Traditional goat hair tents are woven by Saudi women.
RIYADH: As winter draws near, a long-standing custom in the center
of Saudi Arabia's Northern Borders region
is flourishing.
Traditional goat-hair tents, called "buyut
al-sha'ar" in the local dialect,
are expertly crafted by elderly women here and serve as a live example
of Saudi hospitality.
The traditional craft depends on goat and
sheep hair, which is
supplied by the region's plentiful livestock,
which includes more than 7 million
heads of cattle and camels, according to a
report by the Saudi Press Agency.
The craftsmen make tents of various sizes and colors using ancient
tools like the "mitraq" (hammer) and "awtar"
(strings).
"A single tent can take anything from three
days to a week to finish,
depending on the craftswoman's skill," Umm
Nada said in an interview with SPA.
There is a great deal of cultural significance to
the tent-making process.
The women chant traditional poems while they labor.
The final tents can sell for between SR1,600
($427) and SR6,000 ($1,600),
depending on their size and ornamental
features.
Families in the area are using these historic
tents for picnics and outings
in the outdoors, and their popularity is growing again.
Because of the temperate environment in the
north, outdoor enthusiasts
have found these tents very appealing.
Source arabnews.com
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