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“ALWAN” A Live Art Festival Presented By Visual Therapy & Marina Mall Q8

2014 NBK Walkathon

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A WOMAN’S WORLD

March 8, is International Women’s Day. A national holiday in some countries, this is the day set aside to mark the economic, political and social achievements of women. It is an occasion for looking back on past struggles and accomplishments, and more importantly, for looking ahead to the untapped potential and opportunities that await future generations of women. Of course, just mentioning the day’s existence prompts some to ask “well, why isn’t there an International Men’s Day?” Most countries around the world are celebrate it as a holiday while other countries host parades and set aside time to honor women. TV Channels showing special programmes on women; Special advertisement on women; messages on what sup, face book, phone circulated; airlines wooing women travelers with discounts and all-women crew flights to mark the International Women's Day. Even Google celebrated the Day with an interactive doodle on its home page that is displayed starting March 7 till March 9.  All of a sudden people realize on a particular day that women must enjoy their rightful place in society, be treated with respect and dignity, and should feel safe and secure at all times. That, we must banish discrimination in all its forms and the people who practice it. Women's empowerment, health and education become important for the development of our society. History is witness to the fact that successful women have helped in building progressive societies. Women today should have all the freedom to choose any role they wish to play, be it homemakers, professionals or even super-successful CEOs. 

But the fact remains, if women truly were treated as equals, valued for our contributions, respected for our ideas, and not assumed to be inferior or incapable in any way, then there would not need to be a day to bring attention to the achievements of women. If women commonly weren’t passed over for jobs, paid less for doing the same work as men, mocked for trying to get ahead, and told that they are only worthwhile as nurturers or pleasure-providers then perhaps the reminders of what women are capable of wouldn’t matter.

In such a social set-up , do you think there still exist matrilineal society? Yes, it’s still existing in our very own Meghalaya, the “Scotland of the East”.  India's northeast is an eclectic medley of tradition, ethnicity and cultural heritage. Popularly known as the Seven Sisters, the states Assam, Meghalaya, Nagaland, Mizoram, Tripura, Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh are treasure troves of a heady mix of race and rituals. Each state has its own remarkable and distinguishing features. But  Meghalaya with its unique  legacy of a matrilineal society; a heritage that sets it apart from all the other states of not only the northeast but that of the entire country. In a far corner of India, a country where women usually have to cry out for equality, respect and protection, there’s a state where women organize society and everything works better. The two major tribes of Meghalaya; Khasis and Jaintias, are very matrilineal. Their matrilineal society is the icing on the cake of Meghalaya's endless list of treasures. When most states of India are busy shunning the girl child by committing female feticide, participating in bride burning, demanding dowry or in short persecuting the weaker sex, Meghalaya is the only state that is holding a flame, a beacon of hope by putting the weaker sex on a strong pedestal of society. This is the state where woman power is at its peak.

Children take mother’s surname; daughters inherit the family property with the youngest getting the lion’s share and most business are run by women. Known as the “Khatduh”, the youngest daughter anchors the family, looking after elderly parents, giving shelter and care to unmarried brothers and sisters, watching over property. If the youngest daughter dies, the property is transmitted to the next youngest in age. Such a legacy has empowered the Khasi woman to enjoy a position of importance and dignity. In a Khasi marriage it is usual for the husband to live with his wife in his mother in law's house. He does not take his wife home as is customary in other communities. Whatever the wife earns is meant for her mother's house, which is expected to support the entire family. If a man marries a woman of a particular clan his children take the title of that clan therefore there is no illegitimate child in Khasi society as the children take their mother's title. In case of divorce, the man moves back to his mother’s or sister’s house with nothing but does not pay alimony for his children. The Khasi Social Custom of Lineage Act protects the matrilineal structure. Some trace the origins of the system to Khasi and Jaintia kings, who preferred to entrust the household to their queens when they went to battle. This custom has continued to provide women the pride of place in the tribal society.  

In Meghalaya, women enjoy great freedom and independence. Many look after their own interest and earn their livelihood with great success. Although as a rule they have no direct say in communal matters, in their own families, they exert a good deal of influence. However, from the above one can conclude that women’s emancipation is evident in all its glory in Meghalaya’s unique women centric society.

World’s Largest Sand Sculpture park, Kuwait in pictures (2)

World’s Largest Sand Sculpture park, Kuwait in pictures (1)

SANDTASTIC: A Visit to World’s Largest Sand Sculpture park in Kuwait

Me n my IWIK-ian friends decided to spend some quality time together and what can be better then visiting the world’s largest sand sculpture festival held at Kuwait International Fairgrounds Mishref. Amazingly craved sandy models attract the eyes of visitors at the Remal International Festival. 73 of the world’s best sand artists and sculptors from different countries have managed to wonderfully turn the imagination of the novel "One Thousand and One Nights" into palpable reality seen by visitors. Eye-catching sandy shapes are mixed with basic natural elements involving sand, air, water and fire through the effects that add magnificence and grandeur to craved models at the sand park. Remal International Festival is organized by P2BK( Proud to be Kuwaiti Organization).

We did not expect to see such a marvelous and breathtaking creation. None of us had seen such amazing work before and we thoroughly enjoyed our visit.  The project took 30,000 tons of sand covering an area of 28,000 square meters or around the size of four soccer fields. This project includes a 10,000 ton central sculpture more than 50 feet tall and 2,500 linear feet of 10-foot walls constructed of carved sand. About 1 million Kuwaiti dinars was spent in constructing this World’s largest sand sculptures. The sculptures are beautifully carved and given special light effects according to its theme. The stories are also displayed beside the sculptures. Watching these sculptures and reading these stories takes us back to the great old days of storytelling , fantasy and beauty. The Arabian Night stories are some of the world’s great treasures. If you have been fascinated by the 1001 Arabian Nights legend or remember the days of “Alif Laila” then you know how mesmerizing and indulging this theme could be. Arabian Nights is a theme set to take you back to the times of Aladdin, magic lamps and genies, Sinbad the sailor, and Ali Baba and the 40 thieves.  It was a great experience watching and admiring these sculptures and it looked like a journey into Arabia. The sand sculptures bring to life the characters of the Arabian Nights stories. The stories “The Rooster n the Fox”, “The Fish n the Crab”, “The Woolf n the Fox”, “The Ox n the Mule”, “The Bird n the Beasts”, “The Prince Ahmad n the Fairy Bano”, “The Queen of the Serpents”, “The Third Calendar,Son of a King”, “The Shipwrecked Woman n her Child”, “The Sisters who were changed to Dogs”, “The City of Brass”, “The Three Apples”, “The Death n the Rich King”, “The Man Who stole the dish of Gold”,” The Little Hunchback”, “Sculptors Showcase”, “The Fisherman n the Genie”, “The Tale of the Ensorcelled Prince”, “Ali Baba n the Forty Thieves”, “Aladdin and the Wonderful Lamp” and Sinbad’s all  the Seven Voyages are beautifully and in detailed manner crafted in sand. The Magical Garden is another stunning and breathtaking creation….. nothing like it in the Arab world. The project has used an array of lights and special effects from Germany and Dubai. All of us felt that the world's largest sand sculpture depicting the stories of the 1001 Arabian Knights in Kuwait is truly a celebration of sand and lights. The "1001 Arabian Nights" have never been told like this anywhere but only in Kuwait. Never before have sand sculptures been made in such detail anywhere. The  Sand Sculpture Company feels  proud to have created these sculptures and is grateful for the opportunity. It took them two months to create this magic. The  Sand Sculpture Company is a full-time professional display company that specializes in creating custom sand sculptures and sandcastles for all types of events worldwide. The art of sand sculpting is a unique promotion of "artists in action"; one that is intriguing to all ages. The company is recognized for their ability to create original displays from changing ordinary to extraordinary. The Sand Sculpture Co. recently agreed to a five-year deal with Gulf Technology in Kuwait for an annual sculpture park aimed at putting Kuwait atop the sand sculpture world.

Apart from the super impressive and marvelous sand sculptures you will find dwarfs, the festival elves and the fire dancers who will make your visit more memorable, enjoyable and captivating. For the first time in history, the story of Aladdin and the wonderful lamp and the Rooster Tales; is told in combination with sand, sculptures, sound and light effects. Don’t miss them at the festival.  Many of the characters in “1001 Arabian Nights” are mysterious and strange. But fear not if you meet them, the struzzis ,at the festival. Every day at 7pm, you can join the authorities to release lanterns into the sky.

Some of the world famous, award winning professional sand sculptors who were part of the team were Ted Siebert, Delayne Corbett, Damon Langlois , Peter Vogelaar, Bob Atisso, Denis Klein , Yousif Bakir, Ferques Mulvany, Katsuhiko Chaen, Bruce Philips, Bouke Atema, Nikolay Greg Jacklin, Elya Filimontsev, Nicola Wood, Sue Magrew, Andrius Petkus, Melineige Beauregard, Benjamin Probanza, Paul n Remy Hoggard, Guy-Oliver Deveau, Pedro Mira, Maksim Bespalov, Jeroen Advocaat, Gregory Grady and many more. 

If you have not visited the Sand Sculpture Festival at the Mishref grounds, do plan for it. It’s absolutely incredible, imposing and stunning. For all of us it was an astounding and amazing experience. It is a superb way to spend your day out with your family and friends. Best time to visit is around 4.30 PM, so you can see these amazing sand sculptures both in the daylight as well in the dark when they are lit up.  The sand sculptures will be on display till 26^th April 2014. The festival is open 10 a.m. to 12a.m.The entry fee is 3 KD per person (above 3 yrs old). Don’t miss it. It is a once in a life time opportunity.