the world would be a prettier, better place to live in…” Dominic noted.

By adarsh Madhavan and Priya Arunkumar, Photos Najib Al balushi

laban, guruz al gamar and the villagers of Sahami

A tale of laban, guruz al gamar and the villagers of Sahami
Feb 1 2010 B and W

Some 240 kms away from the bustling city of Muscat, a 40-plus-year old Omani woman is sitting on the ground, in the village of Sahami (in Saham) and gently shaking a dark sack-like bag mounted on some sticks.
A soft Arabic song escapes Dhahiwa Hamad’s lips as she rocks the bag. At a distance you would think she was singing a lullaby and gently rocking a baby to sleep. A closer look will actually reveal her shaking a traditional Omani sheepskin bag. As you sit silently on her side and watch, you will find her shaking the bag with increasing tempo.

Dhahiwa is a resident of Sahami. Modernity has, of course, crept into the lives of the villagers in Sahami, but Dhahiwa prefers to sit on the side of tradition. Every single day, Dhahiwa, like many women in Sahami, would be engaged in this traditional method of making laban. This cold, refreshing laban is part of the daily diet of almost all Sahami residents.

In Oman, when we may go chasing after the expected, we may often bump into the unexpected. The unusual, unexpected, the extraordinary is always waiting around the corner…waiting to be discovered.
So, the other day, when we went chasing after an enthusiastic young Omani from Saham who said he knew people who made laban every day, we stumbled on to a mini-traditional Omani set up, apparently arranged for our benefit. Our mission was to find out how some families made laban in their homes, instead, we were given everything we wanted to know about laban and MORE (all the other things that went along with it).
So, it was not just about laban. If they made, drank and relished laban, the Omanis in Sahami detailed to us how there were more things to laban and how other food; how their travel in Oman was all related. So, in short, they linked the laban with food, with families, with travelling (across the desert and from village to village on camels under a sweltering sky) were all interlinked and how laban played a role in this mix.
This mini village, in Sahami, gave us a glimpse of a unique slice of Omani life that blended with culture and tradition and also gave us an idea of how Omanis (as well as Arabs) have been facing the harsh desert-like elements for millennia.
The setting was replete with Omani men making Omani bread in the most traditional manner possible (on aluminum sheets from a fire on the ground); Omani women in traditional garb making various camel wear accessories, children flitting around the scene with their pet dogs, Omani men and women engaged in various other daily work, camels decked in finery, displays of colourful camel gear in a small makeshift tent…
And amidst all of them was a cheerful Dhahiwa(who incidentally is a school bus driver) making laban in the midst of nowhere.
Dhahiwa broke away from her intense shaking to give us an idea into her life and how laban was an integral part of their existence. Newfangled methods of making laban were introduced (which included churning milk in a small ‘laban-only’ washing machine). “There are other methods now, but I prefer the traditional method,” Dhahiwa said, vigorously shaking her sheepskin bag. Her cows have been providing a good supply of milk. Laban and milk has therefore become their staple diet.
Going with tradition, she ferments the milk, and once it curdles, she puts into the sheepskin bag to churn the butter out, leaving the buttermilk (laban) behind.
Laban a must
“Originally laban or buttermilk is the liquid left behind after churning butter out of cream.I grew up drinking laban and I learnt how to make it from my mother. For an Omani, especially from our region, laban and guruz al gamar (handmade flat bread) are two items, we cannot live without. It is a tradition we grew up with, especially when we travel. When you grow with certain traditions, you pass it on,” Dhahiwa said. The younger generations are now following the same tradition. “Buttermilk is a term that was originally used for the leftover liquid after churning butter out from the milk cream. It also refers to various fermented drinks of milk that are more a part of the warmer climates than the cold regions.
There are many uses and benefits of the buttermilk. Buttermilk is low fat and rich with calcium, protein and carbohydrates. The cultured buttermilk is very low in fat and calories. Many traditional recipes like pancakes and cakes are incomplete without buttermilk,” Dhahiwa said.


Buttermilk recipe
She then gave us an on-the-spot lesson on how to make butter and buttermilk: “I am about to reveal to you an ancient and traditional butter making secret from milk and curds; to make butter it requires nearly non-stop shaking and more. But, the end result is butter and buttermilk. Homemade butter can be fun to make (if you are a butter enthusiast).And cleaning up is very easy as you only need a few things.
You need to shake the cream until the butter starts to form. Once you notice those little yellow globules forming, shake some more until they start to congeal together.
Next, pour the laban out in to a pot, pour cold water in to bring out butter embedded in the sheepskin. You can scoop out the butter into a bowl of ice water and squeeze/mash. This is necessary to wash the remaining buttermilk out of the butter. Otherwise, the butter will spoil very quickly.
You can either keep it in the refrigerator (make sure you use it within a week or add salt to make it last a little longer) or freeze it and thaw it out when you need it.

“It is easy to churn butter out and make laban the traditional way, we still follow it. Milk is a staple diet and because of the warm climate laban soothes the heat down. Every day after the milk is used for daily consumption, we ferment it to make curds. The curds are then churned by shaking in the sheepskin (saqah) and laban ideal for drinking is made. We use the butter for other dishes. Most of our womenfolk make laban and butter this way and for the younger generation it is fun watching us do it. I don’t believe it is hard or crude, it is a way our ancestors lived and these traditional ways kept them healthy and sane.”

Traditions don’t fade away
Memories fade, but traditions won’t fade away, unless you are dying yourself, says Dhahiwa. “It is our duty to hold on to our traditions and pass it on to the younger generation. Modernity is not to destroy tradition, it is for easy living. Our youth go away to the cities, but, they still come back home during the weekends.
Our family is a prime example: we are four brothers and families living together. We are closely knitted by our traditions. We have camels, donkeys and even dogs with us…”

Bread over fire
While Dhahiwa was detailing the finer points of laban to us, Said Hamad Al Ba’adi, who many in the group said was almost 100 years (but he looked only late 70s or early 80s), was busy making a fire. As we watched him, he placed some aluminum sheets on the fire. From an earthen pot, he took a thick white wheat bread mix and then plastered the same on the sheets.

Because of the mystery behind his age, Said Hamad is quite revered within their lot and although he seemed to suffer from partial blindness, he squinted away to making some tasty coal-flamed Omani bread.


Guruz Al Gamar and laban
The link between Guruz Al Gamar (the Omani bread) and laban was that they both complemented each other. The other Omanis present there explained their passion for holding on to such traditions and said that Said Hamad was the best example of those who linked themselves with the past without falling to the temptations of modernity. “We believe in our traditions. Like Said Hamad, who is an expert at making the Guruz Al Gamar, there are others too.”
There are different types of bread, thick, thin and in different shapes and sizes. The beauty of the Guruz was that it can be made literally from the elements, sans cooking utensils.
“The thick bread is put over the fire, actually hot coal and cooked; this method of cooking gives a grilling effect to Omani bread which can be kept without being spoilt for many days. We use some butter taken out of the laban too. The thick variety has more life compared to the thin variety. The bread making skills are imparted to a number of women and men in family, some of them today are engaged in bread-making, making a living out of it,” Said Hamad said.
Guruz is mostly made while travelling; the kneaded wheat dough is taken along with fresh laban in a pot of sheepskin, some dried fish during travel. Since many years this has been the tradition. The thick variety of Omani bread can be preserved for nearly a month, if required, but it is mostly made fresh and hot and consumed immediately. Ideal combination is the Guruz, dried fish and laban.

By Adarsh madhavan and Priya Arunkumar, photos Najib Al balushi

Feroun, the king bull

Feroun – King Bull
Four ceiling fans whir in a large shed at a sprawling farm in Hambar, Sohar.
Beneath it, its thick tail flapping away scores of flies, a massive and ferocious critter looks into the distance beyond his enclosure, ruminating about the past and perhaps the evolving future.
This brooding, mean-looking, nearly 600kgs raging bull, which could easily stand at a height of over six feet (hump tip from the ground), was probably mulling over his past victories and pondering over the various strategies he would have to employ in his next fight.s
This is Feroun – the king of bulls in Oman, and some say, in the whole of Gulf and the Middle East. This mammoth five-year old dad-of-all-bulls is a champion of champions. He has won all 27 times he has locked horns with his opponents, some of whom he made mincemeat, gored or even killed. Not intentionally, but in the heat of an intense fight, Feroun who has no idea his own supreme strength can unwittingly down his opponent for good.
Today, this undisputed champion bull is worth over 90,000 rials (the current owner bought him for nearly 45,000 rials) and if he is going to win his next fight, he will be worth more.
But Abdullah Ali Shizawi, who had bought Feroun (meaning Pharaoh) for a whopping 45,000 rials at a bull market in Fujairah, is not selling him, even if someone is going to triple the amount. “He is not for sale – he is for fighting (sic)!” he tells Black & White at his Hambar bull farm, hosts to nearly 20 other bulls, even another mammoth, but not as fierce as Feroun, bull.
The B&W team was checking out some bulls in Seeb when one of the Seeb-based bull owners made a passing reference about a ‘king’ bull in Sohar, who apparently was jealously guarded and religiously looked after by his owner. Learning this, the B&W team swung to Sohar the next morning in pursuit of this mammoth bull.
After hours of search, we finally tracked him down in Hambar at the sprawling farm of Albdullah Shizawi, a veteran bull fighter owner. Peering over the tall doors of one of the farm sheds there, we saw a gargantuan black creature, its face away from us, staring somewhere stolidly. Scores of small flies swarmed the mammoth bull as he angrily shook them away with his tail and his head. As we stared at him, he suddenly swung his head back and then his steely gaze froze us in our path. Even mean bulls would think twice to lock their horns with this gigantic bull. So, would mere mortals like us dare? We treaded softly at the inside edge of the shed and waited for Abdullah to get us formally introduced to him.
“Hello Feroun, meet the team from Black & White,” said one of the friends of Abdullah and the creature stared back at us, daring us to go near him. We hesitated because even Abdullah showed reluctance to casually walk up to him and pat him. Everyone sneaked behind, to his posterior end and delicately patted him as he diligently cud chewed his deep and somber thoughts away, facing away from us.
Feroun is a naturalised Omani bull. But, his Spanish-Pakistani origin is perhaps reflected in his fierceness. If the setting was different, he would have been easily goring down a matador in some Spanish coliseum. He is as mean as he looks and he also has a diet that suits a champion. The daily feed for this prizefighting bull includes an ultra rich diet of dried fish, hay, honey, cereals and grains costing Abdullah around 450 rials a month.

Raising bulls
What was his passion for bulls, we probed, but Abdullah was non committal with his replies. He loves bulls and he has been with bulls as longs as he could remember. “Raising bulls has been part of our tradition since the early 1980’s. Today, it is our fulltime profession,” Abdullah said, his hand sweeping across his large farm, where his helpers run around preparing food for the bulls, maintaining them, washing, cleaning…
Although he was doing reasonably well with his other bulls, the entry of Feroun into his farm was a major turning point. “After that I have not looked back, Feroun is a bull owner’s delight – he has won 27 times! He is a champion,” Abdullah tells B&W, his eyes lighting up and his tight lips spreading into a smile. Even mealy-mouthed Abdullah becomes garrulous when he speaks of his prizefighting (*) bull.
“I have 20 other bulls and I spend over 2000 rials on their food alone, so it is not an easy task maintaining them. But, this is my passion, my culture, my tradition, my life…”
According to Abdullah, the bulls of Sohar are by far the best in Oman. Although the lineage of some could be Spanish-Pakistani, they have grown up in Oman and passionate bull fight owners are bringing in a brand new breed of prizefighting bulls, who can lock horns with any bull in the country and even in the region.

The Machine Gun
Back in Seeb, we met up with Rashash, another winner of many a fight. Rashash is owned by Marhoon Khamis Al Hadidi, who has a small bull farm where half a dozen bulls rub shoulders with cocks, hens, dogs and the like.
There was a little pyre (to ward off the flies) lit close to the bulls and in that smoke swathed ambience, we tried to strike a chord with the bulls and their owner. All of these bulls had a mean look about them, but they were friendlier than Feroun and his gang of rowdy bulls.
But the nearly 300kgs Dhofari-bred Rashash, like his name (it means machine gun) is also a mean fighting machine. He has already notched up couple of wins and Marhoon is hoping that his bull’s winning streak continues.
“Rashash is now my ticket to fame. He is much more powerful than he looks and he can withstand lot of pressure,” Marhoon said, caressing his large bull on the neck. Rashash was much easier to approach than Feroun. But, he did not seem to like us that much.

Bull fighting a tradition
Marhoon began his life with bulls when he was just 10. It is a family tradition, and his father, grand father and forefathers have been rearing bulls and pitting them against other bulls.
“In the earlier days we used bulls to draw water from wells. Now we use them for leisure. Bull fighting is part of the Omani tradition and culture and my ancestors indulged in it too. I am in to bull fighting for the last 20 years and I believe this trend would continue in our family forever.
“I buy a calf and grow it up, groom and train it for fighting. It is a long process and we do not do it for economical gains. A calf is pitted against a fighter bull and trained to fight, defend and attack. We do not gamble with bulls. It is pure leisure. Once a bull wins, he can be sold at a very high price. It is a matter of great pride for the owner of a winner bull.
Bull fighting is a tradition; it is a passion by itself. Every alternate week we have one fight.”

It’s a bull’s life
Marhoon’s winning bull also needs proper maintenance. “For the fighter bulls, every aspect from food to the accessories that he wears is taken care of. We feed him a rich and heavy diet, which is a mix of hay, grass, grains, ghee, eggs, dried fish, honey and dates.
He gains his energy and strength from this diet.” But, it is not just a staple diet that makes him fighting fit. He is given an oil massage, and also a good scrub plus a hot saltwater sponge to prevent muscle tear during major fights.
“That will ensure tightness and strength on his muscles. A bull needs to withstand equal, if not more, strength of another bull. The winner stands strong, while the defeated ones mostly run away.”

Diet fit for a winner
“Two days before the fight, we start feeding the bull, fresh green hay with water. The heavy diet is discontinued. This will help the bull feel light in the arena. Then we take the bull to the beach, to the sea and give him a good run, exercise and even a swim. The bull needs to be energised and physically fit. We cannot and we will not compromise on that aspect. So only a serious enthusiast can remain in this field. Though it is for leisure, it requires serious involvement. After the fight, the bull will be tired for a day or two, and then he will be back to normal. In another 14 days, he is ready for his next fight.”

Expensive affair
The question of how these bull owners make money is shrouded in mystery. Because rearing and maintaining a fighting bull is an expensive affair. A normal calf alone costs approximately 300 to 400rials. A prize winning bull can be sold off at 4000rials. “It is a big market and most of us are in to by family tradition. There are many Omani families who rear bulls and are in to bull fighting for years, especially from the regions of Seeb, Barka, Bu Ali, Suwaiq, Sohar etc. My Rashash is the Seeb region champion,” Marhoon noted.
Besides the bull fights, there also annual bull festivals where the owners get a chance to display their prizefighters, exchange notes, and generally buy and sell bulls too.

Wusha, Al Harf, Guarantee
Marhoon takes equal pride in his other three bulls, which he is readying for fights. “These four year olds are of good stock. Guarantee is a pure Omani breed. I have a pure bred Australian bull too. I also have other birds, pigeons, cocks and hens at my farm.”

Bull whisperer
Communication with the bulls is not an easy task. They don’t easily listen to orders, nor are they easily swayed by fear tactics. “We have a mike through which we communicate to our bulls on field. But they do not get attached or understand words. We prompt them through various sound patterns, including loud Arabic commands.”
Most of the bulls respond to these guttural commands.

Hornless bulls are useless
Horns are sharpened and they serve as weapons for the fighting bulls. Once they lose it, the bulls become useless, and then they are sent to the abattoir. “We take great care to maintain their horns, decorate and also sharpen them, Marhoon says. But sharpen these horns at your own risk. For sometimes, the owners and the helpers get hurt too. Marhoon remembers how he was accidently gored by one of the bulls and displays a mean scar on the side of his abdomen. Although the bulls start young, they have good staying power. “The bulls can fight for many years and have a lifespan of 30 to 40 years. The bull starts fighting when they are just four, but continue for a long period of time.”


By Adarsh madhavan, Priya Arunkumar, Najib Al balushi

Who is the killer on the road?

Don’t save the brake pad!
Who is the killer on the road?
Don’t look surprised…the answer is: you. You, the man behind the wheel. Yes, you, the man in the mirror…you are the cause of the road accidents in Oman (if the below description fits you, that is).
Yes, you and your don’t care attitude has killed many, maimed plenty and is going to kill and maim more.
This stubborn, devil-may-care attitude and arrogance of yours has left many a disabled. Even in the vast, empty deserts of Oman, one cannot escape an accident. A recent tale (however tall it may sound) is that two cars plundered into each other on a vast desertscape because either of the driver would not veer off their track and give way for the other!
At the other end, sources hint on a research done long ago, which found out that some drivers on the road actually avoid braking because it cost them money (replacing worn out brake pads). In short, they are willing to save their brake pad at the cost of innocent lives on the road…

Well, this is no longer a joke and we have reached breaking point in trying to escape and avoid the daily hazards on the road, which are mounting. So, let us stop blaming others, the authorities concerned and the roads and focus on changing ourselves, our attitude(s).

For, attitude is found to be the main cause of accidents, especially among the young drivers. Black & White has identified eight drivers: eight mistakes! These eight drivers have one victim: The simple, innocent and responsible driver! We have minutely fleshed the eight characters down below. But, not to poke fun at them, only to first expose them and then plead with them to stop behaving thus. And if you find some resemblance in these drivers and you, then, time to change…time to change the man staring back at you in the mirror…


1. Show off
He has a typical ‘king-on-the-road-devil-may-care’ attitude. He cannot control the urge to show off his driving skills, especially to the fairer sex!
He has only one small car, his own. But, he has a giant-sized ego that will not let him accept the fact that there are better cars on the road. He will not sit down and take it if a car overtakes him or makes him bite their dust. He needs to teach them a lesson and he will do it, even if it is going to cost his life. Insecure and a cross with an inflated ego and deflated complex, therefore needing a driving outlet for his pent-up emotions!

2. Selfish
It is all about him. His time, his car, his destination, his road(s)! He is brimming with impatience and thinks that he is the only busy man on the road. He needs to overtake, speed and reach his destination before anyone else. He jumps queues, but will not permit anyone else. He will block them all. He is good at signals, especially flashing lights from behind! Tailgating is his other past time! It is only ‘me-me-me’ on the road. Even his horn sounds like that!

3. Stupid
He is not stupid, stupid. He is actually Mr Know-It-All on the road. But, unfortunately, he makes wrong calculations and has no common sense. He thinks he can pass the signal in green, but his judgment is not as accurate as the speed in which the signal turns red, so well, he screeches to a halt but not before others hit him or his tyres burst! He is the one who keeps jumping signals.

4. Shallow
His driving knowledge and skills are as superficial as his desire to drive. How did he get his license? By fluke or by crook or by luck! He is a good driver when everything is okay, but at the smallest hint of a challenge, he is exposed; he breaks down; causes commotion and hits! He drives because everyone else does and yes, he needs that job!

5. Silly
His car is a little toy that he has not grown out of; it is his tent, full with camping gear; it is his second home and it is more of a living-cum-dining room than a vehicle on the road. He eats, drinks, listens to music (from a blasting i-pod) and speaks at will on his slippery mobile, which keeps slipping off like a live fish. At times, he is more agile and acrobatic than a circus clown, balancing a soft drink on one hand, a sandwich on the other, at the same steering his vehicle in a busy street. He is more focussed on what goes inside his car, than the busy traffic outside.

6. Stingy
He is penny wise and pound foolish. He thinks he saves money when he buys secondhand tyres or refuses to change his brake pads. Well, who cares? Who is going to check if his car is serviced or not? He would rather save his money and rather waste other people’s time and money! All he needs is to be mobile always, so don’t fix it and forget it!

7. Sizzler
Yes, he literally sizzles on the road, dancing to the tunes of his raging hormones. He is the hyper ping pong ball type, zipping from point A to B for no rhyme or reason… he has got his driving license only yesterday and he is bubbling over with enthu. He has to be here, there and everywhere. Why do you get a driving license? To store it in a cupboard and to park your car in your garage? Get a life, brother!

8. Stuck
To be or not to be… should I or should I not? Flyover or the roundabout? Left or right? Hit or not to hit! To turn or not to turn? To brake or not to brake… God help us for he should not be driving at all! He is driving challenged, and his uncertainty is killing…

Do any of the portraits resemble you? Is there one negative trait listed above that is akin to your own?
If so, you are the one who is preying on the ninth type of driver on the road:

9. The victim
He is the responsible, safe driver, the one who cares for his family, himself and follows the road rules and is organized. But he has no control over the other eight dominant types! So, he always ends up being the victim!
So, as part of this New Year, let this become our resolution. Let us take a pledge, today, now to STOP being a SHOW OFF, SELFISH, STUPID, SHALLOW, SILLY, STINGY, STUCK, SIZZLER driver! Let us act on it! Let us apply the brakes on such killer attitudes and let us drive safe in this 2010 and beyond. Let us reduce the death and accident rate on the Oman roads and so mark it on your calendar; start today, instead of tomorrow. Let us dedicate at least one day in a week to stop making these eight (or more) violations. Let us not be a killer or a victim, let us, by changing ourselves, bring about a safe and accident-free Oman! Let us!


By Adarsh Madhavan, Priya Arunkumar, Najib al balushi

Zampth: A Race of wells

When the ancestors sing
“Shhh, listen,” says Salem Piro Ahmed Al Balushi, as we all pulled a thick rope that was attached to a big rubber water container (filled with water). The rope went over a large (the size of a wheel of a huge truck), man-carved pulley above a deep well.
We stopped our mindless chatter. And as the darkness and silence swirled around us we listened.
A creaking sound, first slow, then in a swifter form, sliced through the otherwise silent night. The creak of the main shaft (hatbat manjur) against the pulley (manjur) was quite audible and the more we pulled in rhythm, the strange creaking and semi-guttural sound, gained momentum in the darkness.
For the uninitiated, it sounded like the creaking of wood; for the dramatic, it sounded like the plaintive wail of a dying beast. For Salem Al Balushi and the rest of the Omanis gathered around the pulley in Al Muraisy, a village in Barka, it was sweet music.
And for some others who were gathered around, it was the murmuring of their venerable ancestors, who had risen from the dead in the dark of night, only to whisper some words of wisdom to their successors. Colourful, musical words scripted the night air with a rhythmic beat and it all seemed to be churning out of the well as we (around eight of us) diligently pulled the rope over this pulley.
As we silently pulled, the creaking sound and our pulling got into a rhythmic pattern. Soon the silent night gave way to a strange musical beat – yes even normal sound when it gets into a rhythm, a beat, it transforms itself into music. And, for some listeners, this lilting tone seemed to sound like the ancestors were actually singing to their successors; a kind of spiritual chant to the men gathered there; a type of musical verse that could be just an ode to the present or perhaps an elegy to the past.
“This is Zampth,” declares Salem Balushi, a veteran at this task, as he effortlessly pulled the rope.
Zampth is a game/sport played with a rope and a pulley over an unused (mostly) well, he explained. Around 10 people played the game. Two are on top of the well, handling the pulley, while the remaining eight would pull a thick rope from down. The wooden pulley would mostly be a large-sized one.
When the rope is pulled, the friction of the hatbat manjur (main shaft) against the manjur (pulley) emanates the sound, around which the whole game of Zampth is played.
Zampth (literally means, race of the sounds), is played between two neighbouring wells, and both would compete to produce the loudest sounds. There is an umpire to judge the Zampth and his task is to discern the loudest or most significant sound made. There is no prize money for the winner of Zampth, but, apparently, the umpire is paid. The players hold the umpire in very high esteem.
“Traditionally, Omanis resorted to wells for water. And pulleys made out of wood were used to draw water. We resorted to bulls then.
But, as time passed, the wells were naturally abandoned in the wake of taps and mineral water. So, the wells were transformed into a semi-playground for the game of Zampth,” Ibrahim Said Abdullah Al Balushi, a resident of Barka, tells Black & White.
“We could say that this game originated from Al Muraisy,” he adds. And this could be true in a way. Sources at the Ministry of Sports Affairs note that this game has been played for centuries, and is a sport endemic to Oman, particularly the Batinah coast.
Zampth is an expensive sport. Price of high quality wooden pulleys ranged between RO2500 to RO5000. “And it takes about two to three months to carve them. These pulleys have around 16 supportive wooden pieces on either side,” Ibrahim explained.
Sometimes these games are sponsored by a family, sometimes by a company, but, mostly by the village itself. At Barka and especially at Al Muraisy, this is a favoured weekend game of the villagers.

Every Wednesday the game well is set up and the pulleys are warmed and readied for the game on the following night. “The whole of Thursday night we indulge in this game. There is a supervising team that will see that the pulley is tuned and ready, the food, Kahwa and dates, snacks are arranged for and in the darkness of the night, under the moonlit sky, we play Zampth throughout the night. There are few who believe the noise that the pulleys create are of the ancestors or keeps us in touch with the ancestors… It is all a belief, nothing scientific. The sounds seem like Arabic musical notes. But we believe in it and this game is a platform to meet and greet families and friends. It is sort of a night out together, a party,” Ibrahim enthused.
But, it is not as easy it sounds. Only those who master this art can actually play the game. The rope is pulled according to a certain technique, and it requires mastery of the art and not just brawn, Zampth aficionados say.
The surrounding areas of the well are cleaned and those pulling the rope actually launch themselves into a wide semi-ditch in the process of pulling it.
When the going gets right, the cry of the hatbat manjur against the manjur is sometimes heard some 500 metres to a kilometer away.

Zampth between Arish and Kaima
On the day we visited the Zampth playground, the game was being played between teams Arish and Kaima, the two neighbouring wells at Al Muraisy.
The 10-a-side team of Arish was totally engrossed in tuning up the pulley, warming up the wood. Hundred metres away was the well of the Kaima team.
But, despite the competitive nature of the sport, there was a warm air of camaraderie between the two team members, and both were seen helping each other in tuning and warming up of the pulley.
Shaban Mohammed Ali Al Farsi, who is 70-plus, has been playing Zampth for over 40 years. Although a team member of the Kaima team, he was seen helping the Arish team members.
“Sometimes players come in to join teams from Suwaiq, Kabourah, Sohar etc. This game is played in these regions too and only by men and children. Ladies are normally not involved. We assemble here well in advance and cook at this ground. It is like being part of a camping trip, a family get-together cum sporting contest mixed event,” Shaban Al Farsi said, adding that one night of Zampth would cost them around RO200.
Hamdan Ali bin Hamad Al Fileti, who is also around 70, and part of the Kaima team, says he has been playing Zampth for around 35 years. “Zampth keeps us together during the weekends; we update ourselves and enjoy the weekend together. We start every Thursday at 4pm and continue playing till 6am, next morning.
“Our week is not complete, if we don’t play Zampth.”
Salem Al Balushi does not remember his age, but he remembers making pulleys as far back in 1970
But neither age, nor ill health has withered his desire for the sport or dimmed his talent to make pulleys. Today, he is one of the few remaining unsung master craftsmen of the manjur. Salem loves to carve them out and says he will continue to do so as long as he lives. He religiously takes part in the game too. “My father was also a manjur maker. Probably Oman is the only country that uses traditional wooden pulleys on their wells. I learned it from my father and used to assist him in the 60s.
Wells were used to draw water for living purposes, now it is only a showpiece. But, for the love of Zampth, we still create the wooden pulleys and will preserve it for posterity. This will help future generations to get to know what a pulley is.”

But at Al Muraisy, the younger generation was not only aware of the manjurs, but, some of them were also active participants in the game of Zampth. “My son Yusuf helps me carve the pulleys,” Salem said.
Ahmed Hassan Saud Al Balushi is another example of the younger Omani generation who is besotted with Zampth. “I am young, but, Zampth has become part of my culture and tradition. It is both addictive and relaxing. Sometimes the sound that is produced resembles that of an old man, sometimes of an Arabic musical tone. It is part of our childhood. It is a game played in the dark, but it lightens up our life and mind. I never get bored. It is a physically stimulating game too, keeps me active, so sleep or boredom doesn’t creep in,” he said.
According to Salem, Zampth is a game that has been part of Oman for several scores of years.
But, there are no records of the game anywhere, which is why the passionate, dedicated and the spirited manner in which the residents of Al Muraisy were playing this game, we are not only going to hear it for a long time to come, but will also hopefully see it go down the record books as a unique Omani sport that hinges on sound.

Zampth will never die
“Zampth is a sport that is part of the Omani life and tradition. It will never die. If it dies, so will the Khanjar, the Musr etc.,” declares Ahmed Mohd Alyahmadi, director of private sports, ministry of sports affairs.
“This is a sport that has been alive for the last several centuries, and so will it be for many more centuries, Ahmed Alyahmadi, who is known for his passion for promoting and preserving Omani tradition and culture, added to Black & White.
“Oman is modern, yet steeped in tradition. It is this unique aspect that has kept alive a sport like Zampth.”
Although Ahmed recalls his grandfather using bulls to pull water from the wells many years ago, and also having viewed the game from close quarters in Barka (he hails from Barka), he has never had the chance to play the game.
Ahmed’s brother-in-law, Abdullah Ahmed Al Balushi, however, is an expert on the game and the former has managed to glean enough technical information on the sport from the latter.
“Zampth actually means a race of sounds. A musical contest in a way.
The main component of the game is the hathbat manjur, the shaft of the pulley. The pulley is called the manjur.
The sound is produced by the shaft, which is very expensive to carve out. It takes nearly two to three months to make one. During the game, these shafts are tested for best performance. The team will climb up the poles and keep changing shafts and testing. It is a long process. If they shortlist a shaft, they will keep it aside for use at the last minute as a surprise introduction.
When the manjur is set up, the rope actually pulls up a 20-25 kgs rubber water carrier every time. So it is not an easy game. It needs arm power, stamina and loads of patience.
“Zampth is played in the dark to maintain the serenity in the area and that it does not disturb the neighbourhood in anyway. It is a game that can be played only at night because the wooden shaft requires moisture to help produce the best sounds. The heat and light of the sun in day time will cause the wood to dry up and will not produce sounds. Plus the hot climate will drain us all physically. Nights are cooler for the sport.”
By Adarsh Madhavan, Priya Arunkumar, Najib Al Balushi