(MENAFN- Muscat Daily) Muscat- Salma al Hakimani's stand in the Heritage Village in Amerat Park showcases her craftsmanship and ingenuity while promoting Omani culture.
She was all of seven when she started sewing, she informs. 'It's something I did mainly as a hobby throughout my studies and during my career in the private and public sectors. I also did a lot of crochet work and ran a garment shop in Seeb for nine years. After I retired, the Public Authority for Craft Industries granted me a licence to operate from home. That's when I started focusing on designing and manufacturing items which reflect our heritage,' she says.
Bags
Salma's handbags for girls are in the shape of traditional Omani outfits that come in four sizes. 'As people are increasingly wearing Western clothes nowadays, having an accessory which reflects our heritage is a positive thing,' she noted, adding, 'Also, these outfits can be expensive. Families that can't afford new outfits for their daughters sometimes give them bags as accessories.'
The bags are made by Salma, her younger brother and son. They have three sewing machines, including one donated by the Omani Women's Association in Seeb which has supported her over the years.
While rendering the outside visually appealing is fairly simple, choosing durable and washable materials so that the bags maintain their shape requires considerable research and development. 'The smaller bags are popular during Eid, when adults traditionally give children money. The larger bags are used for Qaranqasho, when children go house to house collecting candy. All our bags are also used for decorations; the keychain sized ones can be hung from a car's rear view mirror. Bags in the shape of dishdashas are also available,' Salma said.
Dolls
Salma believes that playing with dolls wearing traditional dresses is a good way for little girls to learn about their culture and heritage. 'We have a range of dolls wearing colourful national costumes and jewellery. Tourists often buy the smaller ones as mementos of their trip to Oman. Apart from being used as dolls, they are also used as decoration or learning tools to showcase the styles worn in different regions of the country.'
She also makes traditionally dressed brides and grooms, and various other objects such as phone/tablet bags on a small scale, mostly for special orders.
Salma participated in the inaugural Muscat Festival 21 years ago, having missed only two editions since then. 'I am encouraged by the genuine interest people show in my work, as well as the support I have received from the public and private sectors and various organisations.'
A few years ago, a group of female pilgrims took her bags to the hajj as a way of identifying themselves in the crowd, and her work has been displayed by Omani students studying in Holland, offered to tourists by travel operators in the sultanate and showcased in a number of local exhibitions. 'The Ministry of Health once placed a big order of dolls which had to be dressed up as doctors and nurses. When large orders come in, friends and family pitch in to help,' she said.
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