Women of Oman - A Date with Dishdasha and Decorum

"There is no chance of welfare of the world unless the condition of women is improved. It is not possible for a bird to fly on one wing." Swami Vivekanand.

Hand in hand - Women from India and Oman

In India, women are worshiped as Maa Durga (for strength), Maa Saraswati (for knowledge) and Maa Lakshmi (for prosperity). Probably no other country respects and worships women the way we do. We all know the role of Indian women in shaping our country's history, the status of women in Independent India, their beliefs, value and culture, the women in our villages and the women in our cities, the status of women in private and public sector, in every section of the society, the role of women in shaping our lives - as mothers, as sisters, as daughters, as wives. Indian women are no more confined to their homes but have : scaled the mountains, been in the space, have led revolts and rebellions, have won several beauty pageants on an International platform, have starred in Hollywood movies, have been the voice of our nation, have been great leaders of the country, been great entrepreneurs and businesswomen, bagged laurels in sports, and so on. I can't think of anything or any place that our Indian women have not ventured into. My salute to the Indian women.

Looking back at the year 2014 a lot of things have happened around the world. Some good, some bad...but as a woman, I wondered, how was the year for us women. What new laws were made, what progress did we achieve, what is the status of us, women, in Independent India or rather what is the status of Indian Women in the current 'Modified' India? Are we safer? Are we stronger? Are we truly independent? The Constitution of India grants equal rights and opportunities to all individuals. But are we really considered as equals in this male dominated society? Are we truly empowered? I leave the answer to you all.

Some of my friends and relatives back in India have asked me several times about the Women in the Gulf region. They were curious about the Arabic culture and questioned me if I too had to wear Burqa on the streets like the Arab women. So this post is for those, who wish to know about the Omani women, their dress, and decorum.

Status of Omani Woman today

Many a times, I have noticed the Omani women in their black cloaks, racing in their sporty cars, ahead of us, standing at the back of the shop counters as salesperson, as accountants in the banks, in offices, in Hospitals as nurses and doctors, and recently as air-hostesses too. Once, in a shopping mall, my husband jokingly asked me to buy a pair of these black cloaks saying they would be more useful here than a pair of jeans. And that made me wonder what it would be to be dressed in black, covered from head to toe 24 hours a day, 365 days in a year. 

Reading about the Omani women, in papers and various other sources, I learned that their status in the History of Oman is completely void. It was only after 1970s that the Sultan empowered the Omani women, offering education to all. In fact, there were no schools for girls in the country till 1970s. Today they are present in every field: as teachers in schools and colleges, in Hospitals, in Ministries, they represent every public and private sector. Yet there are lots of issues regarding the status of women here. An Omani woman has no say when it comes to their marriage, divorce, inheritance and child custody. Women's approval and signature on marriage and divorce documents are not even considered. However, the onus of a family's honor rests on the shoulder of its women; modest, decorous and virtuous daughters and sisters.

Dressing Lingo of Omani Women

Talking about their dressing style. Women wear hijab and abaya. Hijab is Arabic word for loose full-length outer garment worn by women to cover the body, arms, and legs; while hijab is any modest covering worn by Muslim women but most commonly associated with the headscarf.

The national dress for women is called 'Omaniya'. The Omaniya style consists of four basic parts:

• Dishdasha - a dress with long sleeves extending to knees made in colorful prints in cotton or silk

• Sarwal - a trouser worn beneath the dishdasha in colorful prints in cotton or silk

• Waqaya - a 5ft. long head cover with short fringes in solid color (no prints) at times with embroidery

• Lahaf - the head shawl without fringes usually worn in public places

The Burqa

I have seen women here completely covered from the head to the toe, and additionally wearing a mask that covers their entire face with only little slits for the eyes. This was the most repelling dress that I've ever seen a woman in, and I got curious and wanted to know why did they wear such an attire. On researching about the Omani dress I came across the information that in desert regions, women of the Bedouin tribes wear a mask called the burqa. And all this while I thought that Burqa meant a scarf to cover the head and face. Since they actively participate in livestock activities out in the sun, the mask protects their facial skin from the scorching sun and the dusty wind. A close encounter with a woman wearing the burqa during one of our Hospital visits here had nearly scared me out of my wits, for I had never ever seen such a hideous dress worn by women. But ask a Bedouin woman and it is a matter of pride for her. To them, it is not a symbol of oppression rather it shows that a girl is coming to maturity. These masks, made by the women themselves, are in different shapes, but the basic form remains the same.

Below are the sketches of a few Omani dresses that I have observed; different combinations of Abaya (also known as Dishdasha), Hijab and Burqa worn by the Omani women depending on the tribes and region they belong to.

A woman in Sohari Burqa - Mask with only slits for the eyes
Abaya and head scarf all in black

Bedouin Burqa - Mask covering the nose and upper lips
Black Abaya and head scarf with golden embroidery

Bedouin Burqa - covering the forehead,
thin line covering nose and upper lips
Colorful Abaya in solid color or colorful prints

Why Black Abaya?

Women here are commonly seen attired in black abayas. Some women wear long black gloves to cover their hands too. It is said that women here till the 1960s and 70s wore simple but colorful clothing. Many Omanis here blame Iran and Saudi Arabia for the Black Abaya entering into Oman. Most of the girls start wearing the black abaya since the age of 13 or 14. Although their religion doesn't dictate that they should wear black, for some wearing a black abaya is classic and elegant style, for some it's a matter of reputation, for some it's out of fear of the society, while some wear it because they don't want to stand out and become a source of scandal.

Recently noticeable are black Lahafs with golden borders and colorful embroidered designs and black Abayas with golden linings or colored embroidered borders on the necklines and sleeves. Also, most of the women cover their head completely with not even a single strand of their hair being noticeable. But nowadays women are coming out of their shells slowly, especially in the cities, and once in a while we get to see the women with head scarves a little receded, highlighting the crown of their head, with centrally parted hair. Some of the women also have gold or silver jewelry adorning the head scarf. Black Abayas combined with colorful head scarves are in fashion in the city of Muscat. Also, I have noticed some Omani women dressed in Abayas - covered from top to bottom, but noticeable below the Abayas are a pair of tightly fitted denims and fashionable high heeled boots. After all, the times are changing, and with it the trousers are replacing the sarwals.

Black headscarf with golden border
Black Abaya with golden embroidery

Black or colorful Abaya
Gold jewelry adorning the head scarf

Black or colored Abaya
Colorful printed Lahaf 

Black or colorful Abayas, Receded Colorful Lahaf
 Hair of the crown with central parting visible

Modern Omani Woman as seen in the cities

An Omani Woman's attire is incomplete without accessories. Depending upon the tribe, they may wear gold or silver accessories. I have seen some women of the Bedouin tribe wearing lots of silver accessories: silver necklaces, earrings, and beautiful jewelry on the forehead too. For daily use, they wear a type of 'slip on' shoes called the 'Nahl'. The Omani women are also fond of heavy makeup on their faces. I have noticed many women with a bright colored eye-shadows matching with their dresses, but here I am not going to dwell into their cosmetic culture.

Decorum - A sneak peek into the culture of the Omanis

Out of the several years spent in the Gulf, I noticed one thing and that is the hospitality extended by the localites here. Talking just about Oman here, the foreigners are welcomed with open arms and straight from the heart. Rarely will you hear the foreigners or the expats bad mouthing the Omanis. The Sultanate expects us to follow its cultural norms. Though the country is conservative in its traditions, it welcomes modernization in its buildings and infrastructure. But the same cannot be said about its attitude towards women. As I have earlier stated the women here did not occupy an important role until 1970s, and slowly with the Sultan's effort women are now seen both in public and private sector. 

There are written instructions in most of the malls and public buildings about dressing appropriately. Women should wear loose clothing, with arms and shoulders covered. Skirts should cover the knees, and one must carry shawls. Dress codes are less crucial for men. Also innocuous hand gestures are punishable under Omani law if deemed offensive. Often, before an outing here, a lot of my time is spent, in planning what dress I should wear and depending upon the destination and the location, I arrive at a final decision. It is important to be culturally correct and dress appropriately.

Courtesy policy in a mall in Muscat

People here meet with an elaborate formality. A chain of greetings before coming to the point! For example : "Salam waleh qum. Walah qum salam. Kaifa Haaluk. Ana Bikhaiyr, Shukran. Sabah al Khayr. Sabah al noor. Masaa al khayr..,"and so on. Greetings are followed by a handshake (man to man), then inquiry about health, well-being of the family and children, and only after that you proceed with the matter of importance. If you talk about business right away, then they will assume that either you are rude or impatient or not interested in them personally. Also, offer or accept anything being offered with your right hand (same concept as us Indians). While sitting, keep your feet flat on the ground and not cross-legged. And yes, during Ramadan (the month of fasting), eating, drinking and smoking in public is completely banned. It is difficult for expats at times, for even the restaurants remain closed during the daytime and they open in the evening after the prayer time. So in the month of Ramadan, during the lunch hours, if I want to order a food parcel from a Restaurant, in case of an emergency, it is not possible.

Concluding

Compared to other Arab societies, Omani women have traditionally enjoyed higher profiles and active participation in the society. Within the family unit they make strong contributions towards making family decisions, regarding various rites. Omani Women are now seen actively participating in civil services, the defense sector and also appointed in senior government decision making positions. With their presence in top corporate positions in banks and MNCs and as Entrepreneurs, they are not only supporting their families but are also contributing to the economic development of the Sultanate.

Many women (in India, Oman and around the world), are unable to exercise their existing rights because of social pressure, lack of family support and lack of legal knowledge. Educated, trained and professional women contribute to the positive development of any society. With this belief, I hope that the new year 2015, brings education, enlightenment, empowerment and liberty for more women all over the world.

Pray for a better tomorrow for us women 
Pray for the world without fetters,
Pray that we tread without fear,
Pray there is no sadness in our eyes,
Pray each day brings only smiles, 
Pray that our dreams meet with success,
Pray for each step for a better tomorrow.

Sources referred:
www.bu.edu/wcp/Papers/Huma/HumaSing.htm

Language of Dress in the Middle East, by Bruce Ingham, Nancy Lindisfhame

www.centreforomanidress.com
www.everyculture.com
www.countryreports.org
www.reuters.com