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April 29, 2007
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!
GUWEI'IYYA, Saudi Arabia (Reuters) - The legs are long, the eyes are big, the bodies curvaceous.
Contestants in this Saudi-style beauty pageant have all the features you might expect anywhere else in the world, but with one crucial difference -- the competitors are camels.
This week, the Qahtani tribe of western Saudi Arabia has been welcoming entrants to its Mazayen al-Ibl competition, a parade of the "most beautiful camels" in the desolate desert region of Guwei'iyya, 120 km (75 miles) west of Riyadh.
"In Lebanon they have Miss Lebanon," jokes Walid, moderator of the competition's Web site. "Here we have Miss Camel."
Camel-drivers sing songs of praise to their prized possessions as they try to calm the animals down.
"Beautiful, beautiful!" the judge mutters quietly to himself, inspecting the group. Finalists have been decorated with silver bands and body covers.
"The nose should be long and droop down, that's more beautiful," explains Sultan al-Qahtani, one of the organisers. "The ears should stand back, and the neck should be long. The hump should be high, but slightly to the back."
Hat tip to Thumby at The Mighty Righty!
Posted by LindaSoG at April 29, 2007 03:40 PM
Comments
While I was living in Saudi Arabia (1996-2000), I had heard many seemingly outlandish rumors about Saudi culture and behavior. Then, sure enough, while driving down the Jubail-Dammam Highway, my car was passed by a Saudi in a pickup truck (westerners are not allowed to possess pickups in Saudi for fear that they will engage in business). Driving the truck was your basic Saudi moron. Next to him in the passenger's seat was a large black goat.
In the bed of the pickup were two women, all dressed in black and clutching at their abbayas as the wind tried to rip them away.
The only thing about this camel beauty fest I find suspicious is that it was not closed down by the Mutawain (religious police) for fear that it would lead to extramarital sex.
Posted by: Kevin M at April 29, 2007 04:10 PM
shouldn't these camels be modestly clothed in burqas so they don't tempt saudi males
Posted by: sultan knish at April 29, 2007 09:31 PM
Better put a veil on that Camel, and no tight clothing!
Posted by: GLEN at May 6, 2007 01:42 AM