JIZAN: Jizan's Winter Festival has succeeded in recreating the past, including its customs and traditions, and displaying them to the present generation by showing craftsmen and marriage customs, which feature beautiful blends of colors and fragrances. Some families in Jizan still stick to these customs and traditions, despite the arrival of modern lifestyle with its quick tempo in all walks of life due to the prevailing urbanization. The festival allocated considerable space among its pavilions for showing the old marriage customs, which attracted many visitors from within the area and elsewhere, especially young people. Umm Fahd, a Saudi woman, said many families are still preserving old marriage customs in these different times. Umm Rami, another Saudi woman, said marriage customs and traditions in Jizan Region have not changed much in 30 years, except for some details. Even these days, the marriage celebration continues for several days, each day given a name such as Al-Tansheer, Al-Hinna, Lailat Al-Haml, Al-Maqyal, Lailat Al-Dukhlah or Al-Zaffah and Al-Nuqool, the day or night the bride is taken from her family's home to the marital home. Because Jizan Region is protecting its deep-rooted customs, festival organizers were eager to have craftsmen participate in the big event to support and protect traditional heritage that is handed down from one generation to another. A distinctive pavilion was allocated to display the skills in their trades so visitors – old and young – could see them up close. Among these crafts is the preparation of traditional sweets, halwa, which is supervised by Saudi young men from the Jizan Region. These sweets are sold to the visitors at low prices that are affordable to all. Fahd Ali, a young Saudi man who owns a sweets shop, told Okaz/Saudi Gazette that he inherited the trade from his father, who had inherited it from Ali's grandfather. “I find great pleasure in my profession,” he said. “At the same time, it has big financial returns. In this area, traditional halwa is in great demand and outstrips imported sweets. Also, it is in great demand among visitors.” Muhammad Jaber, a craftsman, displayed how wooden seats made of carved wood and ropes are made. They can be used for sitting or sleeping and according to Jaber, they are comfortable and give the users peace of mind. Visitors to the event have a great demand for these handicrafts and some people in Jizan Region like this type of furniture more than modern sofa sets. Some people, especially sheikhs of tribes and village elders and notables, use them in large sitting areas, he said. Jaber said these seats have been inherited since ancient times, there are still some families preserving them and they will be inherited by the generations to come. Taher Yusuf, who prepares sesame oil using a traditional method, said customers are eager to buy the natural oil because it is tastier than what is made in factories, 100-percent natural and free from preservatives. It is used in the preparation of traditional foods including fish, meat, hulba and sweets, he said. The festival also features a number of other craftsmen using their skill and experience to make items such as daggers and clay pots. All the traditional handicrafts are attracting large numbers of visitors, particularly old people and youths.
