MUSCAT: The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth, represented by the Women’s Sports Department, in cooperation with Bait Al Zubair Museum, organised 'Journey Through Time... A Journey Through the Senses' as part of the 'Your Movement is a Blessing' sports programme for elderly women.
The event brought together elderly women for an interactive cultural and social experience combining movement, engagement and memory, while highlighting Oman’s cultural and social heritage and strengthening connections between generations.
Badriya bint Said Al Wahaibi, Head of the Community Programmes Section at the Women’s Sports Department, said the initiative supports the programme’s objectives of promoting social interaction and helping elderly women reconnect with memories and past experiences.
She said the partnership with Bait Al Zubair Museum provided participants with a cultural and recreational experience combining physical activity, interaction and sensory engagement through activities inspired by traditional Omani practices.
The programme included a tour of Bait Al Bagh, where participants explored traditional customs, crafts and practices associated with Omani women, including incense making and mixing, weaving, pottery and palm-leaf handicrafts. Participants also had the opportunity to try some of these activities themselves, helping revive memories of traditional life.
Shaikha bint Rashid al Battashi of the Oman Women’s Association in Sidab said the event brought back memories of her childhood, family life and Oman’s development during the era of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos.
“These activities brought back memories of our childhood and the old days we lived with our parents, families and siblings. They reminded us of Oman’s renaissance under the leadership of the late His Majesty Sultan Qaboos. Those were joyful times, and we hope such activities continue so that we can remember the past and the celebrations of National Day,” she said.
She recalled National Day celebrations in Qurayat, where families gathered from dawn around the fort to watch traditional performances, followed by boat races and popular games near the sea. She also remembered her mother and neighbours collecting water and firewood from palm groves, describing her childhood as a simple but memorable period when electricity was gradually being introduced.
Shaikha bint Jameel al Farsi of Ihsan Association recalled the simplicity of education during her childhood, particularly learning the Holy Quran in traditional neighbourhood settings. She described the discipline of her teacher, Mubarak al Souli, and how children later learned reading and writing in formal schools with Omani and expatriate teachers.
“Life was beautiful and simple. Because notebooks were not always available, the courtyard walls and ground became like a large notebook where we wrote, walked and memorised our lessons,” she said.
Zainab bin Sulaiman al Zadjali of Muttrah’s Jendaan area said the event took her back to childhood memories of climbing mountains, playing before sunset and enjoying close relationships with neighbours.
She recalled Ramadhan traditions, when families prepared dishes to distribute among neighbours before Iftar, while a local drummer known as 'Hamdoon' would wake residents for Suhoor. She described a closely connected community in which families regularly gathered in one another’s homes and shared conversations late into the night.
The event also featured 'Journey Through Memory' at Bait Al Nahda Theatre, showcasing old images of Oman and recalling traditions associated with Eid, Ramadhan, the seasons and social occasions, alongside popular sayings and the stories behind them.
The programme concluded with traditional Omani dishes, completing an experience that brought together memory, heritage, sensory engagement and social interaction.
The 'Your Movement is a Blessing' programme involves more than 100 elderly women from Oman Women’s Associations in Muscat Governorate, Ihsan Association and the wider community. It runs at Sultan Qaboos Sports Complex in Bausher from May 11 to October 1, 2026, with weekly sessions every Monday to promote safe physical activity and support participants’ physical, psychological and social well-being.
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