Bahraini sword crafting industry stays traditional

(3 Feb 2017) LEADIN:
The Al-Sayeghe workshop in Bahrain continues to make swords along traditional lines.
Some of its older craftsmen still believe that swords should be the preserve of the privileged.

STORY-LINE:
The Al-Sayeghe workshop in Muharraq, the former capital of Bahrain, buzzes with the sound of metal being shaped and polished to create the typical Arabic curved sword or scimitar.
Swords are crafted to precise specifications in this workshop.
A short distance away stands the original Al-Sayeghe workshop where one of the oldest sword makers in Bahrain, Adbul Rasool Al-Sayeghe, nicknamed Busadiq, still goes every day.
He is one of only a few elderly sword makers in Bahrain whose knowledge of the history and significance sword-making in the region is unsurpassed.
The importance of the sword in the Arab world is hard to overstate, from the time when they were used as weapons in battle to today when they are used as symbolic gifts given from one ruler to another.
His nephew Ahmed Al-Sayeghe says it used to be the case that a sword was the equivalent of owning a crown, but that nowadays owning one doesn't necessarily mean you are royal!
"In the Gulf region we always say that the sword is considered like a crown. Families in this region take pride in swords and own not only one but many. They wouldn't own only one sword but lots of different kinds," he says.
Some of the oldest and most precious swords in the Bahraini royal family were made here in this workshop, including swords that have passed down from one generation to another of Bahraini rulers.
Busadiq displays a photo of King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa wearing a sword passed down to him on the death of his father Sheikh Isa bin Salman Al-Khalifa, who in turn received it after his father Sheikh Isa passed away.
Busadiq says that the price of swords goes up all the time. He knows approximately the weight of metal used based on the original price of the sword.
"I bought it for 40 rupees which is about 44 dinars (117 US dollars) so the weight has to be around 4 grams. A bit later that price went up to 55 dinars (156 US dollars). I bought it for my uncle and for my father. Now its value is as high as 5,000 (13,264 US dollars) or 6,000 dinars (15,917 Us dollars)," he says.
While Bahraini rulers may commission a special sword to commemorate a visit by another Gulf ruler, many swords are bought 'off the shelf' in showrooms.
Ahmed Al-Sayeghe says his uncle Busadiq disapproves of the trend for everyone owning a sword. He thinks they should only be made for the ruling family.
Perhaps as old as the sword itself is the dance that is performed by groups of Gulf men to celebrate the history and symbolism of the sword.
According to Faras Al Thawadi, the sword performances throughout the Gulf are very similar.
"There are differences between them and certain characteristics, but Bahrain is only different in the rhythm and the way the sword is moved around. But basically Ardha is the same everywhere in the Gulf region," he says.
The hypnotic swaying and rhythmic movements are a tradition that remind today's young generation of their roots.
"It is still performed at celebratory occasions and festivals in Bahrain, and the public reacts positively to it always. So we are very optimistic that this tradition will continue for a long time to come," says Ardha fan Khalifa Ahmed Al-Khalifa.
The embellishment of swords is very varied, using precious stones and calligraphy.
And with an every growing variety of decoration, metal and type, the swords continue to instil a sense of wonderment in customers.

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