the salt crossing | cluster i
the desert
cluster i | the desert
SS24 | THE SALT CROSSING | S.A,L.T. is being interpreted as an acronym which means STRONGER. AFTER. LIVING. TODAY.
The Collection is split into 2 clusters: (i) The Desert (ii) The Oasis
The desert cluster speaks to Desert Season. This is a time when one can feel spiritually dry, exhausted, and burnt out – a moment when you are forced to ‘suck salt’. It also talks to the encounter with God in the wilderness, which inevitability is the pathway to the change. Desert Season, therefore, is the journey which is designed to strengthen one’s character and teach one valuable lessons about oneself
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The desert cluster focuses on animals that live and are revered in these harsh environments, which, in and of itself, is a story about survival, courage and determination
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THE SECTIONS FOR THE DESERT CLUSTER ARE:
- The Ships of the Sahara Desert (Endurance)
- The Last Lair of the Empty Quarter (Courage)
- The Saqr of the Deep Desert of Sharjah (Perceptiveness)
the ships of the Sahara desert
endurance
CLUSTER I - THE DESERT
Throughout history, camels have been called ships of the desert. The namesake bestowed because theses beasts carry very big loads from one side of the desert to the other. Camels are an important part of Emirati culture that dates back to its roots. In the past, camels were said to be God's gifts to the Bedouin, as these animals often made life in the desert possible, providing everything from transportation, to clothes and even food. Nowadays the camel is still highly regarded and seen as a symbol of Dubai's cultural heritage.
Some concepts that are symbolic of camels are wisdom, endurance, survival, service, self-sufficiency, and stamina
the last lair of the empty quarter
courage
CLUSTER I - THE DESERT
Although the camel is the first creature that may come to mind when one thinks of the desert, this vast and often harsh terrain is home to many other beasts.
Rub’ al Khali, with an area of 225,000 square miles, is the largest contiguous desert in the world, covering most of the southern third of the Arabian Peninsula and parts of Oman, the UAE and Yemen. Aptly named the Empty Quarter, this is a place with little else but sand, rippling across with the wind and piling up as giant sand dunes. Despite the harsh environment, a variety of animals live here such as spiders, snakes, scorpions, sand foxes, oryz, gazelles, camels and birds. But the most surprising resident is the Arabian Leopard, a cousin of the African leopard and a highly endangered species. The Arabian leopard is a leopard subspecies native to the Arabian Peninsula. It has been listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List since 1996 as fewer than 200 wild individuals were estimated to be alive in 2006.
The Arabian leopard has been a symbol of strength, freedom and fearlessness and has been found in ancient rock art, mosaics and paintings over the centuries, cementing its position as a revered and respected animal in Saudi Arabia.
the saqr of the deep desert of Sharjah
perceptiveness
CLUSTER I - THE DESERT
In the Arab world, falcons are a symbol of dignity, valour and pride. Hunting with falcons has been an integral part of Bedouin history on the Arabian Peninsula for 10,000 years. The nomads of desert caught falcons and trained them to catch the game and hare of the desert. With this capture, those who lived in an arid environment, had a food supplement. The history of Arab falconry being traced back to the pre-Islamic era. For Arabs falconry was the way of life where every household irrespective of their social or tribal status had enjoyed the presence of falcons around them. Today, the falcon is the national bird of the UAE and represents both the culture as well as the traditions which are at the heart of its desert people. Strong, fearless, fast and agile, the falcon has all the characteristics that one needed to survive in the harsh environment of the desert. As such, the falcon is used widely both as a symbol and as a living creature at many events.
The Saqr Falcon is a species which is used for hunting in the UAE. The Saqr is the most popular because it is good for desert hawking. The female Saqr (Al Hurr), which is larger and more powerful is the one which is used more than the male (Garmoush).
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