These stamps tell you about music, arts
Music enthusiasts and philatelists alike are in for a very special treat from Oman Post after the company launched four interactive stamps celebrating the deep roots and variety of Oman’s traditional music and performance arts.
Offering an augmented reality experience through the Oman Stamp App, the stamps pays homage to timehonoured country traditions. They can now be reserved by emailing Oman Post on: philatelic@omanpost.om.
Furthermore, by scanning the stamps on their smartphones through the Oman Stamps App available on Google Play or Apple Store, customers can experience true musical history through a number of videos portraying this much cherished tradition.
“We are a music and art loving nation where each region has its own folk art that reflects its own unique culture and heritage. These stamps are elements of visual culture, which offer people from all around the world the opportunity to examine salient Omani music themes in an engaging manner,” said Abdulmalik al Balushi, CEO of Oman Post. “
As an organisation, we have embarked on a journey of transformation to redefine our place and role as a future-ready postal services company that can create and deliver more value to our customers.”
The stamps feature four performing arts. The first is Al Azi, a traditional Omani music performed in various styles all over the Sultanate, and accompanied by dancing and recitation of poetry. The second, Al Rawah, a drummers-based performance originating from Musandam, usually performed by men and women during weddings.
The most unique characteristic about this dance is its name, which changes according to the time it is performed. It is called ‘Serh’ in the morning, ‘Sudar’ during mid-day, ‘Rwah’ in the afternoon, and mostly known for its evening time name of ‘Siri’.
The third stamp highlights the Barghoum, a blowing instrument, made from the horns of wild goats or Oryx, which gives no more than two musical tones.
The fourth and final stamp showcases two rhythmic musical instruments, the Kasir, known for its technical aesthetic role in performing basic rhythmical beats, and the Rahmani, which provides a deep pitch in all different patterns of traditional Omani music.
Scanning the stamps on their smartphones through the Oman Stamps App, one can experience true musical history through a number of videos portraying this much cherished tradition.