Muscat: The Ministry of Heritage and Tourism, in cooperation with the Oman Historical Society, on Monday launched the book “Oman Zaman... Traces of the Past” by author Margaret Kabenga Shordom at the National Museum.
The book documents and deals with aspects of ancient life in the Sultanate of Oman.
She lived and worked in the Sultanate of Oman during a period from 1948 until 1983.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by His Excellency Salem bin Mohammed Al Mahrouqi, Minister of Heritage and Tourism, in the presence of the author, a number of officials and specialists from the Ministry, the Omani Historical Society, the National Museum, and a group of Omani figures who lived through that important time period in Omani history.
The book “Oman in the Past... Tracing the Past” - published in English and will be translated later - documents, through three main chapters supported by more than three hundred photos, paintings and letters, the memoirs of this family and their description of the various aspects of social life in the Sultanate of Oman during that period.
On the sidelines of the inauguration ceremony, an accompanying mini exhibition of paintings and photographs was opened, which includes a number of paintings drawn by the artist Evelyn Underwood - the author’s grandmother - who was inspired by her visit to the Kabenga family in the first years of their stay in Oman in the 1950s. She painted more than 30 scenes that included doors and houses. Mosques and views of the cities of Muscat, Muttrah and others, noting that the exhibition will be available to visitors of the National Museum for three days.
It is worth noting that the main time period of the book extends from the year 1948 until the year 1970, as this period in the history of Oman is little known and is a time period that only a few of the older generation remember or know about.
It is hoped that, by preserving and documenting these ancient memories, the book “Oman in the Past” will be able to bring to today’s readers and future Omani generations a close and detailed look that will help them realize the extent of the richness of Oman’s cultural, historical and civilizational heritage.
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