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<\/a> <\/i><\/div>\nMale members of Saudi Arabia\u2019s Qahtan tribe are known as \u2018Flower Men\u2019 for their intricately constructed floral headpieces (Credit: ERIC LAFFORGUE\/Alamy)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
You may also be interested in:<\/strong> According to the late researcher Thierry Mauger, the construction of these flower crowns is approached by the tribe\u2019s younger men as a friendly beauty competition: they incorporate as many colourful additions, like marigold and jasmine, as possible. Men of middle age and above, conversely, take a more sombre approach, constructing their wreaths with greenery like wild basil. Some wear them daily for aesthetic purposes, while others adorn themselves on special occasions like major Muslim holidays. Others still wear them when sick, choosing herbs and greenery specifically for their medicinal properties.<\/p>\n But floral crowns are not the only element that sets this tribal group apart from the dominant Saudi culture, popularised by the government elite, most of whom are originally from the Najd and Hijaz regions.<\/p>\n The Flower Men\u2019s home region, \u2018Asir, is located atop a plateau that receives more rainfall than any other area of the kingdom. In May and June, temperatures in the country\u2019s interior cities can top 30C, but \u2018Asir province, some 900km south-west of the capital Riyadh, greets unprepared tourists with chilly winds and the occasional rainstorm. Its peaks, the highest in the country, host agricultural terraces carved into the mountainside by its inhabitants who subsist on small-scale farming of wheat, coffee and fruit.<\/p>\n The headpieces are donned for the sake of both beauty and health \u2013 some are made from flora believed to fend off headaches or sinus maladies (Credit: ERIC LAFFORGUE\/Alamy)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n The Qahtan tribal group has had a trying history. In Arabic, \u2018Asir translates to \u2018difficult\u2019, and it is this challenging remoteness of \u2018Asir\u2019s jagged cliffs, according to local folklore, that led a handful of Qahtani families to flee here from the surrounding lowlands to escape the invading armies of the Ottoman Empire more than 350 years ago. Following the occupation of \u2018Asir by forces loyal to the House of Saud, the region was incorporated into the Saudi nation in 1932.<\/p>\n Living in small, self-governing groups in the mountains, the Qahtani villages were barely accessible \u2013 for both protection from surrounding tribes and political autonomy \u2013 until the late 20th Century. The settlement of Habala (derived from the Arabic word for \u2018rope\u2019), for example, was only reachable by a network of handrails and rope ladders. The construction of a cable car in the 1990s by the Saudi government increased access to the remote area, but also highlighted issues concerning the integration of tribes into the national identity and whether these unique cultures can withstand modernisation.<\/p>\n The mountainous province of \u2018Asir, meaning \u2018difficult\u2019 in Arabic, appealed to the Qahtan as it provided autonomy and protection from invasion (Credit: ERIC LAFFORGUE\/Alamy)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n But, despite the odds, many of the Flower Men\u2019s customs have indeed survived. In fact, the practices that risked being forgotten now serve to attract tourists to the region. In small eateries dotting the winding runs of Jabal Sawda, Saudi Arabia\u2019s tallest peak, Qahtani servers festooned with bright blooms bring hot plates of goat and rice to locals and visitors. Guides at Habala greet visitors wearing colourful striped cloths draped at the waist. In comparison to the austere garments worn by women in the drier, hotter regions of the country, the Qahtani women traditionally wear closer-cut styles that keep them warm when temperatures drop. Although they don\u2019t wear the flower-laden headpieces, headscarves and cloaks display intricate geometric embroidery and tassels are festive in bright yellow, blue and red.<\/p>\n Travelling in the region, one can\u2019t help but marvel at the mud and stone buildings, dating back more than 200 years, that look like earthen mini-skyscrapers. These homes were constructed in close arrangement in tribally grouped communities, reminiscent of dwellings found in the Yemeni cities of Sana\u2019a or Shibam, demonstrating that a common culture between the two states precedes the establishment of modern borders.<\/p>\n \u2018Asir province\u2019s mud and stone buildings are similar to those seen in Yemeni cities like Sana\u2019a, demonstrating a common culture between the states (Credit: ERIC LAFFORGUE\/Alamy)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Curious visitors crane their necks to get a good look at the watchtowers, which, though no longer in use, rise above the residential quarters. The buildings boast complex architectural details that allow the homes to withstand the realities of \u2018Asir\u2019s climate: drainage systems that prevent rainfall from accumulating on roofs; a density of bricks to promote thermal retention and acoustics; and the homes\u2019 few, small windows and bright-blue borders, two elements said to keep both mosquitoes and evil spirits at bay.<\/p>\n The inside of these homes are a visual treat all unto themselves. Interior walls \u2013 particularly in the majlis<\/em>, the room designated for receiving guests \u2013 are painted in an array of bright blue, green, red and yellow, the geometric designs reflecting the patterns that have come to define an essential element of \u2018Asir\u2019s identity (and were inscribed on Unesco\u2019s Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2017).<\/p>\n Today, these murals take their inspiration from the architectural symbols that, in the past, told visitors about the inhabitants of the house: patterns, shapes and shades informed others of the age, gender and make-up of each family. Repainted each year during the hajj season, a month dictated by the lunar calendar when Muslims make the pilgrimage to the holy city of Mecca, these decorations are the work of local women who transmit the art form inter-generationally by inviting relatives of all ages to aid in the annual upkeep.<\/p>\n But most of the tiny, isolated villages atop the highest peaks are empty.<\/p>\n Government projects, like a cable car to the settlement of Habala, have increased access to the remote \u2018Asir region (Credit: mauritius images GmbH\/Alamy)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n As part of a project to make the region more accessible to tourists, in the last half of the 20th Century the Saudi government forcibly relocated residents of villages like Habala, settling them in newly constructed developments with access to better infrastructure, services and schools. Their villages now operate as sites for tourists to explore \u2018Asiri culture; the Flower Men only return temporarily to their ancestral villages to give tours, perform staged demonstrations of traditional regional dances and build their businesses around the tourist economy.<\/p>\n Herein lies the paradox of this underrepresented region: the slow trickle of modernisation chips away at indigenous ways of life, but an increased interest from the outside brings with it the possibility of safekeeping customs at risk of disappearing. Habala, due to its picturesque landscape and history of near-total isolation, has received particular attention from tourists.<\/p>\n But this doesn\u2019t mean Qahtani culture is being completely eroded. Though many Flower Men now depend on the tourist economy to support their families, interest in the province has led to opportunities for locals to engage in their own cultural preservation. After many years of a national economy made wealthy by its oil reserves, Saudi Arabia\u2019s Vision 2030, which aims to lessen dependence on oil revenue in the decades ahead, includes plans to strengthen cultural programmes and the tourism sector. An allocation of nearly $1 billion dollars has been set aside to restore heritage sites, including those in \u2018Asir.<\/p>\n Many Qahtani customs have survived contact with the outside world, including the colourful murals painted by women on the walls of their homes (Credit: ERIC LAFFORGUE\/Alamy)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n While many top-down initiatives like those of Vision 2030 focus on simply preserving the past, other projects are concerned with incorporating local knowledge with cultural and economic production.<\/p>\n In 2017, the organisation Art Jameel taught local artists the skills necessary for digitally recording traditional \u2018Asiri mural paintings, with the goal of developing producers at the community level who will support traditional arts and crafts. Similarly, Dar Al-Hekma University in Jeddah spearheaded a project in 2014 entitled Reinventing \u2018Asir that uses media, science, art and technology to encourage the preservation of architecture in tandem with supporting contemporary art, sustainable local development and agriculture.<\/p>\n \u201cSince the \u2018Asiris always proudly lived off the land and built their houses in a self-sustained manner,\u201d explains the project\u2019s mission statement, \u201cthey are in fact again at the forefront of what are considered globally cutting-edge trends.\u201d<\/p>\n Today, the Flower Men only return to their ancestral villages to build their businesses around the tourist economy (Credit: ERIC LAFFORGUE\/Alamy)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n When night falls and the tour buses make their way to nearby hotels, the mountain villages like Habala again sit empty. It\u2019s difficult to preserve your flower crown once you\u2019ve left \u2018Asir: after a few days, the blooms dry and flake with even the lightest touch, and the basil and jasmine lose their scent. Though much of \u2018Asir\u2019s recent economic success has focussed solely on the preservation of local history, hopefully these new initiatives that aim to bring locals into the decision-making process will allow \u2018Asir to be a culturally unique place of the past, as well as have a blossoming future.<\/p>\n \u201c[The] fact is that any true identity emerges from both: the past and the future, memory and invention,\u201d said Anna Klingmann, head of the architecture department at Dar Al-Hekma University. \u201cIf we prioritise one over the other, neglecting either memory or invention, the future or the past, part of our identity suffers.\u201d<\/p>\n The online publishers \u00a0assure Worldwide work opportunities for translator<\/a><\/p>\n BOOSTING DIGITAL MARKETING<\/a>\u00a0VIA BACKLINKS & ANCHOR TEXTS.<\/strong><\/p>\n Ways For Social Media Influencers<\/a>\u00a0To Make Some Money.<\/strong><\/p>\n EVERYTHING BUSINESSES NEED TO KNOW ABOUT FOREIGN DIRECT INVESTMENTS<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Benefits of Foreign direct investment<\/a>\u00a0to the recipient country.<\/strong><\/p>\n 4 Reasons All Photographers<\/a>\u00a0Need To Sign Up With TOP.<\/strong><\/p>\n 3 Reasons Top Is A Leader For Ebooks<\/a>\u00a0To Read.<\/strong><\/p>\n 3 Reasons To Advertise<\/a>\u00a0With TOP as Soon As Possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n 1 Easy Way To Make Money Doing Reviews<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n 2 Main Reasons To Think About Going With TOP Translation<\/a>\u00a0Platform<\/strong><\/p>\n 2 Reasons that TOP is Supreme for Content Creation<\/a>\u00a0Services.<\/strong><\/p>\n 3 Ways to Get Great Online Reviews<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n 3 main Reasons to Go With TOP for Content Creation<\/a>\u00a0Needs of Any Kind<\/strong><\/p>\n The Importance Of Finding Great Photos<\/a>\u00a0For Any Website<\/strong><\/p>\n Treatment & prevention of acne using probiotics<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n Work on cell response to oxygen gets medicine Nobel<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n How to trend on social media<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n What to expect in fashion<\/a>\u00a0news from week 43, 2019.<\/strong><\/p>\n
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