The sign reads:
"
Welcome to Daraj City: the Pride of the Sahara
"
Daraj or Derj is a desert oasis, located about
108 kilometres before Ghadames. It is fast
becoming a strategic place owing to
its location on the junction between Nalut,
Ghadames, Adiri (Idri), and Qaryat (in the
way to Sabha).
The spelling Daraj is the variant most commonly
used internationally, as in Google
maps, but it is also found as Derj, Durej
or Derg.
Daraj Festival
Derj Tourist Festival for Arts and Heritage is normally
held in the month of September, and is organised
by the Ghadames Municipality. But in 2008
the festival was held in the month of December. The
festival feature shows of traditional music, traditional
crafts and exhibits of local culture and heritage.
The following photos show some of these exhibits.
Traditional wooden and leather tools, animal-skin containers
for carrying water and for making butter,
straw food covers, ropes, and clay pots for cooking and serving food.
Food covers (inda), made of woven palm leaves (opposite), and clay pots and jars.
Traditional Libyan dinning room, furnished with
rugs, animal skins, and cushions, with the
main dish in the middle covered with the straw
cover. The animal skins must go back to prehistoric
periods when they were the main source of both
clothing and flooring; and even though foam
and cotton mattresses are widely available today,
many families still prefer this traditional
setting. The skins are very soft, warm and
comfortable.
Resources:
http://www.seederg.com
Useful site in Arabic about the history and the culture of Daraj, with detailed information about the festival of Derj (Derg or Daraj).
