CREATIVE model-maker Abbas Neama is building his way to letting the world appreciate the wonders of the kingdom’s pearl trading tradition … but he needs YOUR support.
And if his latest delightful creation gains enough backing, children will be chanting ‘boom, boom, boom, everybody say Bahrain’ while making their own traditional ship from LEGO bricks.
“I am proud to have the opportunity to create a ship like this that is emblematic of Bahrain’s pearling history,” the 42-year-old Bahraini salesman and in-store ‘builder’ said.
Pearls
“I created this model using old photos of an Al Banoosh ship, during my free time. Back in the day, the pearl diving season lasted from June to September and was officially opened and closed by the rulers of Bahrain, where oysters containing the purest of pearls were found in deep waters.
“Diving ships, known as ‘Banoosh’ or ‘Boom’ consisted of a crew on board including 60 divers, pullers, a couple of ship boys, a cook, a captain and captain’s mate.
“Since that time, pearl diving has been a profession for some families, powering the whole economy while leaving an unforgettable legacy not only in Bahrain, but the whole world.”
Mr Neama has been building intricate models with the Danish company’s famous plastic interlocking bricks for the last five years and his latest creation, ‘Al Banoosh’ has been placed on display outside the City Centre Bahrain store for shoppers to admire.
The original Al Banoosh ship was made of moisture-resistant teak and oak wood that was used primarily by pearl-divers and fishermen in the Arabian Gulf during the early 20th century.
Since 2016, Mr Neama has been helping students and hobbyists create LEGO versions of iconic buildings, vehicles and more. The first ever Bahraini landmark he was commissioned for was a model of Arad Fort.
In 2018, he also created a model of Bab Al Bahrain, which was recognised for its uniqueness by Capital Governor Shaikh Hisham bin Abdulrahman Al Khalifa.
The creation of the ‘Al Banoosh’ model took nearly eight months and almost 12,000 individual blocks of varying colour and design. Atop the brig are four sailors, based on seafarers of the time.
Mr Neama had to build five prototypes before he was happy with the final design which was placed on display at the Capital Governorate and Colours of the East’s 10th Annual Art Exhibition.
Mr Neama is the first Bahraini artist to display a sculpture made out of LEGO bricks at an exhibition.
The ‘Al Banoosh’ has now embarked on its long journey to be selected as a top-notch candidate for mass-production as part of the company’s Ideas initiative.
LEGO hobbyists, called ‘master builders’ build a prototype, either physically or virtually and submit it online. If the idea attracts at least 10,000 supporters, it is reviewed by experts and approved for production as an official set, to be distributed internationally.
Some of these offerings have become prized collectors’ items around the world. Mr Neama is the only designer from Bahrain to submit a design to the competition and he picked the design because of its iconic status.
“As soon as people see this ship, they think of the Arabian Gulf,” he added saying that the design has so far attracted around 600 supporters and he urged GDN readers to help him crack the 10,000 threshold.
Support has already come from hobbyists around the world, who have complimented the looks, intricate design and historical context of the vessel.
Teacher and photographer Mohammed Al Majed, a supporter of the project, who has encouraged Mr Neama on his creative journey, added: “I love it, especially having seen its progress. It’s not just a representation of Bahraini, GCC or Middle Eastern naval heritage, it also tells the story of how the divers of that time used to do the impossible to capture pearls and make a living.”
While Mr Neama waits to see if his project becomes a reality, he has already started planning more projects, including a LEGO model of the old Adhari Park.
To support the project, readers have to create an account and endorse the design found at: https://bit.ly/albanoosh
naman@gulfweekly.com
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