Bounties Galore from A Rich Land

By Nouf Albawardi - Public Relations Specialist

Since I joined Red Sea Global, I have been hearing, reading, and seeing our picturesque islands and towering mountains, and closely following the latest progress on our projects day after day.

Every day, I remind myself that we are here to build future destinations and set new standards for the whole world. What we achieve can benefit generations to come, and nature forever.

In the charming town of Umluj, with its diverse culture and originality, we at Red Sea Global sought to put our ambition to prioritize people and planet into action, through one of our most important initiatives - Amerah Souq.

It was launched to support the local community around The Red Sea destination region economically and socially. We restored and revived the old market in the city, creating new retail spaces and designs so that local producers and artisans can sell their wares. Traditional handicraft makers and artists can display their products in an atmosphere full of happiness and joy. We have 38 exhibitors participating every Friday, with this changing on a weekly basis to give everyone interested a chance to be part of the event. 

Alongside the stalls, musical performances and interactive workshops showcase the history and heritage of the region. In the ‘Tent of Tales’ in particular, recent visitors learned about the art of ship building and sail making, carving stones, and fashioning bags from palm fronds.

Highlighting the local culture and it’s diverse products
Homemade fishing nets
During my visit to Amerah Souq, I had the chance to meet many creative residents. I met with Ahmed Al-Ghalati, one of the oldest makers of fishing nets in the area. He introduced me to the method of making shawar nets and sieve nets, where one grill can take three days to complete.
Ahmed also told me about a type of seashell, Al-Nahida, which our ancestors used as currency to buy millet and wheat in the past.

Cord wicking

I also met Salem Alifan, one of the most prominent rope makers in the region. For those who do not know the ‘cord wicker’, it is a strand of palm fiber that is cleaned, dried and then wetted with water. Next it is collected and thrown by hand in a specific way, called cord wicking. It takes two months of work to make a 12-meter rope, and it was historically used to lower a bucket into a well to fetch water, as well as to tie boats at the port.

Embroidery

Fatima Juma’a impressed me with her passion for her work, and for helping to develop young girls in the area, teaching them the art of wool embroidery. Her daughter helps and supports her, and is following her mother's footsteps to master the craft of embroidery.

Among the young craftswomen from the region are two sisters, Haya Al-Juhani and Rania Al-Juhani. Haya started embroidery as a hobby and it then became a source of income. She made Sophie's Garden (as seen in the picture), which took more than a year to make. They also make dolls and medals in many distinct and elaborate shapes.

The Kingdom's bounties and wealth

Umluj is famous for its clear turquoise waters and white sands. It is a fertile land for agriculture and local crops are of the highest quality. It is famous for growing mangoes, lemons, eggplants, and other citrus fruit. Our colleague Marwan Al-Marwani is from the area. He owns a farm that produces many crops, and he also participated in the market, displaying his produce. Nayif, his 12-year-old son, helped him, explaining what was on offer to market visitors.

Champions of the local community

At Red Sea Global, we are building destinations that prioritize people and planet. Our goal is to enrich society by channeling investment and exceptional opportunities into the social and cultural fabric of communities, ultimately helping to realize the Kingdom’s full potential.

Amerah Souq gives local artists, musicians, and chefs the opportunity to play a role at our destinations, while also providing exceptional, authentic experiences for guests. And I know our support for the people of the region will not stop here. 
To find out more, or to register to be part of Amerah Souq, visit Amerah website