Launching of the 7th Ibb Tourist Festival; A Celebration of Heritage

After great effort and months of preparation, the Seventh Ibb Tourist Festival put on by Nabil Al-Faqih, the Minister of Tourism and Ahmed Abdullah Al-Hagri, the Governor, opened on Thursday, August 6th.  In attendance was Ameen Ali Al-Warafi, the Secretary General of the local council, and Ameen Gozailan, the head of the tourist office, as well as many social and political personalities and tourists.

The festival includes many artistic, educational, and environmental activities as well as other popular activities which will continue until the 13th of August. These activities aim to deepen people’s appreciation for the rich heritage of the governorate’s society. The festival also aims to exhibit the original customs and traditions of the varied cultures within the governorate.

 

The operetta
 
The operetta (the carnival show) which was held in the al-Kibsi Yard was the first activity of the festival and was produced by school students in cooperation with drama and art teams. The operetta contained a collection of classic popular songs that evoked childhood memories for the audience members.  The gathering crowd’s presence was unexpected as the audience filled every part of the yard, its members astonished by the way the children revived the traditional songs. Although the lyrics of the songs might have seemed trivial and childish, in reality they were masterpieces of innocence and simplicity. 
 

 

The Tourist Village
 
The tourist village is the major and most significant attraction of the festival and is being held in the Faculty of Agriculture Yard.  This location boasts spectacular features including green fields and water which give the village a beautiful appearance. The tourist village’s construction is traditional, both inside and out.
 

The Folklore Exhibition is the main attraction within the Tourist Village and contains displays of the major traditions and customs of the governorate.  Its popular shows are performed by charitable organizations who have done an excellent job in representing the common habits and customs of the local people in the Ibb governorate.
 

“The idea of a tourist village embodies the reality of countryside life with all its details,” Faiza al-Ba’dani, a local council member and a supervisor of the Tourist Village, stated after the inauguration. The Unity of Yemeni Women association has played an effective role in exhibiting the various traditions and styles of women’s lives, through the representation of some of the most popular customary celebrations, in particular weddings and wedding processions.
 

“Hummada”
 
The “Hummada” exhibit makes the visitor experience the reality of the event through its vivid details.  In the Tourist Village, the custom of “Hummada” (the celebration of a new birth and a common custom in Yemeni society) is exhibited by young girls.  The girls reenact the occasion with every detail, including the visit of the women who delivered the baby, the giving of presents to the mother, “Meda’aa” smoking, the beating on the daff, and all the additional scenery and  songs that are sung at that time.
 

“We will surprise the visitors when they visit this exhibit,” assured Malah Al-Shami, the Unity of Yemeni Women association’s Secretary General.  
 

Popular Foods 
 
The Popular Foods Show is another activity produced by the Charitable Committee for Family Welfare in addition to the wedding and Hummada shows. The activity includes the preparation of popular foods in front of attendants, giving them samples to taste, and giving them instructions on their preparation.
 

“The Popular Foods Show reminds you of the past and makes you appreciate the great effort that was required for women to prepare the family’s daily food.  It also gives the attendants an idea of the various dishes that were part of the traditional diet,” said  Mrs. Sitr Allah Al-Allaya’a, a member of  the Charitable Committee for Family Welfare.
 

Popular Dress
 
The Popular Dress Exhibit includes displays of traditional women’s dresses, focusing mainly on the traditional dresses from Jibla.  It is produced with the cooperation of the al-Manar Charitable Association from al-Dihthath and reflects the historical features of Jibla and its traditions.
 

Every region in Ibb provided their own particular styles of traditional dress and costumes.  The Yareem region was represented by a special dress show put on by the Khadeega and Fatma Committees.  The show was praised by all the attendants and drew attention to the rich heritage of the Yareem region.
 

“Al-Me’lama”

“Al-Me’lama” is another special and distinctive show that includes an “al-Sidna” (an old man who teaches the Holy Qur’an by traditional methods) and young pupils wearing customary clothes—a “Kufiah” head covering for boys and a “Qurkumi” head covering for the girls.  This display is very effective as the children repeat the Qur’an Ayahs letter by letter and syllable by syllable.  It causes spectators to long for a simpler and more innocent past when there weren’t any schools besides the “Me’lama.”
 

Paintings Exhibition
 
The Artist Paintings Exhibition is an especially amazing exhibit. Paintings are hung on exterior walls in the natural air, which adds another element of beauty to the masterpieces contributed by artists around the governorate.  The contents of the paintings varied between nature with all its wonderful facets and the natural beauty of the old city and its people. Additionally, handicrafts and traditional customs were pictured in some of the paintings. The concept of the unity of Yemen was also a popular subject among the artists.  One of the artists, Yousef Al-Ba’dani, created his paintings with a combination of dried and burnt mud, in a subtle representation of the deep roots of Yemeni unity.
 

Children’s Open Workshop

The children’s workshop is another worthwhile activity which allows children to draw whatever they think or feel freely with the help of specialized supervisors. The presence of children is an integral part of the festival and the child performers in many of the exhibits brings an extra spark of life to the festival.
 

Other activities
 
There are also a variety of other activities at the festival such as the national Egyptian circus, touring trips, educational competitions, poetry contests, the Agriculture College’s exhibit, and many other activities which will be announced next week. 
 

Environment Week

The Minister of Tourism and the Governor declared this week “Environment Week”.  The students and citizens of the governorate will participate in a campaign to go outside the festival and spend time cleaning the governorate.
 

Finally, this festival is considered a turning point in the history of tourism in the Ibb governorate.  The previous festivals were not nearly the size of this, the 7th festival. This festival outdoes the others in its variety and number of exhibits that represent all the traditions and features found in the Ibb governorate. The 7th Ibb Tourist Festival is an authentic and living display of the original habits, traditions, and customs of the Yemeni people.

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