BEDOUIN STYLE ENTERTAINING

Many Saudi homes have a Bedouin room, used for entertaining and special occasions. This one was decorated for the Eid celebration marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.  

Sweet treats, tea and coffee are generally served to guests 

 

WEEKEND ROUNDUP - LETTER "N"

STARTS WITH "N" - "NAJRAN," SAUDI ARABIA

A FAVORITE - "NECKLACE," BEDOUIN JEWELRY

"NEAR" - THIS MALL IS VERY "NEAR" TO OUR PLACE IN JEDDAH

LINKING TO - THE WEEKEND ROUNDUP

FRIDAY BLISS

Saudi Arabia Bedouin Living

A typical desert camp scene in Saudi Arabia - an open fire on the desert floor for barbecuing or making tea, resting on a magic carpet, and enjoying the weather, the clear skies, and the quiet of the end of the day.

Carved rock paintings can be found in many areas of the country of Saudi Arabia - some are thousands of years old.  

A traditional Bedouin style interior with the familiar red geometric carpeting, located in Shaqra Heritage Village.

Special thanks to Khaled Al-Sheraihi for allowing me to post today's lovely variety of photos from Saudi Arabia.  You can follow him on Instagram.

THIS POST LINKS TO - THE WEEKEND ROUNDUP 

Our World - Saudi Saddle

The red bedouin print curved item on the right is used as an armrest for Saudi seating on the floor.  Cushions are placed directly on the floor along the edges of a room, and oftentimes these "saddles" are placed around to use as armrests.

The above photo shows an outdoor event I attended years ago with many saddles used on the red cushions.  Below is an example of the Saudi style seating with cushions placed along the edges of the room. 

Be sure to visit OUR WORLD TUESDAY, where family-friendly bloggers share a unique glimpse into what life is like all around our ever-amazing planet.

Our World - Al Ula Barzan

One of the eleven different tours offered at the Winter at Tantora Festival in Al Ula is a trip to Barzan Resort for a Saudi style luncheon amidst the peaceful palm treed grounds. A traditionally dressed server greets guests as they enter, offering a small cup of gahwa (Arabic coffee).

Black tents with white stripes which are made of goat hair are situated around the grounds.  Inside the tents are vendors offering handmade crafts made by Saudi women, such as beaded veils and jewlery.

An assortment of delicious Saudi dishes is served for lunch in a large open air carpeted area with Bedouin style seating on the floor.

It was definitely a true unforgettable Saudi experience, as the entire Weekend at Tantora Festival was.

To read more about my experience at the Winter at Tantora Festival in Al Ula, CLICK HERE.

My friend Laura of the amazing blog Blue Abaya has written a fabulous comprehensive guide and history of Madain Saleh with lots of fantastic photos - CLICK HERE to access it.

Be sure to visit OUR WORLD TUESDAY, where family-friendly bloggers share a unique glimpse into what life is like all around our ever-amazing planet.

Saudi Arabia Desert Tents

When driving out in the countryside in Saudi Arabia, it's not unusual to see tents here and there. Many are equipped with electricity and are air conditioned.  

Bedouin Accessories

This post contains some of the accessories one might see with featured Bedouin decor..  Above is a collection of lovely brass serving pieces.

Red carpets are a must-have for Bedouin decor, as well as dark carved wood items.

Arabic script paintings or wall hangings are also very typical when one thinks of Bedouin style home furnishings.  

Our World: Bedouin Details

Something that one might not expect to see in a room with Bedouin decor is a matching elegant red crystal chandelier.

Be sure to visit OUR WORLD TUESDAY, where family-friendly bloggers share a unique glimpse into what life is like all around our ever-amazing planet.

Red and Black Bedouin Geometric Designs

The most common colors seen in traditional Bedouin designs are red, black and white, and the patterns are always geometric.

Many times the cushions are not elevated but are placed directly on the floor.  I prefer to be elevated like this one.

Bedouin Decor

Besides geometric designs and mostly red colors, Bedouin style also involves lots of tassels as well as darked carved wood pieces.  . 

Bedouin Pattern

I love the traditional geometric Bedouin pattern in red, white, and black.  This design style for furnishings is very common here in Saudi Arabia.  It is reminiscent of Native American Indian geometric designs.  Many Saudi restaurants feature this type of design element.  Typical Saudi couch seating is usually achieved by cushions placed directly on the floor or is elevated on a frame a bit higher than normal couches. 

Traditional Saudi Dress

Traditional Saudi dress for women incorporates Bedouin design elements of geometric shapes and bright colors. 

Saudi Arabia: Shepherd's Tents

In rural areas, it is common to see Bedouin tents which house shepherds who mind their charges of sheep, goats, or camels.

Saudi Arabia: Shepard

This sheep and goat herder was out walking in the desert near Waba Crater with his flock of about 30 animals, some of which you can see in the background.  He is Pakistani.  He carried a wooden stick which he used as a walking cane. 

Saudi Arabia: Bedouin Desert Tent

The black tents that dot the landscape of Saudi Arabia's deserts are made of woven goat hair and are inhabited by nomads called Bedouins.  Many times tents will have the latest 4WD pickup truck parked outside, TV antenna, and a chimney for the fireplace, like the red one shown here.

To learn more about the Bedouin lifestyle, CLICK HERE, and to learn more about the black tents they live in, CLICK HERE.  

Our World: Bedouin Kohl Dispenser

The word Bedouin means "desert people."  Many Bedouins used to be nomads, moving from place to place to find food and water for their animals.  In 1900, a majority of the Saudi population were Bedouin, however by 2000 that number had dwindled to less than 5%.  Kohl is an ancient beauty product that is used to enhance the eyes.  It was originally believed to protect the eyes from various eye diseases and was thought to protect the eyes from the harsh bright sun.  It was also applied to babies' eyes to ward off evil spirits.  Kohl can be made of ground lead sulphide, carbon, or charcoal.  It was kept in a container or dispenser similar to what is shown here.  The accompanying stick was used as the applicator.  Bedouin jewelry is also made in this fashion, with crude clunky details and small dangling charms.

Be sure to visit OUR WORLD TUESDAY, where family-friendly bloggers share a unique glimpse into what life is like all around our ever-amazing planet.

Red Sea Seating

The day was coming to a close on the Red Sea.  Red carpets were laid out on the Corniche and some Bedouin style floor cushion seating was placed around the edge of the carpets.  I'm not really sure if this was for a special occasion or if it's a normal sight, but I thought it was very cool. 

Bedouin Decor

Some Saudi families like to designate a room in their home as their "Bedouin Room." It's a living room that has been decorated in the traditional Bedouin style. Many times the seating consists of cushions on the floor. The seating in this photo has the cushions elevated off the floor, like a typical couch. The red and black geometric and striped patterns in the fabric are traditional Bedouin designs. The black curtain is also very typically Bedouin, reminiscent of the black tents the nomadic Bedouins used to live in in the desert. The black tents were made of dark brown or black goats' hair, hence the color. Other items that complete the Bedouin look are red patterned carpets for the floor, decorative tassels and sashes in a variety of bright colors, pillows, and dark wooden chiseled furniture with clunky rustic hardware. Many Saudi celebrations and special events will have this type of Bedouin decor in place. There are many businesses in Jeddah that rent out the tents, carpets, and cushions for such events.

If you are interested in reading more about The Black Tents of the Bedouins, I found this wonderful article in a 1966 edition of Aramco Magazine.

Bedouin Party Rental Shop

There are many shops here that rent out Bedouin style furnishings for parties. Their offerings include red Persian carpets, traditional Bedouin style floor cushions upholstered in the typical red, black and white Bedouin designs, tablecloths, and tents.

I've attended parties with this type of set-up on rooftops, in villa courtyards, and near swimming pools. When the weather is nice, there is nothing like a Bedouin style theme for a party!