Al-Qallaleef … chief wooden ship builders in old Kuwait

The construction of small and huge wooden ships was a sophisticated and tiring occupation which only (AlQallaleef) could carry out in old Kuwait. A Qallaf, the singular of Qallaleef, was assigned alongside others to manufacture and construct wooden ships of various types and designs. Through the passage of time, the profession became less prominent in Kuwait; however, Al-Qallaleef’s descendents took the term and made it their own by having Al-Qallaf as a last name. (KUNA)