What does the textile industry in Bahrain look like?
It is an artwork, belonging to the arts, a handicraft. A weaver, through making textiles, creates aesthetic artworks that are unique and non-replicable.
What woven materials do you specialise in or produce?
First, the loom and its parts, including its wheel are all handmade with wood. The threads we use were previously imported from India, and we would dye them ourselves by hand. Today, our sources are more diverse, and we import threads from China and India, and some natural fibres like cotton from Egypt, as well as Scottish wool.
What makes your woven techniques special and different to anything out there?
We make pieces with traditional patterns known to Bahrain and our craft over the years. Some of the most prominent and coveted patterns are the muqallam—a pattern that employs straight lines, and another called mubakkar—with a repeated square pattern.
What distinguishes Bahraini weaving the most, our art and craft, are the patterns. Some of the most important are traditional patterns, such as the bridal piece (al-ridda) which uses a unique pattern called al-saib’i. Other patterns employ different stripes and colours to denote function. For example, some are commonly used in jalabiyyas.
Has the weaving industry changed over the years in Bahrain?
Until this day, weaving in Bahrain as a practice has retained its unique character, one that is borne out of a deep heritage. The changes that have happened in recent years are mostly on the ‘use’ end of our textiles, which has evolved with the changing times.
What are the effects of weaving in the local community?
Today, there is a growing movement in returning to and revival this craft, due to growing interest in craft and heritage art and making.