Hurafuna Festival
BY LLOYD PARKS
C
lassic meets ultra-modern this April,
as Bahrain holds the second edition
of Hurafuna Festival, running along
side the highly acclaimed Formula 1
event located at the Bahrain International
Circuit on the 14, 15 and 16th of April.
The Hurafuna Festival was introduced
to Bahrain last year by Bahain Tourism
& Exhibitions Authority, in line with the
‘Manama Gulf Capital of Tourism’. Held
under the patronage of the Minister
of Industry, Commerce and Tourism,
H.E. Mr. Zayed Al Zayani, the Festival
is aimed at showcasing Bahrain’s rich
heritage, exposing the vibrant culture, and
encompassing the creativity and enterprise,
which is the backbone of the traditional
Bahraini Souq, and regional trading lines
that have long been a part of Bahrain’s
diverse history.
Located in the Arabian Gulf, Bahrain
(literal meaning, Two-Seas) has a rich
and varied culture, bearing influence
from empires, states and protectorates,
including the Persians, Sumerians,
Babylonians, Portuguese and British. Once
known as ‘Tylos’ to the Greeks, translating
to ‘the center of Pearl trade’, Pearl Diving
was once Bahrain’s economic driver. By the
Mid-19th century Bahrain’s Manama Harbor,
along with the discovery of oil, helped
diversify the economy and became the
regions trade route hub, surpassing Basra,
Kuwait City and eventually the Omani port.
Bahrain’s economic prosperity,
paralleled by its forward thinking has
resulted in the Kingdom becoming a
leading center for banking and finance in
the region, along with becoming a tourist
hotspot. In 2006 Bahrain was labeled as
the fastest growing economy in the Arab
World, alongside being the freest economy
in the Middle East. Wealth and evolution in
the Kingdom has led to the development
of major attractions including the Bahrain
International Circuit (home to the F1), the
Bahrain Financial Harbor, Bahrain Bay, and
the World Trade Center.
Celebrating Bahrain’s rich culture and
heritage, the Hurafuna Festival provides
the nation and it’s visitors a chance to
embrace local festivities and explore
handicrafts and craftsmanship that date
way back to Bahrain’s beginnings. The
handicrafts include basket weaving, pottery
making, production of traditional musical
instruments, box making, (miniature)
shipbuilding and much more. These iconic
trades have been a large part of Bahrain’s
culture over the years serving the livelihood
and wellbeing of many local Bahraini
families and have continued to do so right
into the modern metropolis that Bahrain
is today. Various heritage sites providing
such craftsmanship are scattered across
the island including; the Jasra Handicrafts
Center, A’Ali Pottery Workshop, Bahrain
Manama Souq and Basket Weaving in the
village of Karbabad.
Pottery
Pottery making dates back as far as
the Dilmun Civilization era, with numerous
archeological discoveries found at the
Bahrain Fort, and throughout burial mounds
across Bahrain. Pottery used to serve a
much larger need of necessity such as the
production of plates and cutlery, whereas
today, it serves a more artistic and cultural
purpose. Artisans creating pottery use only
high quality, locally sourced mud from Riffa,
and to this day use conventional methods
that date back thousands of years. To this
day pottery is created in Bahrain with one
of the biggest centers being found in A’Ali.
Basket Weaving
Basket weaving, not unlike pottery
making, has been developed and created
in Bahrain for many years, making use of
the limited but versatile resources that is
found across the island. Made out of Date
Palm, palm tree leaves, basket weaving
serves a practical but artistic creation.
Used throughout Bahrain for gifts, farming,
households and decoration, you can still
see this classic creation in action at special
sites across Bahrain.
APRIL - MAY 2017
Perle
19