All photos © Omar Reda, shared with permission
In the quickly modernizing ‘Asir Province of southwest Saudi Arabia, the Qhatan tribe preserves a permanent custom. The lads of the group, which is claimed to descend from Ishmael, son of Abraham, trend vibrant flower crowns constructed from marigolds, jasmine, herbs, and different crops, carrying the handcrafted ornaments as symbols of pleasure and pleasure. Comprised of dried and recent supplies, the headpieces are donned for celebrations, to keep at bay illness, and for his or her magnificence, and the observe spans professions and age.
Omar Reda, a Lebanese photographer presently dwelling and dealing in Saudi Arabia, traveled to the province in January 2021, the place he met some members of the tribe. The nation “holds a treasure trove of hidden gems, he says, noting that he’s taken with documenting the huge cultural variety of the Arab nation. In his pictures of the “flower males,” Reda brings the viewer into direct confrontation with the themes, documenting their crowns, facial expressions, and clothes with shut precision. The intimate portraits spotlight how the individuality of every particular person emerges by a shared observe, offering a standard level of connection all through the neighborhood.
Reda steadily travels to {photograph} communities and their cultural practices, and you could find extra of his portraiture on Instagram. (through PetaPixel)
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