Flip through the latest issue of Gulf Weekly.
Tourists on the F1 trek flocked to Manama Souq’s Bab Al Bahrain for a taste of the kingdom’s rich heritage and culture.
The second Hurafana Handicrafts Festival proved particularly popular with guests to the kingdom alongside locals and expat residents who recalled its success last year.
The week-long event, which concluded last night, featured 18 stalls exhibiting an array of Bahrain’s traditional trades including pottery, basket and fabric weaving, ship building, Al Naqdah embroidery, enamel painting and gypsum engraving.
Yousef Al Khan, the director of tourism marketing and promotions of Bahrain Tourism and Exhibitions Authority (BTEA), said: “We wanted to feature the festival during Formula 1 to give tourists and visitors from around the world a glimpse of Bahrain’s culture and handicrafts.
“We want people to see what Bahrain’s heritage is all about and what our ancestors were working on and some still are today.”
There were 18 local craftsmen at the event showing the skills of their trades and explaining to visitors the process of their traditional arts.
The festivities were launched last Wednesday by the Minister of Industry, Commerce and Tourism Zayed bin Rashid Al Zayani and held in the presence of BTEA’s CEO Shaikh Khaled bin Humood Al Khalifa.
The original event received a major boost when celebrity Geri Halliwell visited the festival and posted a picture of her experience on social media. It attracted millions of onlookers and resulted in this year’s event receiving global attention.
The festival lived up to its billing with visitors snapping up souvenirs and handmade goods while others posed for photographs with the craftsmen and women as well as friendly falcons as folk music performed by a Bahraini band played in the background.
Friends Maria Villanueva and Johanathan Sanjose were among the crowds mesmerised by the hand-weaved baskets, traditional musical instruments and wooden boxes, pottery, model ships and jewellery on show. Saleswoman Maria, 32, who lives in Manama, said: “The exhibition was great. I’ve visited it before and can’t get enough of it!”
Jonathan, 28, a waiter who lives in Saar, added: “It’s really a cool festival because it shows you what Bahrain has to offer. It’s great, especially for tourists, to find out about the country’s history and culture.”
Dhow maker Jamal Shaheen, 55, carved giant blocks of teak wood to demonstrate his craftsmanship and family tradition with models of his boats on display for people to admire. He has been building replicas of traditional ships since the age of nine in his home in Muharraq, alongside his father Shaheen and grandfather Khalfan.
He said: “This is a great exhibition for craftsmen like myself and will raise awareness about the hard work we all put in, as well as the culture and history of Bahrain.”
His boats range in size from hand-held to the largest being an impressive 30 feet long. Prices also vary from BD100 to BD1,500.
Many guests commented on the relaxed nature of the event thanks to an elevated majlis-style seating plan with giant pillows overlooking the exhibits and plenty of coffee shops nearby for people to rest their feet after roaming around the stands.
