Muscat: The world celebrated Donkey Day on May 8, as is done every year. It is a global movement to raise awareness and support sustainable solutions for their welfare.
Riding a donkey must be a rarity today, something children can experience at the Muscat Festival every year at the heritage corner. But once upon a time, it was a reality, as it was one of the main means of transportation in Oman.
Ali Mohammed reflected, “As children, we used to travel on donkeys from Muttrah to the farm in Ghala. It took more than two days."
According to World Population Review, the population of donkeys in Oman stands at 21,850. Today they roam around freely in the wilderness of Oman and sometimes in towns such as Al Amerat. The valleys on the way to Sifa are some of the best places to approach them.
In the olden days, mud/clay was used to build houses, and Ahmed al Mahrouqi remembers how donkeys used to help in the transportation of soil and mud. “Remember, it was not only donkeys but also horses and camels. The donkey was also used to carry the wood for cooking food. Also, donkeys assisted in taking commodities to the mountains, for example Al Jabal Al Akhdhar.”
Those trails are still visible, and some people still use them. The horse trail has been attracting attention, and Saif al Rawahi explained how in 2019 they had attempted the trail during winter in Al Jabal Al Akhdhar. In 2022, during Al Jabal Al Akhdhar Tourism Festival, they made the trail once again prominent.
There were eight horses of Arabian and English breeds. Adding an extra touch of tradition was a young rider from Al Jabal Al Akhdhar on a donkey. The young rider is Mundher al Omari, who was cheered by everyone as he received his gift from the Wali.
“He is from Al Jabal Al Akhdhar, and he just came over and joined us, expressing his keenness in participating. He rides his donkey every day, so he is professional in his own right. The rest of the team gave him full support,” noted Al Rawahi.
Young Mundher took his donkey as his pet, and after school hours he loves taking the donkey to the foothills and back, with the consent of his parents. He is actually reviving something from the past. This was the way commodities were transported from Nizwa market to the villages on the top of Al Jabal Al Akhdhar.
So why were donkeys used to haul cargo? Donkeys are slower and steadier. But people say donkeys are stubborn.
In a study conducted by the Donkey Sanctuary in the UK, the researchers Cara Clancy, Emma McClaughlin and Fiona Cooke wrote in their article titled ‘Invisible Animals: Exploring public discourses to understand the contemporary status of donkeys in Britain', “Established representations of donkeys in Western literature and popular culture have often been negative, portraying the animals as stupid, inept and bad-tempered.” The reality is that donkeys are known for their strength and stamina. They are also proven to be intelligent animals with a spirit of independence.
In Oman, there are fond memories of yesteryear’s days. And today, tourists find the donkey trails fascinating.
BLURB
The Donkey Day, celebrated on May 8 every year, is a global movement to raise awareness and support sustainable solutions for their welfare
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