Omani handicrafts – such as silver items, woven cloths, and pottery – may have been passed down from generation to generation and faced difficulties such as material shortages or lack of interest among the younger generation in the past. But now these crafted items face a new challenge: the machine made imitation product.
Cheaper and almost indistinguishable to foreign tourists, imported machine made imitations of Omani handicrafts are quickly becoming more successful than the originals.
This means that a far less environmentally friendly consumerism is developing in Oman and that, unfortunately, the number of successful traditional craftsmen is dwindling.
Abdalla al Rahma, a silversmith, makes high quality coffee pots, jewelry and daggers that are bought mostly by wealthy families and government offices. A trader at the Bahla market says that far less expensive versions of Mr. al Rahma’s coffee pots are made in India, the Philippines, and Malaysia. “Basically, they are a copy of the handmade coffeepots traditionally made in Oman. You can tell the difference from the workmanship and durability.