National Day of Oman
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National Day (
Arabic Arabic (, ' ; , ' or ) is a Semitic language spoken primarily across the Arab world.Semitic languages: an international handbook / edited by Stefan Weninger; in collaboration with Geoffrey Khan, Michael P. Streck, Janet C. E.Watson; Walter ...
: اليوم الوطني العماني, alyawm alwataniu aleumaniu) is an official holiday in the
Sultanate of Oman Oman ( ; ar, عُمَان ' ), officially the Sultanate of Oman ( ar, سلْطنةُ عُمان ), is an Arabian country located in southwestern Asia. It is situated on the southeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula, and spans the mouth of t ...
and the main one in the country. The holiday currently celebrates the birthday of Sultan
Qaboos bin Said al Said Qaboos bin Said Al Said ( ar, قابوس بن سعيد آل سعيد, ; 18 November 1940 – 10 January 2020) was Sultan of Oman from 23 July 1970 until his death in 2020. A fifteenth-generation descendant of the founder of the House of Al Said ...
, who reigned from 1970 to 2020.


Background

The Portuguese first arrived in the country in the early 1500s, and used the now capital of
Muscat Muscat ( ar, مَسْقَط, ) is the capital and most populated city in Oman. It is the seat of the Governorate of Muscat. According to the National Centre for Statistics and Information (NCSI), the total population of Muscat Governorate was ...
as a fortified port to protect their trade routes to India. Unhappy with a Portuguese presence that exploited Oman, the Al-Ya'ribi clan agreed a treaty with the
British East India Company The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and South ...
to allow the British to have rights in their ports, in a rebuke of the Portuguese government. Imam Sultan bin Saif led a rebellion that expelled the Portuguese from Oman and its ports.


Observances

National Day events include parades, fireworks, camel races, a horse show, and once every five years, a military
exhibition drill Exhibition drill is a variant of drill that involves complex marching sequences which usually deviate from drill used in the course of ordinary parades. Teams performing exhibition drill are often affiliated with military units, but the scope of ...
. The holiday gives Omanis the opportunity to return to their home villages which makes the traffic level during the holiday much heavier than usual.


Glorious National Day Military Parade

The Glorious National Day Military Parade is the highlight and main event of the national day holiday in the country. It has been held since the early 1970s and has been held in different cities ever since its inception. The following units of the
Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces The Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces (Arabic: القوات المسلحة لسلطان عمان, transliterated: ''al-Quwāt ul-Musallaḥatu lis-Sulṭān 'Umān'') are the Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman, Sultan's S ...
are represented at the parade: * Royal Army of Oman (RAO) * Royal Navy of Oman (RNO) * Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) *
Royal Guard of Oman The Royal Guard of Oman (RGO) (Arabic: الحرس السلطاني العماني) is the royal guard of the Sultan of Oman. It is a separate service within the Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF) and although equipped to carry out land defense opera ...
(RGO) *
Sultan's Special Forces The Sultan's Special Force (SSF) — Arabic: قوات السلطان الخاصة, transliterated: ''Qawat al-Sultaniya al-Khasah'' is a separate force branch within the Sultan's Armed Forces (SAF) and although equipped to carry out land defe ...
(SSF) * Royal Oman Police (ROP) * Royal Court Affairs (RCA) Upon the arrival of Sultan to the royal box on the parade ground in their position as Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the parade formations give the royal military salute, with the massed bands playing the As-Salam as-Sultani while the artillery fires a
21-gun salute A 21-gun salute is the most commonly recognized of the customary gun salutes that are performed by the firing of cannons or artillery as a military honor. As naval customs evolved, 21 guns came to be fired for heads of state, or in exceptiona ...
. Afterwards, the parade commander approaches the royal box to request for permission from the sultan to begin the parade. Once the parade is commenced, the inter-service massed bands of the
Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces The Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces (Arabic: القوات المسلحة لسلطان عمان, transliterated: ''al-Quwāt ul-Musallaḥatu lis-Sulṭān 'Umān'') are the Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman, Sultan's S ...
passes the royal box in slow and quick time past playing marching music. Then, the parade commander motions for the formations on the parade ground to march off passing before the royal box accompanied to musical marches, giving the Sultan the military salute as they march past. After that, the combined bands gave a musical performance of various pieces from the ancient Omani heritage, as well as international symphony pieces. Following the performances, the troops then chant the military anthem (''Ya Hay Ya Qayoom'') and pledged their Loyalty and Allegiance to the Sultan, before sounding a threefold Long Live His Majesty the Sultan. Finally the royal anthem is then played a second time as the troops present arms, signaling the conclusion of the military parade. His Majesty then leaves the parade ground with his aides and minister, to attend the other national day events held that day.


See also

*
Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces The Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces (Arabic: القوات المسلحة لسلطان عمان, transliterated: ''al-Quwāt ul-Musallaḥatu lis-Sulṭān 'Umān'') are the Royal Army of Oman, Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman, Sultan's S ...
*
History of Oman Oman is the site of pre-historic human habitation, stretching back over 100,000 years. The region was impacted by powerful invaders, including other Arab tribes, Portugal and Britain. Oman once possessed the island of Zanzibar, on the east coas ...
*
Qaboos Bin Said Al Said Qaboos bin Said Al Said ( ar, قابوس بن سعيد آل سعيد, ; 18 November 1940 – 10 January 2020) was Sultan of Oman from 23 July 1970 until his death in 2020. A fifteenth-generation descendant of the founder of the House of Al Said ...
* Saudi National Day


References

{{Reflist Events in Oman National holidays Establishments in Oman November observances National days