What to watch before leaving for Oman

To watch

If you are planning to spend some time watching a few good movies or even some good documentaries to perfect your cultural knowledge before leaving for your trip to Oman, you are very likely to be disappointed. In fact, 100% Omani films are almost non-existent. Here in the Sultanate, all of the popular films that the locals devour without moderation come either from Bollywood or Hollywood. Only a few rare local series or television films reach the public, but you will not be able to get hold of them before your departure. After a great deal of research and unshakeable perseverance, you might be able to dig up the best-known and most successful television film, which has even won a few awards. It's called "Nature of Oman" and stars two local celebrities, Farkhriya Khamis and Saleh Za'al.

To read

It is also quite difficult to find works of literature from a country where the censorship is so extreme. There are few authors and no editors, but you will still be able to find the novels of Badria al-Shahhi, the plays of Amina Rabi Salmin or the poems of Mohammed al-Harithi and Saïf al-Rahbi. Those aside, there is little to highlight in Omani literature.

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Flickr@FranciscoAnzola

To listen to

Omani music is almost exclusively traditional. It is generally very instrumental and festive. Only the Bedouins sing a cappella, using only their voice to sing texts about daily life in the desert, or to the glory of a warrior or to the courage of a craftsman. To discover this traditional and ancient music, you must absolutely listen to the performances of the Royal Oman Symphony Orchestra. The sultan is deeply involved in this art and has devoted a great deal of energy to the preservation of this national and traditional cultural heritage.