24 October 9, 2016 Travel www.thearabweekly.com

Agenda

Beirut: Through October 13th Established in 1997, the Beirut International Film Festival has evolved from a mainstream film festival to an event with eclectic and daring selections as banned subjects are the focus of many of festival submissions. Carlos Chahine will serve as the festival jury president. Organisers plan several activities throughout the year leading to the festival’s 20th anniversary in 2017.

Tunisia: Through October 22nd The 11th Musiqat Festival is scheduled to take place at the Ennejma Ezzahra palace in Sidi Bou Said. The festival includes a variety of music shows, such as fado, soul and flamenco, from performers from Iran, India, Spain, Cuba and Africa.

London: October 21st-November 6th The Nour Festival of Arts high- lights the best contemporary Bahla, ’s magical oasis Middle Eastern and North African arts and culture each October and November in venues across Kens- ington and Chelsea in London. The festival programme features exhibitions, music, cinema, food, talks and dance performances.

Abu Simbel, Egypt: October 22nd Twice a year during the Abu Sim- bel Sun Festival, people gather at the Abu Simbel temple, built along the banks of the Nile by Pharaoh Ramses II in the 13th century BC, to see the sunrise provide a unique show. The temple is situated so that twice a year — during February and Octo- ber — on the anniversaries of the birth and coronation of Ramses II, the sun lights up an internal chamber. After viewing statues The Great Fort of Bahla in Oman has undergone restoration The Great Fort of Bahla in Oman’s al-Dakhiliya province after of Ramses and Queen Nefertari, work for more than two decades. restoration. visitors celebrate by enjoying food as well as the dance and singing programmes arranged by Khaled Abdel Malek Besides its reputation of black ers added to or renovated parts of it a dome-shaped kiln heated with local residents. magic, Bahla is in itself a magical through the centuries. wood and palm fronds. place with an impressive fort on a Bahla is also home to “magical” Although the electric potter’s Tunis: Bahla, Oman promontory dominating the oasis pottery creations, copper artefacts wheel has been introduced, one October 28th-November 5th below, its ancient 12km wall whose and silver daggers that adorn many can still see the kick-wheel used to t is called Madinat al-Sehr — construction dates to the pre-Is- homes in Oman and abroad. All make snake pots, which are popu- The Carthage Film Festival is an the City of Magic. Bahla, one of lamic era, its souqs and traditional these traditional industries are con- lar decorative objects traditionally annual festival that showcases Oman’s oldest oasis towns and trades and artefacts. centrated in the old souq, a short used to store dates. films from the Maghreb, Africa once the capital of the sultan- The road to Bahla crosses be- distance from the fort. Another particular feature of Ma- and the Middle East. In its 27th ate, is home to many myths tween the majestic Jabal Akhdar, “I learned this profession from dinat al-Sehr that has nothing to do edition, the festival will take Iand legends of magic. A mysterious the western chain of mountains my father and himself from my with the “jinn” is the weekly cattle place in Tunis and other regions aura surrounds the walled city, a towering more than 3,000 metres, grandfather. I will transmit my sale, where farmers from surround- of Tunisia over eight days. A sign many say proves that magic is and the unique chain of black vol- knowledge to my elder son Yusuf, ing villages converge on Bahla to parallel programme will include still practised in Bahla, deep in the canic mountains or ophiolites. The inshallah,” said Ahmed while pol- sell their animals. world cinema projections, semi- country’s heartland, 200 km south- road passes near , another old ishing a silver dagger in his work- nars, debates and meetings. The west of . capital of Oman that also has a fort shop near the souq. 2016 festival will celebrate the Although people are reluctant to and an old souq. “I have an obligation to transmit A mysterious aura 50th anniversary of the event’s talk about witchcraft and consider it Declared a World Heritage Site by my ancestors’ skills to the next gen- surrounds the walled founding in 1966. a feature of the past, Bahla is known UNESCO in 1987, with its eration and keep the torch burning as the birthplace of “jinn” or black attractive towers, including a wind otherwise all these traditional pro- city, deep in the Dubai: magic, a reputation that predates tower, known as Burj-al-Reeh, be- fessions will just die down, disap- country’s heartland. November 1st-April 8th Islam. came accessible to the public a year pear.” Global Village is a large seasonal “No, no, there is no black magic ago after a restoration that took Bahla potters are reputed to have “Here is the place where all the cultural event in Dubai that offers here,” residents insist, but legends more than two decades. It is among magic in their fingers but their tra- citizens from Bahla come to sell an array of festivals, shopping about Bahla’s magical past include the oldest forts of Oman and the ditional trade is being increasingly their cattle every Friday,” said Ab- and entertainment in an open- tales of people being turned into largest. displaced by mass industrial pot- dullah Al Shueily, pointing at an air theme park. This entertain- cows or goats, haunted by spirits The age of the fort has not been tery production. old tree in the middle of the souq’s ment and shopping destination or vanishing when they stood in confirmed but the diverse architec- “Yes, unfortunately the tradi- square. includes more than 75 participat- cursed places or leaned against cer- ture indicates that it was built in tional pottery making with the “The farmers display their ani- ing countries, dozens of fun rides tain fence posts. different phases as successive rul- wheel and a pedal that used to be mals by walking them around that and 26 restaurants offering food transmitted from father to son is old tree while potential buyers from around the world. slowly disappearing,” said one visi- stand in a circle and offer a price. tor to Bahla Souq who asked not to It is like an auction. They will keep Dubai: be named. “You have now Bengalis on exhibiting their cattle until they November 10th-24th and other foreign workers produc- find a good deal with one of the ing pottery in loads.” buyers. You can find this kind of Les Misérables, a musical based Pottery jars dating from the sec- market mostly in Ad Dakhiliyah on Victor Hugo’s novel set in ond half of the fourth millennium governorate,” said Abdullah， who the early 19th century, portrays BC have been found in old tombs in is from Al Maamoor, a small village several characters, with ex-con- the oasis city. Today, one can visit near Bahla. vict Jean Valjean at the centre. a few old workshops near the souq With its fort, oasis settlement A Broadway touring troupe will where craftsmen use traditional and perimeter fortification, Bahla perform the play at the Dubai methods to make clay utensils and is an outstanding example of de- Opera. decorative objects. fensive architectural ensemble that The clay comes from the canyon enabled dominant tribes to achieve We welcome submissions of bed and is labouriously crushed prosperity in Oman and the Arabian calendar items related to and squashed to make it malleable peninsula during the late medieval cultural events of interest to and then fashioned on the wheel period. It is also rising as a major travellers in the Middle East — as potters have done throughout touristic spot in the sultanate. and North Africa. history. Potters mould and curve The 12km long ancient wall of Oman’s oasis city of Bahla predates the clay into shapes and pots of dif- Khaled Abdel Malek is an Arab Please send tips to: Islam ferent sizes, which are placed in Weekly contributor in Oman. [email protected]