Kuwait Edition
Mahrajan al-Sadu
An annual celebration of the Sadu weaving tradition, the Bedouin textile art that is a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage. Sadu is woven on a ground loom (nol) by Bedouin women, and the patterns are geometric and bold: diamonds, triangles, and zigzags in red, black, white, and orange. The products include tent dividers (gata), camel bags (khraj), and cushions (makhad). The Al-Sadu Project was founded in 1979 by Sheikha Bibi Duaj Al-Sabah to preserve the craft, and the sadu house in Kuwait City is a museum and workshop where visitors can watch the weavers at work. The patterns are now used in modern Kuwaiti design, appearing on everything from business cards to building facades, and the sadu has become a visual shorthand for Kuwaiti identity.
