IRAQ: Iraqi makers of the traditional oud instrument say recent security gains have helped revive crippled sales

Record ID: 791737

  • Title: IRAQ: Iraqi makers of the traditional oud instrument say recent security gains have helped revive crippled sales
  • Date: 11th August 2008
  • Summary: (MER-1) BAGHDAD, IRAQ (RECENT) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF IRAQI MUSICIAN AHMED SALEEM PLAYING HIS OUD
  • Embargoed: 26th August 2008 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Iraq
  • Country: Iraq
  • Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Economic News
  • Reuters ID: LVA2K51FAO03TFLCZE5E3LPA88SB
  • Story Text: Najah al-Baghdadi is nostalgic for the days he used to sell his ouds, lute-like string instruments, to foreigners who were keen to own one of the world's oldest musical instruments. Iraq's bloody conflict caused saw sales of the 5,000 year-old traditional Middle-Eastern instruments slump until recent improvements in Iraq's security re-kindled a sense of hope and revived his sales.
    Working out of an old, small workshop in central Baghdad's rough Bataween district, 60 year-old Baghdadi says he now produces more of the ouds but only due to an increase in Iraqi interest in the old art rather than increased demand from visitors from abroad.
    "Before, lots of people used to come from abroad and from the Gulf Arab states to buy (ouds) from me. Currently, no-one is interested in arts and those who come from abroad are too afraid to come here," he said.
    Baghdadi's trade is a source of family pride. His grandfather began making the instruments and passed on his skills to Baghdadi's father, Hashim al-Baghdadi, who became renowned for his work.
    Prior to the 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq, Baghdadi managed to produce about 100 ouds each year. But the ensuing post-invasion conflict plunged Iraq into violence and Baghdadi's sales plummeted to around 10 ouds a year. Baghdadi himself lost his daughter to a bomb attack in a commercial area of central Baghdad.
    But with a security plan that managed to quell some of the violence, Baghdadi now has reason to hope for a brighter future.
    "The number of customers this year is more than last year. More students have started to come this year encouraged by a basic improvement in security. Last year, I used to have 10 students but now I have more than 40 students, so this is the difference. People began to feel more secure and they started to go out, which is better than last year. Now I have students that are 10 years-old, 15 years-old and I even teach grown adults," he said, before carefully polishing his newest oud.
    Some historians date the first oud back to Iraq's Uruk period (from about 4000 to 3100 BC) in what is now Nassiriya in southern Iraq. Baghdadi says he is happy to see more interest from Iraqi youngsters in an instrument that has its history deeply rooted in their country's ancient history.
    "Last year, I used to make one oud every month, but this year I make two to three ouds. However, there are more people who are buying the oud this year in comparison to last year. We can see that the oud is becoming more popular amongst the youth," he said.
    Al-Baghdadi's ouds are sold for around 200-300 U.S. dollars each.
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