Fishing isn’t just waiting around for a big catch, especially when doing it for a living. It’s hard work, as these Omani fishermen will tell you.
People from Dhofar (Oman) perform traditional songs and rituals to kick off the fishing season which begins in September and runs through April.
There are many hymns and timeless melodies. The music can be adapted to suit the task at hand and has different rhythms or tempos.
Singing may seem like a way to pass the time but fishing is serious business. Fishing is a major source of income for about 50 percent Dhofars.
“Fisheries are Oman’s second-largest natural resource,”According to The World Bank “Before the discovery of oil in the 1960s, Omanis relied on agriculture and fishing.”
While the fishing industry is constantly evolving, fishermen still hold on to their traditional ways.