Bahraini visual artist Dana Al Shaker has launched a short-film in multiple languages to shine a bright spotlight on the kingdom’s rich culture and help preserve what remains of it.
She also hopes to inspire other young people to learn a new skill that is unique to the kingdom, in order to protect the country’s legacy and traditional practices.
The seven-minute film, shared on social media, features a range of ancient Bahraini professions from basket weaving to vegetable and
fruit sales, pearl diving and pottery, to highlight their importance.
“This project is an invitation for us to delve into our history and authentic heritage to draw lessons from them and preserve our distinct identity,” said the 21-year-old who graduated last week from Bahrain Polytechnic. “By sharing this short film, we can celebrate the traditions and customs that many of us hold dear to us.”
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Ms Al Shaker
Ms Al Shaker included English subtitiles in the film to reach a wider audience. “We have a large population of expatriates in Bahrain, so it’s only right for them to understand what the video is saying,” she said, adding that she felt it was also crucial for them to grasp the importance of Bahraini culture as they often only ‘scratch the surface’ of the kingdom’s proud history.
Expatriates make up more than half of the population of Bahrain with an estimated 780,000 people from around the world making the kingdom their home away from home.
“Many expats don’t get to experience our true heritage,” she said, adding that very thought encouraged her to interview as wide a range of Bahrainis as possible involved in the traditional arts – to allow them to tell their stories and the importance of their skill to the country’s rich history.
Instead of scheduling interviews with the artisans, she travelled around Bahrain to ‘spontaneously’ meet people who had a story to tell.
A’ali Pottery, Malkiya Beach and the streets of Manama were some of the locations she chose, with her time at Malkiya Beach ‘being one of the most special interviews’.
“While I was there, I was taken to speak to a lady who specialises in basket-weaving and it was amazing to hear her story and learn about her experiences of how the profession has been passed down from her grandparents,” she explained.
A woman discussing her profession of basket weaving
“Many of the Bahrainis I interviewed wished that more young people would take up their professions as they fear the skills are slowly dying.”
Her project, she highlighted, aims to inspire the young and get them involved in learning traditional skills and authentic customs.
“They are not just outdated ideas but they represent the essence of life and hope for Bahrain’s future too in my opinion,” she added.
Ms Al Shaker hopes to continue reflecting Bahraini identity and culture in her future endeavours. “There are people who may find gaps in our society, but I want my work to serve as a bridge between those gaps,” she added.
The short-film formed part of her college thesis entitled ‘Hazawi: Preserving and Reviving the Bahraini Identity’ and research headlined ‘Impact of Westernisation and Strategies for Culture Preservation’ as part of her bachelor’s degree course in digital design.
julia@gdnmedia.bh
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