Smithsonian - Perishable Pundit

6 8The coiled, leather-covered basket used bydesert dwellers for milking camels is lightweightand unbreakable, typifying the requirement forportability that underlies all Bedouin craftsmanshipYoung girls from a Bedouin family worktogether to braid the ends of a rugwoven by their mother.desert and display the weavers' ingenuity indepicting the world around them. Sources ofinspiration for designs include spindles and otherDATE PALMS AND SOUKS:OASIS TOWNS OF THE INTERIORweaving tools, kohl containers, combs, goats,Oasis town settlements bring litelizards, hud tracks, and the camel itself; mostand au unexpectedtableau of green to alandscape thathave been passed down from mother to daughterfor untold centuries. Other designs, such asscissorsand helicopters, are evidence of creativeinvention by new generations of weavers andisotherwise desolate and brown. The largestof these towns are characterized by elaboratesystems of defense that incorporate vvatchtowers,perimeter walls, fortified gates, and massive,illustrate the dynamic nature of crafts as avehicletor expression.multi-towered fortresses. These protect inhabitantsand the sources of water vitalto settlementOn the fringes of the desert are bustlingand the extensive cultivation of date palms.oasis towns where Bedouin lifestyleoverlapsThe date palm is, without question, thewith that of settled communities. Despitetheir allegiance to the desert, Oman's Bedouincommunities do, of necessity, maintain stronglinks to these towns. They make periodic visitsmost versatile of Oman's natural resources,and tor good reason it is known throughoutthe Arab world asthe "tree of life." Beyondits obvious value as a provider of food,to sellshelter, and fuel, it is the greatest source otlivestock, tribal rugs and trappings, desertpalmbasketry and other Bedouin products, andcraft material in the country. It has usefulapplications in seafaring, fishing, tanning.to purchase the work of market-based silverandcoppersmiths, silkweavers, embroiderersherding, trading, and general housekeeping.and other town-dwelling artisans, main ofwhom cater specifically to a Bedouin clientele.Virtually every part of the date palm isutilized by artisans. Leaflets are plaited intoSMITHSONIAN FOLKLIFE FESTIVAL