Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center

Page curated by Abigail Riemer and Evan Wollerton

Overview

Named for Sultan Qaboos bin Said al Said of the ruler of Oman from 1970-2020, SQCC is the cultural center of the Omani Embassy in Washington DC. It's aim is to educate anyone and everyone about the Sultanate of Oman, a country with a population of about 4 million people located in the Arabian Gulf and which borders Yemen, Saudia Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates and has about 2,000 miles of beautiful coastline on the Arabian Sea, which connects to the Indian Ocean. An absolutely unique country in the Arab World and in the Indian Ocean region, the Sultanate of Oman is peaceful, friendly, prosperous and with a rich history of arts and culture. Known for his love of music, art, and performance, the late Sultan Qaboos used the arts to define his country and unify his people. With its many outreach and educational programs from elementary Arabic language classes, to study abroad programs, to research fellowships for scholars, SQCC has enabled countless students and scholars of the region to further the country's mission in the creation of knowledge. The center's programming includes lectures, concerts, conferences, and its numerous cultural partnerships have produced useful resources.

Groups of William & Mary Students have had the opportunity to visit the Sultanate in 2014, 2015, 2019, and 2020 under the leadership of Anne Rasmussen and Chuck Bailey. See Rock, Music, Oman, and the W&M Middle Eastern Music Ensemble.

Our host, the Executive Director of SQCC, Kathleen Ridolfo, assumed her post in 2016 when she oversaw the purchase and design of the new and spectacular facilities of SQCC at 1101 16th Street NW. The beautiful center which includes a library, a museum, classrooms, offices, lecture halls, and galleries, is a public space that is open to all.

The Beautiful Craftsmanship of Oman

Micro-details

Throughout the Cultural Center I was struck by the intricate craftsmanship of the Omani items on display. Enjoy this collection of beautiful details I found on our tour -- pictured in the slideshow are a set of rings, the leg of a table displaying a model for a new port, a few woven reed pieces, silver anklets, dishes, and jewelry, embroidery, pottery, an incense burner called a mejmar, and the top of a handmade cap that can take up to three months to make by hand. (Abby Riemer)

Majmar - Frankincense burners

The top picture depicts traditional, hand-made frankincense burners. The round burners have become harder to find since few families in Oman make them. They are used by placing the frankincense resin on the top bowl and a candle underneath, burning the resin and making it smoke.

Frankincense is very important in Oman. It is used for everything from deodorant and toothpaste to food and drink. It has traditionally been used for its remedy powers. The smoke from burning frankincense also drives mosquitoes away, reducing the possibility of malaria.

One of my favorite activities was sitting down and getting to paint our own frankincense burners!

(Laura Brancati)

Painting our own burners

Kuma

One of my favorite items from the Sultan Qaboos Cultural Center is this special hat: KUMA. I am shocked by how long it takes for people to make such a hat. Moreover, the pattern from the hat is a very middle eastern style which also reminds me of some Egyptian patterns. Besides the hat, I am fascinated by the ecosystem and geographic features that Oman has. It is surprising that a middle east country would have such a diverse ecosystem: prairie, lake, and beach. I believe these different ecosystems cause regional cultural differences.

(George Shi)

Musical Instruments

The musical instruments of Oman reflect their position in the world as a trading nation - they show influences of African and Indian drum-making, for instance. In the foreground, you'll see a drum made from one hollowed, conical piece of wood, which would have been common in East Africa; the drums that look like they'd be in place in a marching band (in the back) have dual heads and would have been common in India and Southeast Asia. This is a testament to the trading empire established by the Omani people - an example of globalization from the time before we even coined the term! (Justin Oei - text and photo)

What We Learned

The Aflaj Water Channel Systems

Where does your water come from every day?

Ok, so most of us probably aren't thinking about our local water systems and where it all comes from every time we fill a glass, take a shower, or wash a dish. However, that's only possible because there are engineers who have worked out the ways to distribute safe water for continuous access. Some systems of water distribution used in countries across the world, such as the Aflaj system in Oman, date back to ancient practices of irrigation channels starting in the mountains and flowing down into the valleys to be used by inhabitants of drier areas. With little rainfall, it's crucial for Omanis to have the ability to control their water and provide a sustainable, continuous groundwater source. Each village has a honored government position for an individual to equally distribute the water according to the sundial. This equitable manner of providing the basic resource of water to Omani people is a wonderful example of an innovation, suited to a particular environment and circumstance, that has served its people well for generations. (Alice Baughman)

IMG_1542.MOV

A video demonstrating the flow of water down the mountains and into the village. The water first stops at the Mosque, then at the houses, and then into the land, where it is used to cultivate crops.

(Evan Wollerton)

Shipbuilding

Shipbuilding was a profitable industry in Oman for quite sometime. These trading ships were built out of wood and entirely without nails. This specific ship shown is called the "Sultana." It carried the first Omani ambassador to the United States in 1840. The ship carried the ambassador, along with countless gifts including two horses, carpets and jewelry, and of course frankincense. This exchange of gifts and visits by the ambassador to United States officials led to to rule limiting the acceptance of gifts from foreign officers.

(Grace Lyons)

Ibadi Islam

One of the most fascinating parts of our visit was Kathleen Ridolfo's statement that Ibadi Islam, the sect of Islam practiced by the majority of Omanis, is fundamentally different from other forms of Islam and is more compatible with Western values. This distinction is very interesting from a sociopolitical aspect and it raises many questions about the future of Islamic theocracies and their ability to communicate with Western countries. (Evan Wollerton)

(Meghan Smith)

(Anonymous)

(Jill Preston)

Reflections

Photo Taken by Kai O.

An Honest-TEa review

The staff of the Sultans Qaboos Cultural Center were kind enough to offer us Omani Coffee during our time with them. The aromas emitting from their traditional Oman coffee pitcher revealed how different it is from normal American Coffee. While it was hearty, the coffee tasted almost as delicate as Tea for a pleasant surprise.

(Kai Okai-Brown)

Visiting the SQCC opened my eyes to the different ways that cultural exchange and diplomacy can intersect in D.C. From the different events and fairs that the SQCC participates in to their adoption of a fifth grade class in the local community every year, this cultural center showcases the beauty and tradition of Oman.

(Meghan Smith)

The Sultans Qaboos Cultural Center is an educational delight. The middle east in today's current political climate is surrounded by tense politics and misinformation that the Cultural Center helps alleviate this. The building in nature was a respectful ode to Oman and its undernoted presence in the middle east.

(Kai Okai-Brown)

I was very impressed by the SQCC as its function as a cultural center. In this country where not many Ominian live, the cultural center could organize dozens of events every year in a variety of forms and have a cultural impact in D.C.; it's incredible.

(Xiwen Liu)

Our visit to the SQCC was extremely informative-- not just about Oman but about the "soft power" of cultural centers in DC. Even though they are not explicitly political in nature, they are firmly lodged within the interests of their home country. These centers are a fascinating intersection of the arts and international relations.

(Sophia Moustaid)

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