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House of hair
Mention a tent to most English-speaking peoples
and you evoke a kaleidoscope of memories, from childhood
scout or girl guide trips with evenings spent singing
around the crackling camp fire; school trips in
large, damp and smelly bell tents pitched in muddy
fields; adventure weekends in the countryside with
blistered feet from unyielding hiking boots; or,
at best, a budget family holiday to the Continent
in a ready-pitched luxury tent complete with zip-up
bedrooms and a communal shower block just meters
away. The common thread to these experiences was
usually the relief when the temporary discomfort
and confinement of camping was over and the welcome
luxury of a warm bath and clean sheets was within
reach.
Here in the Middle East, however, the tent has different
connotations entirely – it is synonymous with
the heritage, culture and lifestyle of the Arab
world; an integral feature of both past and present.
Bayt Sha’ar means, literally, dwelling or
goats’ hair and this traditional Bedouin shelter
has provided comfort and protection for generations
of nomadic tribes as they have migrated throughout
the region’s harsh desert areas. Here in Qatar,
the nomadic tribes could be separated into two main
categories – the Al Na’im tribe of the
central and north-western areas of the country and
the Al Murrah tribe, whose main territory lay immediately
south of Qatar’s border wit Saudi Arabia and
the United Arab Emirates and who would migrate to
the southern regions of Qatar in late winter and
early spring to take advantage of the grazing. With
the onset of the high summer temperatures they would
move south again, settling in semi-permanent camps
near to the security of that area’s many oases.
Their homes would be packed over and over again
onto the backs of their camels and transported with
them whenever they needed to relocate.
In recent years, with the advent of oil-generated
wealth in the region, many Bedouin (badawi) have
settled in urban areas and live a more settled existence.
But an estimated 10% of the population of the Middle
East still embraces a nomadic lifestyles, dependant
on grazing conditions and water to determine their
location. With the perception brought about by the
cooler winter months, they move deeper into the
desert; in summer months, they will seek refuge
near to secure water sources.
Although today it sis more common to see readymade
canvas tents imported from neighbouring Asian countries,
the traditional low-roofed nomadic tents which are
so symbolic of the Bedouin culture were once woven
from either goat hair or dark sheep wool, gathered
from the family’s own livestock. Fabric designs
varied from region to region, tribe to tribe and
the identity of a tribe was obvious by the distinctive
patterns and colours of their homes.
Handicrafts works
Traditionally, women were the weavers and homemakers
in Bedouin society. They wove almost everything
that was required for their lifestyle, including
their own home. It would provide shelter from the
wind, warmth in the winter and shade in the summer.
Since the fibres expand when wet, the tent was also
waterproof. This weaving of wool, or Al Sadu as
it is called in Arabic, is the oldest and most traditional
craft practiced by the Bedouin. It is also the name
for the loom on which the women produce the beautiful
yet functional floors rugs, cushions, camel bags
and largest of all the tent.
In early spring when the weather was at its most
temperate, the men, using big scissors, would shear
the tribe’s livestock. Combed through by the
women, the rough wool was then washed in the sea,
in preparation for the year round task of spinning.
Dye for the white wool was obtained from plants
and its use could create shades of red yellow or
ochre.
Stretching black or dark brown yarns of more than
twenty-five feet in length across heavy beams in
the sand, the Bedouin woman would sit on the ground,
pushing and puling, beating and plucking to create
the thick dense cloth that would withstand the harshness
the nomadic desert life.
Spinning the strong, heavily twisted yarn on a simple
hand spindle, she held a distaff full of twisted
bunches of sheep’s wool tucked under her left
arm. Holding the spindle in her right hand, she
turned it quickly in her open palm, guiding the
thread of fleece from the distaff with her left
hand. This method allowed her to make pieces such
as tent walls and roofs, sometimes more than 25ft
long. The required width was achieved by painstakingly
sewing together these long narrow strips using large
iron needles and heavy highly twisted yarn.
Plain or simply ornamented, the exterior walls were
made to be functional and to withstand the wear
and tear of constant relocation in the harsh desert
regions. By contrast, the red, white and beige interior
walls were often beautifully decorated. In particular,
the tent divider separating the women’s section
from that of the men’s majilis, or guest room,
would be highly ornamented with geometric patterns
made up of vertical or horizontal stripes, which
reflected Islamic traditions. Over six feet high
and often more than twenty-five feet long, the weaving
of this piece was a painstaking job. Usually
owned by the oldest woman in the family, the size
of the tent was directly related to the importance
of its inhabitants – a wealthy family might
live one boasting four or five central ridgepoles,
whilst their poorer neighbours had only one. In
general, the entire tent was sectioned off into
no more than three rooms.
The layout of the tent reflected the activities
going on within, with the interior divided by
curtains into men’s and women’s sections.
Whilst the men’s area would be used for
entertaining visitors, the children, weaving sewing,
mending of clothing, tanning of leather, sleeping
and when necessary for sheltering their precious
livestock from the elements. Unless the absence
of their men folk forced the women to take over
the role of hospitality to visitors, they never
entered the men’s section. However, with
only a woven curtain dividing the two sections,
they were able to listen in to conversations taking
place between the men and would often add loud
comments and offer advice on tribal affairs under
discussion.
Today, in modern Qatar, the tent still has an
important place in society and is synonymous with
hospitality. Wedding parties, family gathering
and other social functions all demand the erection
of a large tent outside the family home, where
hosts can greet their guests and offer them the
hospitality for which the local people are renowned.
In addition, many modern homes feature a permanently
erected tent outside where their menfolk can gather
and entertain friends in the evenings. Indeed,
the decorative schemes of many restaurants, clubs
and hotel lobbies are based on the warm, colourful
fabrics and designs.
Hunting, fishing and camping weekends all necessitate
the transporting of a tent, carpets, chairs and
all other home comforts, either into the desert
or down to the beach, where, although slightly
less formal, hospitality is the order of the day
and any passers-by will be welcomed into the cool
interior and plied with food and drink.
Certainly the ambience created by sitting cross-legged
in the colourful “house of hair” is
a far cry from what most of us would expect in
a tent and is usually a treasured memory for those
visitors to the region who are fortunate enough
to experience it.
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