Muscat: The history of Oman is a cultural gem filled with narratives and legends that must be shared with younger generations in a way that is both engaging and easy to understand. This is the essence of the book "A Travel Ticket to Oman: Tales from Omani History" by Ahmed bin Nasser Al Rashdi, published by the Omani Red Fox Library. The author seeks to offer a compilation of historical tales aimed at children and teenagers, employing a captivating storytelling approach that links the past with contemporary life.
Ahmed bin Nasser Al Rashdi emphasized the importance of vividly recreating and narrating scenes from Oman's history for the youth. There is a noticeable shortage of books on library shelves that effectively communicate Oman's culture and civilization to Omani and Arab children. While some works by Arab authors touch on Oman, they frequently lack precise details, and the accompanying illustrations fail to accurately depict the country's environment, nature, and heritage.
He mentioned that the primary inspiration for this book stemmed from inquiries he received from parents and educators looking for child-friendly literature on Omani history, which they could use for reading and summarizing in cultural competitions. This need sparked the concept for the book, prompting him to devise plans for its creation.
He highlighted that he gathered and recorded historical narratives about notable Omani figures and various aspects of maritime and land environments, among other subjects featured in the "Omani Encyclopedia for Young People." Through this book, he aimed to reinterpret the stories of Omani sultans and their cultural contributions, including the founding of the Sultanate Printing Press, the publication of books, and the construction of culturally significant ships that traversed continents.
He highlighted that large and extensive history books have experienced a drop in readership due to the focus of educators in both homes and schools on visually appealing technological and social media distractions.
Currently, these books mainly attract researchers and specialized scholars. He emphasized the necessity of making history accessible to school students, children, and adolescents through engaging and visually striking publications in both style and presentation, or via radio, television, YouTube, podcasts, and other mediums that resonate with modern children. Narrating stories of a vibrant history filled with goodness and glory instills cultural confidence in children, fosters loyalty and a sense of belonging to their homeland, and empowers them to defend it with awareness, eloquence, and courage in the future, as they recognize their cultural significance.
The author confirmed that most of the stories in the book are connected to the accomplishments of Omani sultans, underscoring their cultural role in promoting Omani culture. It was also crucial for these stories to be linked with other nations to highlight that Oman is a nation of peace that has culturally and civilizationally engaged with civilizations and peoples around the globe.
Examples include the narrative of Sultan Taimur bin Faisal Al Said’s visit to Japan in 1937, where he published the divan of the royal family poet Saeed bin Muslim Al Majizi in Osaka, and the account of Sultan Barghash bin Said bin Sultan, who drew inspiration for the Sultanate Printing Press project in Zanzibar during his visit to Egypt as a guest of its ruler Khedive Ismail Pasha in 1875, when he toured the Amiri Press in Cairo.
Another narrative tells of the late Sultan Qaboos Rose, when the World Rose Society in the Netherlands chose to commemorate his legacy by naming a rose variety in his honor, acknowledging his contributions to peace and environmental protection, along with other stories from New York, Singapore, London, and Muscat.
Given that the book targets children, it was crucial to merge historical accuracy with captivating storytelling. The author shared that he is a passionate reader of children's literature, particularly those translated into Arabic, and he drew inspiration from the experiences of writers who effectively present history to young audiences. He discovered that the method of personifying inanimate objects is particularly engaging and resonates with modern young readers.
For example, a tale could be narrated from the viewpoint of the ship "Sultana" as it journeys across the seas to convey a message of peace from Sultan Said bin Sultan to the United States 185 years ago, or from the perspective of the "Oasis Omani Restaurant" established by the industrious young man Mohammed bin Omar Eidid from Dhofar on a street in New York, which Sultan Qaboos visited in 1972, vowing to return. Additional stories could be told by the newspaper Al-Falaq or the book "The Refinement of Eyes and Minds in the Journey of the Sultan of Zanzibar."
The author emphasized that the "Omani Encyclopedia" served as the main reference for writing this book, describing it as a magnificent and substantial volume, a true cultural treasure. He also cited works and articles by Nasr Al Busaidi, along with websites like the "Jewel of Muscat Ship" site, which showcases images and tales of sailors’ adventures aboard the ship, in addition to oral histories from radio programs and YouTube channels. This extensive year-long research endeavor through these resources aimed to offer enriching reading material for school students in Oman and the Arab world.
Concerning the function of this book in familiarizing new generations with Omani history, the author pointed out that its influence goes beyond mere availability in bookstores both within Oman and abroad, as well as its promotion at Arab book fairs. This influence also encompasses translating the book into various languages and facilitating its engagement through reading workshops and sessions held in libraries, clubs, schools, and cultural centers.
Additionally, he underscored the opportunity to broaden its impact through interactive workshops that animate these narratives via theatrical performances or animated productions, thereby enriching the awareness of Omani history among the youth in a fun and dynamic way.
