One of the most traditional markets in Oman occurs every Friday morning in Nizwa. Even before the first light of dawn announces the beginning of a new day, many vehicles start to fill the car park near the souk; on Friday mornings, all the buzz is about the famous “goat market”. In a dedicated enclosure, the animals are auctioned in a traditional market, where sellers and buyers close the deals in a lively way. I visited one Friday morning in early August, arriving before 6 am. This allowed me to walk around the souk for some time, becoming familiar with the ongoing activities.
Even this early, the place quickly becomes very busy, and there is some anticipation in the air. In a nearby square, there was already an ongoing market for fruits and vegetables: dates, prickly pears, mangoes, papayas, were just some of the varieties available.
After taking some photos of the fruit market, I returned to the goat market, because the action was about to start. The enclosure consists of a circular path, where the sellers parade the animals; the potential buyers are located both in the central and outer parts. Each seller keeps the goats in a pen, waiting for their turn to go. I chose a location in the front row and got ready for the action to start. Once it starts, the whole process goes at a fast pace. For this type of event, I prefer the flexibility of a zoom lens; hence, I mounted the Fujinon 16-50 f/2.8 – f/4.8 on a Fujifilm X-T5 camera.
This market provides a unique opportunity to experience a genuine Omani tradition, in a beautiful town. Besides the souk, Nizwa offers much more to see and visit: the impressive fort, the surrounding oasis and plantations, or walking along restored walls in the old town.
