Riyadh: Perfumes are emerging as living connections to ancestral memory at the Jazan Festival 2026, which opened on Friday, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
A narrative rooted in botanical origins is unfolding as veteran craftswomen showcase decades of accumulated wisdom, transforming the contents of native plants into small vessels that distill the human bond with terrain.
Aromas wafting through the space suggest imagery of regional ecosystems — fragrant vegetation cultivated across highland and lowland zones, harvested during optimal periods, then subjected to extended drying and distillation processes before materializing as perfumes and essences embodying geographical character, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Arranged fragrance containers resemble nature’s output, composed by skilled practitioners versed in harvest timing, plant dormancy requirements and scent extraction methods, yielding products preserving organic integrity and territorial identity.
Craftswoman Fatima bint Mohammed Al-Faifi has dedicated two decades to perfume production, characterizing regional practice as social custom interwoven throughout daily existence — deployed in guest reception, featured at celebrations, accompanying community gathering — elevating scent to cultural signature, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
Festival attendees are discovering aromatic botanicals, absorbing production methodology explanations and discerning nuanced olfactory distinctions, demonstrating how craftsmanship blends persistence with expertise, tradition with innovation.
Perfume artisan involvement aligns with Jazan Festival’s initiative repositioning traditional crafts as dynamic, evolving culture while spotlighting women’s contributions safeguarding regional inheritance and expressing this through modern methods, the Saudi Press Agency reported.
