Sunday 22 / December / 2024
Muscat: Hussain Al Darushi, 32, has successfully made his way to money and fame through palm-weaving, an ancient Omani handicraft which is now back in the reckoning, thanks to this creative designer and the support of the Public Authority for Craft Industries (PACI).
Using palm trees loofahs and fronds to make a variety of products, Al Darushi encourages Omanis who missed the opportunity to achieve higher education, to start their own businesses.
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“It was my hobby since childhood to craft traditional Omani products using fronds,” said Al Darushi, who has also bagged the Mastery of Craft Award, conferred by His Majesty Sultan Qaboos in 2013.
He is now supervising 18 trainees in the Craft Village Centre in Wadi Bani Khalid.
Furthermore, the young Omani told the Times of Oman that he is currently working on crafting the traditional Omani cane, locally known as ‘Khayzuran,” using fronds and sheets of silver.
Al Darushi said he has been flooded with calls from buyers who are excited to be the first to lay their hands on the new product.
Hussain has represented the Sultanate in many international events in different countries, including the United Kingdom, Morocco and Turkey, to proudly showcase the surviving local handicrafts.
For OMR6, Hussain will be selling his unique wallets using his accounts on social media.
“This would not have happened without the support of the PACI, which provided me with all the equipment and a location to start my business, which is now thriving, all thanks to them,” Al Darushi concluded.
