AL HAMRA: Bait Al Jabal Museum, established a few years ago by two enthusiastic youngsters, Jaber Mubarak Al Abri and Ali Nasser Al Subhi, has a new majlis added to the museum and new activities offered.

Jaber Mubarak said that some new collection has also been added to the impressive collection housed in a traditional residence, which is about 120 years old in an old neighbourhood of Al Hamra town (near Nizwa).

Jaber said, ‘we also organise small cultural events which mainly focus on traditional dancing.’

Says Jaber, ‘We arrange troupes which perform Razha dances. This type of dancing is characterised by the sword and the poetic exchange. The men of the Razha gather together for amusement and to display their skill in swordsmanship and combat with swords and shields.

“The poets of the tribes vie with one another with their skill in love poetry, eulogies, satire, riddles and conundrums. This is the literary picture of the combat with swords. The upper body, with its distinctive sway, is particularly interesting; it rocks to and fro like the rolling waves of the ocean or the ever-shifting landscape of desert sands.”

Jaber said that those visiting the museum can also have the option of feasting on traditional Omani meal which is charged RO7 per person inclusive of the entrance fee (which is RO2).

These two youngsters, both aged 23, have converted a residence belonging to Salim Al Abri, the great grandfather of Jaber, into a museum and proved beyond doubt that the country’s heritage can be preserved with a little care and a great deal of passion for the past.

The seven room two-storey museum has several sections showcasing coins, weapons, chests, costumes, house utensils, jewellery, traditional mill, handicrafts, manuscripts etc.

“They are the silent indicators of the complementary lifestyle of the tribal folk to our daily life. There is a need to preserve these artefacts for posterity,” said Jaber Mubarak.

“Antiques are similar to old books that contain vast knowledge waiting to unfold. They descend from generations to generations and we hold them very close to our heart,” he added.

“Many of the objects may have become obsolete in the contemporary milieu but they speak a lot about the past lifestyle,” Jaber observed.

Some of the interesting items housed in the museum include one of the biggest mandoos (wooden chest) in Oman, old candles made of stone, kettles from Morocco, a traditional mill, a 300-year-old dagger, old coins, passports, very old holy Quran, letters, documents, etc.

To reach the place, contact Jaber on phone no: 99008711 or Ali on 92692993.