Omani women bring stories of a bygone era to Dhofar

SALALAH: Dhofar Municipality is working to empower Omani women during Khareef Dhofar Season 2026 and to showcase their work through the Omani Women’s Associations site within the 'Return of the Past' event — a living window onto heritage that takes visitors on a journey between the authenticity of tradition and creativity of Omani women, carrying them through the details of life as it once was and introducing them to the cultural and craft diversity of the wilayats of Dhofar.
From the first moment on site, visitors realise that this is not simply a place to display goods but a complete heritage souq. Its shops have been designed in the old Omani style to give visitors the sense of having stepped back into the age of their fathers and grandfathers — the beautiful days of the past. The stalls stand side by side like a single canvas, reflecting the character of the place and telling the story of Omani people who have kept their identity alive across the generations.

Ten Omani women’s associations are taking part, representing the wilayats of Salalah, Taqah, Mirbat, Sadah, Rakhyout, Dhalkout, Thamrait, Al Mazyouna, Shaleem and Al Hallaniyat Islands, and Maqshin. Each association has set out to present a full picture of its wilayat through traditional products, heritage pieces and the social customs that distinguish it, so that every corner of the souq carries a different history, drawn together by the shared heritage of Dhofar, and shows visitors what makes each wilayat unique.
Association members are displaying dozens of products that reflect the skill of Omani women in home-based and craft industries. Among them are bakhoor, frankincense, perfumes, skincare products, men’s and women’s clothing including the Dhofari thobe, children’s clothing and incense burners, alongside handmade crafts and heritage gifts made by Omani hands — creativity rooted in popular tradition.

The members have also taken care to introduce visitors to the tools that once formed part of daily life. The stands hold heritage items such as the traditional cradle, the water skin used to keep water and milk, baskets, leather goods, articles woven from palm fronds and other implements that accompanied Omanis through their daily lives — objects that now stand as living witnesses, recounting the details of the past to a new generation.
The souq carries a message that goes beyond shopping. It reflects Dhofar Municipality’s commitment to supporting Omani women by providing a free site where they can market their products, to strengthening the presence of handicraft industries, and to preserving cultural heritage and passing it on to visitors.

Visitors leave the Omani Women’s Associations souq having travelled through ten wilayats without moving from the spot, carrying with them a bright picture of Omani women who have turned their heritage into a project of creativity and production, and who present to the world a deep-rooted identity that still pulses with life. “Return of the Past” remains more than a heritage event: it is a journey into the memory of a nation and a living portrait of Dhofar’s authenticity and its people.