Qallaf in Heritage Village

TDT | Manama

Email : editor@newsofbahrain.com

Heritage Village in Askar is now open from 4th to 28th December, welcoming visitors to experience authentic Bahraini traditions, historic architecture, handmade crafts, and local cuisine. TDT recently visited to meet Mohamed Al Bannai, a master boat maker.

Mohamed began making wooden ships as a hobby before turning it into his profession, practicing this craft for more than 20 years. He works as a “Qallaf,” the traditional term for a craftsman who builds wooden boats. He began his professional journey in 2005 and specializes in creating several types of boat, each with distinct designs and purposes even if they may appear similar at first glance.

For instance, the Banoosh has a straight bow, while the Sanbouk features a sharply curved bow at the lower front; both are still used for fishing today. The Batteel was historically used for warfare, and the large Boom served long-distance travel and for transporting goods across the Gulf, Africa, and India before the era of airplanes and bridges. The Jalboot, with its right-angle design, is used for diving and transporting cargo. The Trading Boom, the largest of these boats, is a tall, slender boat designed for long-distance maritime trade, reaching ports in India, Yemen, and East Africa. In contrast, the Driving Boom is smaller and lower in height. Mohamed explained, “Each boat has its own story and purpose. Even if they look similar, every detail is carefully designed for its specific function. This is what makes our craft unique.”