Customs and traditions of the Sultanate of Oman and their reflection in Jokha Alharthi's “Celestial Bodies”

Abstract

The subject of this research is the rituals and customs of the Omani people and their reflection in the novel “Celestial Bodies” by Jokha Alharthi. The author traces the changes that took place in the Sultanate of Oman. Life of the Omani people is depicted on the example of several generations of the large family of Abdallah ibn Sulayman of the Hilal. Comparison is conducted on the living conditions of provincial population, namely the village of al-Awafi and the capital Muscat. The problem is raised about people’s happiness in the technological era, and the topic of loneliness of our contemporary. The methods of historical and systemic analysis prove that the traditional structure of Omani society remains in rural areas. It represents a fusion of Islamic and African customs, Muslim and pagan beliefs. The description of engagement, wedding, childbirth, and funeral ceremonies creates a holistic picture of the life cycle of the Omani people. However, urbanization and technological development force people to move from the rural areas to cities and change their mentality. The protagonist Abdallah falls out of touch with his native land, changes his living condition, and reaches an impasse. Nourishing the memories of the pleasant past, they do not experience joy from the present. The novelty consists in the fact that the ethnographic research is conducted by the Professor of Sultan Qaboos University – Jokha Alharthi in form of a literary work. The scholar comes to the conclusion that due to shift of life paradigms, the senior generation of Omani people is experiencing a fateful moment. The way out of the crisis should be sought in the educated Omani youth, who does not want to blindly follow the customs of their ancestors and shelter themselves behind the adults. Youth of the XXI century does not fear difficulties and willing to make own decisions. Thanks to support of the family, London – the daughter of Abdalla – became a medical doctor. The audience is fascinated with discovering the culture of the Land of Frankincense through the prism of Jokha Alharthi.