The oasis city of Nizwa, the largest in the interior province,
was the capital of Oman in the 6th and 7th centuries. It has
since then lost this attribute to Muscat, in the coast, but it
remains one of the most popular tourist attractions, and rightly
so. Nizwa is famous for its historical buildings and imposing
fort (built in the mid 17th century by Imam Sultan Bin Saif Al
Ya'ribi), and by the immense palm oasis that stretches for several
kilometers along the course of two wadis. It is famous for its
bustling souq where you can buy exquisite copper and silver jewellery
and other craft items.
Nizwa is one of the gateways to the Jebel Akhdar mountains, which provide
the city its majestic backdrop. In these mountains, many villages
and hamlets still exist today, where people make a living in hard conditions.
One of the major activities is goat herding; this resilient animal supports
much of the income for these families, from providing meat, milk, and crafts
made from their wool.
Every Friday morning, many of these mountain folk descend upon
Nizwa in their faithful 4WD pickups, to trade goats and fodder
in the so-called “goat market”. This is truly a major
regional weekly event, with hundreds of people selling and buying
mainly goats, but also cattle. The market occupies a small flat
area next to the main souq, and is shaded by tall palm trees.
This market is a fantastic place to witness and experience some of the
most genuine old Omani culture and traditions, in a country that
is very quickly speeding towards the future. Somehow, some of these men
(and women, as they also participate very actively) manage to keep one eye
on the goats, while trying to pick up a call on their latest GSM. The trading
starts around 8 am (in the winter), but people have been gathering at least
since 7 am. The majority of these goat herders will have started their journey
from the mountains well before sunrise. The mechanics of the trade are quite
simple; the sellers parade their goats around a central seating
area, surrounded by the potential buyers. Now and then, this circuit will
stop for a moment, while some buyer inspects the animal.
For a travel photographer, this is an exciting experience, as it is possible
to capture all these aspects; under normal circumstances, in their villages,
most of these men and women would shy away from a camera. But here, their
focus is different, and if you are careful enough to remain relatively inconspicuous,
you can come away with very interesting photographs indeed.
Hopefully, the photos will speak for themselves, and will provide an overview
of this very special, and exciting, event.
About the Author
Paulo Bizarro has been taking photographs since 1987. More of
his work can be seen on www.paulobizarro.com
. He can also be contacted at: pbizarro35@yahoo.co.uk
