Abdelrahim yousif Alhammadi

201110132
Perhaps no trait is more characteristic of the United Arab Emirates than
its religious faith. In fact, throughout the Middle East, no understanding
of national identity or culture is truly possible without first grasping the
spiritual heritage of Islam. Muslims do not perceive a separation
between their faith and the rest of their lives. The nomadic desert-
oriented Culture and economy that revolved around “Bedouins”, The
sea-oriented culture that revolved around pearling and sea trading,
were the three main orientations shaped traditional Emirati culture.
These subcultures created the common culture and social identity. The
UAE shares significant aspects of its culture with neighboring Arab
countries and the larger Arab culture.
 Male Dress:

Kandura or dishdash: is the long white

cloak that male UAE Nationals wear.
Guthra: is the headscarf sported by the
males.
Egal: is the black rope that fixes the
headscarf in place.
Ghafiyah:
Bisht: hat is worn on top of the kandura.
Also, the bisht is worn during specical
occasions such as Eid or weddings,
Faneela: A faneela is like a vest worn
under the Kandura.
Woozar: A woozar is a a piece of white
cloth which is tied around the waist
under the Kandura
Na-aal: These are essentially the sandals
that are worn.
 Female Dress :

Abaya is the long flowing black gown

worn by the UAE National Females
Shela The Shela is the piece of material
used to loosely cover the head.
Burqa it actually represents two items:
one, the covering of the head except for
a slit for the eyes; the other item is the
metallic coloured object used to cover
part of the face, is only used by the
older generation
Gishwa is the thin black veil that covers
the face of the female.
Jelabia Mukhawara is the traditional
outfit worn by the females, similar to a
flowing gown in some great colours.
Worn to weddings or special occasions.
 Reflecting the Bedouins / desert culture
which was the one of the main orientations
shaped traditional Emirati culture. The role of
the camel has been given much attention.
In old days people used the camel to travel,
clothes and foods were the camel provided
them with meat and milk.
With the economic growth in UAE Bedouins
family kept camel as part of there life in
shape of camel racing . When the owners
from the Emirates and the rest of Arabia pit
their fastest steeds one against the other.
The major festivals attract many hundreds of
camels to compete for prizes that total
several million dollars. The top steeds can
each fetch well over a million dollars. Camel-
racing has become one of the country's most
popular spectator sports.
Reflecting the sea-oriented culture which was
the one of the main orientations shaped
traditional Emirati culture. Another tradition
that has taken on new life in the years since
the UAE was established is that of boat racing.
Two kinds of boats are used. The first is
powered by a single sail that catches the wind
to drive wooden boats of shallow draught fast
across the surface of the sea. The other boats
are powered by men, not the wind, great
rowing boats of 20 meters or more in length,
rowed by up to a hundred oarsmen straining
every muscle to reach the finishing line. Boat
races are held on special occasions throughout
the year, such as the annual National Day
holiday, while, at the same time, keeping alive
the sea traditions of the UAE's powerful
people.
Falconry is an integral part of desert life which
has been practiced for thousands of years in
the middle east. Originally, falcons were used
for hunting where Bedouin used falcons to
hunt habaras , rabbits….etc.
Among several type of falcons only two main
species of falcon kept in the UAE are the saker
and the peregrine as they were know with the
power and speed.
Falconry is an art it required long hours of
practice, training and patients. There are
specific methodology to train the falcon the
way to hunt . First the falcon will be trained to
got used to the falconers, later the falconers
will start training the falcon on they way to
hunt real bird by using a leather peaces called
“Tolwah”.
It is Part of Bedouins folk music which is away for
them to show happiness and to celebrate. Men and
woman participate in the dance where woman
swing there hairs and men claps there hands and
form a circles. Men use sticks, swords or rifles. The
wedding provide the most popular occasions for
traditional dancing. Dance groups may begin
performing a week or more before the event.
Before the 1960s, food consisted mainly of fish,
rice, bread, dates, yogurt, homegrown vegetables,
and meat from sheep, goats, and camels.
Lunch is the main family meal and is eaten at home
at around two o'clock. It usually consists of fish,
rice, meat, and a vegetable dish. Many Emiratis
prefer the traditional style of eating with the right
hand. There are strict Muslim taboos against pork
and alcohol, and meat must be slaughtered
according to the Islamic halal method.
Emiratis are known for their hospitality; they feel
honored when receiving guests and socializing with
friends and relatives. Guests are welcomed with
coffee and fresh dates. Incense is passed around so
that guests can catch the fragrance in their
headwear. With the immigrant population have
come restaurants offering a wide variety of ethnic
foods, and fast-food restaurants have also become
popular.
Driven from the Islam culture Arabs underline personal relationships. Thus, personal and
social issues are of primary importance in communication between individuals.
An Arab will want to get to know someone as a person before engaging in business
discussions. Because of the nature of community life and the preponderance of
interrelationships between families, there is traditionally more of an effort made to not
offend another person. Another characteristic of Arabs is their tendency to
be very polite. They will always treat other people, especially guests, with courteousness.
Arabs value the ability to speak eloquently. They are very expressive and place great
importance on words. The manner in which a statement is made is sometimes more
important than the content of oneʹs words. Arabs use excessive hand gestures and speak
loudly.
Communication in the UAE is also high context, meaning
a great deal of contextual information is known
about the people with whom you interact and do
business. It is assumed that there is a shared understanding
between members of a group.
Thus, there is little need to repeat information
that has been built up over time.
UAE is on of the Islamic country's that are open minded regarding food and beverages.
Certainly no one can serve pork meat. But you can find McDonald, Burger King, Hardees and
many other of these international Food stores in UAE. In Ramadan Like these days, no one is
allowed to sell liquor or consume liquor if been caught he/she will be persecuted no matter
what country they belong too.

UAE's Clothing follows the traditional Islamic Clothing and Muslim Clothing attire worn in
other Arab countries that includes the abaya, jilbab, hijab, etc.
At the same time, the country is
undergoing a cultural rebirth with
particular emphasis on investment
in world-class resources,
introducing international best
practices into all areas of cultural
activity, stimulating and
encouraging local participation,
and at the same time forging
bridges between East and West.
During 2009, several major initiatives were undertaken by the
federal Ministry of Culture, Youth and Community
Development, extending not only throughout the country but
also overseas.: Example,

• Launch Summer in my Country project

• Participated in the Sharjah International Book Fair
• Took the lead in arranging nearly 100 different events
and activities
• Launched a new Scientific Innovation Award during the
year, focusing on sport, education, the development of
libraries and the preservation of heritage.
• Signed an agreement with the Emirates Writers’
Association to collaborate in the publishing of works by
local writers and poets.
• Organize the seventh annual Borda Award, which
celebrates the birth of the Prophet Mohammed (PBUH)
• Organize of the UAE’s first pavilion at the Venice
Biennale, one of the top cultural events in Europe,
The people of the UAE have seen dramatic change in the few short years since the state
was established, change that has provided them with all the benefits of a modern,
developed society. At the same time, both government and people are determined that
their heritage shall be preserved, in line with the late Sheikh Zayed's belief that 'a people
that knows not its past can have neither a present nor a future'. To act as repositories of
this heritage and a source of information for both visitors and the younger generation
who have not experienced a traditional lifestyle, museums and heritage centres have
been developed throughout the UAE. Example:

• Bastakiya District
• Sheikh Saeed Al Maktoum House
• Heritage and Diving Village
• Hatta
• Qasr al-Hosn
• Emirates Palace Hotel
• Women's Handicraft Centre
Poetry in the United Arab Emirates has a great influence on culture, being a
Persian Gulf Arab country were poetry has been part of since the dawn of time.
The style and form of ancient poetry in the UAE was strongly influenced by the 8th
century Persian Gulf Arab scholar, Al Khalil bin Ahmed, which followed sixteen
metres. UAE Support this theme especially in 2009 which was a very vibrant year
in the field of literature and poetry, particularly the latter, which has a long
tradition in the region.

• The Poetry Academy (part of ADACH) signed a deal with the family of the
Emirati poet Hamad Khalifa Bou Shihab for publication all of his works
• publication of the English translation of UAE national author Maha
Gargash’s Sand Fish: A Novel from Dubai.
Other aspects of the UAE’s culture can be found by visiting places still favoured by
Emirati people such as the fishing harbours or fish souqs, boat-building yards,
falconry centres, gold souqs, spice souqs and other venues. Throughout the year
various cultural events (exhibitions, theatrical displays, sporting events, lectures etc.)
are organized by different bodies such as the Emirates Heritage Club, which runs
dhow races, longboat races, camel races, and a host of other activities that
encourage an interest in the UAE’s heritage and culture.
1. UAE year book 2010
2. http://www.uaeinteract.com
3. http://www.bobriel.com
4. http://www.ijdesign.org