HUNDREDS of people flocked to a four-day charity festival at Bani Jamra which showcased Bahrain’s rich crafts and heritage.
The second edition of the ‘Takaful’ (solidarity in Arabic) festival was organised by the Bani Jamra Charity Society at the village’s Naseej Oasis facility and included a mini-amusement park, bazaar for productive families, traditional handicrafts area, story corner for children and a showcase of animals.
A communal wedding reception was also organised for 30 grooms – financed entirely by donations.
In the market section, families sold homemade products including food, clothes and bukhoor (incense). Painting and Arabic calligraphy lessons were given by the society’s artists’ committee, while the women’s panel put on a puppet show and a storytelling session for children.
“The entry fee of BD1 will go to a family that needs it,” said play area volunteer Ahmed Zaid.
“I urge young people from other towns to volunteer at local events, because by doing so they are helping their own neighbours and friends,” he added.
Meanwhile, different generations gathered at the traditional handicrafts corner, where two Bani Jamra locals – basket weaver Mohamed Abdulla, aged 26, and textile and miniature-maker Abdulhusain Najem, 81 – demonstrated their craft.
Mr Najem designed multi-textured tapestries and stylish tote bags alongside his conventional works, while Mr Abdulla’s baskets and mats featured colourful, new pigments and contemporary designs.
Mr Abdulla told the GDN that despite coming from a long line of weavers, he dove into the career only after completing an intensive course conducted by the charity society.
The society’s general assembly announced that the total donations raised during the past year were used for student aid, educational programmes, medical aid, village cemetery maintenance and home repairs for families in need.
The festival concluded with a panel discussion during which the society, set up in February 1994, launched an initiative to promote local ventures.
Economist and financial literacy promoter Arif Khalifa spoke about the need to cultivate respect for traditional craft, and how youngsters can take up their ancestral professions by applying the principles of entrepreneurship and branding.
“I see a bright future for traditional Bahraini crafts,” said Mr Khalifa, emphasising their importance in Bahrain’s tourism strategy and global image.
As an example, he cited the Expo 2020 Dubai where skilled artisans from the village are representing Bahrain’s crafting heritage.
The village’s weavers had worked with Scottish fashion designer Mhairi Boyle to create an art piece called What She Sees. It comprises woven panels created by artists Habib Mohamed Saleh Abdul Redha, Mohamed Saleh Abdul Redha Jaffar, Mohamed Abdul Redha Jaffar and Abdulhusaain Yousif Najem. The artpiece is now on display at Expo 2020.
The Bani Jamra fundraiser was cancelled last year to the Covid-19 pandemic.
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