Oman - Die Rosen der Wüste (360° - GEO Reportage)

Forty degrees in the shade is the norm in summer. In winter, it only gets slightly cooler. In the desert region of Oman, rain is the exception; natural rivers or lakes do not exist. And yet, in many places, the people here have made the desert bloom – even with the bright pink wild rose. This is made possible by a canal system over 1,500 years old – the so-called Aflaj, a vast network of channels, locks, and waterways. The water, transported over kilometers in this way, revives the rocky desert every year. The Wakil is responsible for maintaining the Aflaj system. His office is passed down from father to son. Survival in the mountain villages of the Sultanate of Oman depends on these water guardians. 360° - GEO Reportage visited Wakil Suleyman Al Riyami in his mountain village. A film by Tilo Hoffmann © 2007, Licensed by MedienKontor / ARTE Season 9 - Episode 7 Subscribe to wocomoTRAVEL: https://goo.gl/tIk2Qc Follow us on Facebook:   / wocomo   Press Release: While residents of other Arab states still relied on sporadic rainfall and collecting water in cisterns, a nationwide system was already established in Oman that supplies people with water year-round – the Aflaj. Many of the old canals still carry precious spring water thousands of kilometers through the mountains to the country's fields and gardens. The small mountain village of Al Sheriqua also has such a canal, a so-called Falaj. For more than 40 years, Suleyman Al Riyami has been the village's chief water officer, a Wakil – in English, an official. The 62-year-old, like generations of water officials before him, constantly monitors the condition of the village canal. The ancient system must function reliably; only then can the fields on the mountainsides be cultivated. But this year the canal is carrying less water than usual. This is a problem, because the village's rose harvest is approaching, and for many villagers, roses are the only source of income. The coveted rose water is extracted from the blossoms, which is used to make perfume and spice additives. To repair the leaky canal, Suleyman Al Riyami brings a government water official to the village. But he has other problems. In addition to the village of Al Sheriqua, other towns in the area are also threatened by a water shortage. Will he still be able to take care of the canal in Al Sheriqua? Will the mountain farmers be able to harvest their precious rose blossoms this year?