Preserving Bahraini cultural identity
TDT | Manama
The Daily Tribune – www.newsofbahrain.com
The Bahrain Authority for Culture and Antiquities (BACA) has launched the “National Register of Craftsmen”, a qualitative initiative that aims to advance the craft sector in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
The project is supervised by the Crafts Department of BACA. It includes a comprehensive database on the practitioners of traditional crafts and handicrafts, through which BACA seeks to direct its policies in a manner that suits the needs of the sector and its affiliates, as part of its strategic plan aimed at achieving sustainable development of handicrafts.
The National Register of Craftsmen, including detailed data on crafts and craftsmen, will constitute a reference for development programmes and future strategies aimed at empowering craftsmen, developing their businesses and skills, and ensuring their sustainability.
It will also serve as a bridge for communication between veteran and new craftsmen and those interested in this field, in a way that preserves the Bahraini cultural identity. As part of its strategy, BACA supports handicrafts and traditional crafts, which are among the most important elements of living cultural heritage, which is an exceptional investment material due to its specificity for each region, and its impact on the social and geographical environment, natural resources and others.
Since the launch of the National Registry of Craftsmen project, BACA has so far been able to register nearly 200 artisans within eight general classifications of traditional and modern crafts (vegetable, mineral, clay, textiles, wood and others).
The database in the registry will include the personal data of craftsmen, Types of crafts in which they work, classification of the level of craftsmen (amateurs, practitioners, experts, trainers), years of experience and practice, level of education and production capacity, in addition to places of the practice of crafts and other detailed information about crafts and their historical and heritage depth in Bahraini culture.
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