Pictures: 5 Arab countries showcasing the arts of bisht weaving in Al-Ahsa

Heritage Authority The Kingdom’s cultural status through organizing The “Hasawi Bisht” Festival at Ibrahim Palace, attracting broad Gulf and Arab participation that confirmed Al-Ahsa’s historical leadership in formulating the common heritage identity of the region.

A group of major basht merchants in the Gulf countries and the Arab region unanimously agreed on the profound impact of the festival in reviving the living memory of the traditional craft of knitting, praising the pivotal role that the event played in introducing new generations to the legacy of fathers and grandfathers.

Exchange Experiences

Participants described the event as an exceptional platform for exchanging craft experiences, as it provided them with a rare opportunity to display their authentic products in front of a gourmet audience, which strengthened the presence of traditional Arab dress in the contemporary cultural scene.

The Iraqi merchant Hassan Al-Nayyar revealed the depth of the artistic links between the Najafi abaya and the Hasawi bisht, pointing out the identical hand-sewing techniques in southern Iraq with their counterparts in Al-Ahsa, which reflects the unity of the cultural root between them. The two countries.

Minute differences

Al-Nayyar reviewed the stages of manufacturing the Najafi abaya, which begins with shearing the sheep’s wool and spinning it manually, all the way to the fabric, explaining the subtle differences in the “yellow clothing” and the diversity of tailoring between the western, central, and southern regions of Iraq.

From Bahrain, Hussein Al-Yousef, the descendant of a family that has been practicing the craft since 1939 AD, confirmed that the Bahraini bisht is a historical extension. Of the Hasawi origin, pointing to the success of Bahraini craftsmen in developing “Zari” patterns and introducing modern colors such as beige and grey.

Innovative Artistic Touches

Al-Yousef explained that the development did not affect the essence of identity, but rather added innovative artistic touches such as the “Eight Pattern” associated with the ruling family, while incorporating the most luxurious Italian and European fabrics to keep pace with the requirements of modern luxury while preserving authenticity.

In the same context, the Syrian merchant Sadiq Baalbaki considered that Al-Ahsa is the “legitimate mother” of the bisht industry in the region, expressing his pride in including bisht on the list

Kuwait merchant Farid Al-Baghli stressed that Al-Ahsa craftsmen were the ones who transferred the secrets of the craftsmanship to neighboring countries, stressing that the Al-Hasawi bisht represents the cornerstone from which this industry began to flourish in Kuwait and the rest of the Gulf countries.

Al-Baghli drew attention to the Kuwaiti achievement of entering the Guinness Book of Records by weaving the largest bisht in the world with a length of more than 17 metres, considering This is a message of pride and pride in the common Gulf identity, whose roots stem from Al-Ahsa.

Al-Youssef explained that the distinction lies in the fine details and sources of the zari, whether German or French, in addition to the diversity of fabrics used between Japanese and English, which gives the collector a wide choice of luxury and distinction.

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