Oman: The Land Where Time Stood Still [Short Documentary]

About:

In the 70's a western film crew made it to my village of Alghafat. At that time the people in the village had never seen a camera, let alone a European film crew. By today's standards this would be akin to the recent BBC documentary The Incredible Human Journey.

 This is a fascinating video because it documented a way of life that does not exist anymore. The village you see in the video is completely abandoned along with the traditional way of life.

After searching long and hard for the full documentary and failing  it dawned on me that maybe I should start this Blog. This way I could preserve the video and hopefully cross paths with someone who has the full documentary. I am also hoping to get the perspective of the film crew who visited my village and hear their story.  
 

     

Oman: The Land Where Time Stood Still [Film Script]

Part 1: Alghafat

….But in the interior of the country things remain the same. Here men live and die as their fathers and grandfathers did. This is Alghafat, home of Bani Huna'a, one of the many tribes of the Oman. Men here belong to an ultra conservative Muslim sect which used to consider it is their duty to slay non-believers on sight. No stranger have entered here and it took months of patient persuasion before a camera team had been invited. Even so, centuries of mistrust die hard.

Oman was one of the first countries to be converted to Islam during the prophets life time in the 7^th century. Muslims believe in one god, in a hell and a paradise in a day of judgement. They disapprove of ornaments in the worship and have set rituals and obligations. They must give arms to the poor, comfort the needy and five times a day they must turn to Makkah and pray. Before praying it is necessary to wash the hands , the face and the feet.

Islam is much more than a body of personal religious beliefs. Mohammed taught there should be no separation between the sacred and the secular, He created a complete code for living that embraces every aspect of family and community life. In true Islamic fashion, this village is still run as though it was a family. Each allotted his place according to age, wisdom and sex.

Tradition says that no woman may show herself to a man outside the family. For some tribes this means that she must wear a veil which will only be removed in the privacy of the bedroom. Others half cover their faces and the most liberal simply pull their shawls across when men approach. Women are brought up to believe that they are inferior 'like goats, we know nothing.'

The villagers of Alghafat live off what they can ring from the anemic soil around the village. They cultivate bananas, melons and lucerne. One thousand feet above the salt water of the Gulf, this is some of the little fertile ground in the Oman. In a good year with patient husbandry it could produce three sparse crops of wheat. Men till and women cook, although meat and poultry are scares deliquesces reserved for visitors or great festivals.

All day and through the utter darkness of the night, the date gardens are watered. Each man is allowed but half an hour and those who exceed their appropriated time must pay recompense to those who follow after. Most trees belong to the village headman (the Sheikh) and instead of wages he allots trees to those who work for him.

Most drinking water in the Oman comes from the Falaj. This stone channel brings water underground from a spring deep in the heart of the mountain. It is a system created by the skillful engineers of the ancient Persian kings who once ruled here. At the top end of the village, the cool drinking water is drawn. Further down women wash their clothes and vessels and all that remains flows into the date groves and there irrigates the palm trees,

Here and all over Arabia the great tradition of hospitality with its rituals and its intricacies lies deep in the hearts of men. Here, the son of the Sheikh receives a visit from a local governor, proper and time hallowed formalities are observed by all. Host and guests position themselves at the head of the room and their entourages place themselves as is fitting for their rank and station. The formalities follow their stately pattern, as one man says “How are you brother?” and another replies “Well, thanks be to god.” It is a ritual that never varies by a hair spread, even if on is at the doctor or on a bed of sickness “Well, thanks be to god.”

The governor has called to offer his formal condolences on the death of a village woman, but even so, no woman is present. Such formal occasions are the preserve of men.

After the cooling water comes the fruit and sweet meat (Halwa) of which a European traveler once wrote:

“They say to the acquired taste it is delicious. To the uninitiated it smells of rancid butter and tastes like sweet wagon grease.”

The coffee is flavored with strong herbs, served black and unsweetened, and here all men know that to refuse a second cup would be discourteous to the host.

Men savor not just the refreshment, but the ritual itself. Finding in the time honored gestures certainty and purpose.

END OF PART 1

Part 2: Rustaq

Rustaq, once the capital of all the interior now fallen on less prosperous times. High up in the old fort the governor 'Wali' holds court in his 'Majlis'. The Wali is the sultan's personal representative. This man is the direct link between government and people, conveying instructions one way and complaints with the other. He is also responsible for administrating justice in the whole region. The Wali is aided in the judgement by the 'Khadi', an expert on the Sharia law based on Quranic teaching.

The Wali is hearing a case about the price of a dowry, at the same time the Khadi is mediating a dispute over a second hand car. It may appear chaotic but the lack of red tape seems to allow them to get to the bottom of the matter quickly.

In the dowry case, the dispute arises because the sultan has fixed an upper limit of 300 Rials (about 400 pounds) so that everyone could afford to get married. Here, a father has tried to double the price, a blind man comes forward as a witness. The Wali insists he is a party to the case and would not accept it. The blind man has also spoken before he was asked and is refused permission to give evidence.

“On top of that” says the Wali “he is a blind man and a blind man needs someone to speak for him.”

“You don’t want anyone to speak in this court.” the blind man complaints.

In the “Souq” the shear excitement of bargain and bustle takes over..........

END OF PART 2