UAE Traditions and Unesco Heritage Lists

UAE is a country with small community considered to be tribal and found in the Gulf, Arab and Muslim world. The country has a diverse society with a lot of Traditional Heritage which attracts a lot of tourists. Some of the Traditional heritages that have been accepted by the International body of heritage are:

• Arabic coffee –this comes from the Gulf countries such as UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman and Qatar. The coffee was accepted in December 2015, by the international Heritage Committee as a heritage site after a proposal was presented to the Committee by the government of UAE. The coffee is accepted as a heritage by Unesco and Intangible Heritage of Humanity representative list. In UAE the Arabic coffee is seen as assign of generosity and hospitality. It promotes peace and cohesion through sharing, thus a heritage due to its long standing tradition.

• Al Razfa-this is a form of a traditional dance that is very popular in UAE and Oman. The dance brings a large number of people together, thus this serves as a symbol of chivalry, masculinity, gallantry and the peoples love for their heritage.

• In Majlis-this is a cultural and social tradition where rulers freely interact with their subjects.it serves to enhance the social cohesion between the rulers and the people. In Majlis also promotes accountability and transparency since corrupt rulers are put to task. The culture also enhances peace and unity amongst people of that particular region, thus a heritage for the people of UAE.

• Al Sadu-this is a form of traditional weaving practiced in rural regions of UAE. The practice is usually taken by Bedouin women who live in rural areas. They weave to produce furnishings which are soft and decorative accessories for horses and camels. Bedouin men shear the sheep, goats and camels. The wool will be cleaned and dried by women before the women use it for spinning and weaving. Small groups of women gather to weave as they sing, recite poems, exchange family news and chat.

• Traditional houses-this are grouped in clusters and are usually found in the Shindaga district, home to Dubai’s ruling family. The houses are converted into bastions of heritage. The various houses depict different aspects of heritage such as attires, jewelry, perfumery, and so on. The houses are located in the heart of Sharjah project that is on the Unesco heritage list.

• Khusmak-this is a cultural practice that is very peculiar and not found anywhere. It is a special kiss called Emirati. The Emirati people greet each other by touching one another’s nose. The nose is seen as a noble thing in the Emirati people, but some people view the Emiratis as social misfits because of this culture, however they themselves argue that by doing this they are simply protecting their heritage.

• Music and dance-the people of UAE value music and dance a lot. This is evident in most of their movies as they are usually accompanied by songs and dances. The UAE forms part of the Arab Khaleej Tradition. The tradition has many forms of dance such as Yowla. This is a form of dance that is performed mainly by people from around Grate Lakes of Africa that is the Bantus. However, the dance is also practiced in UAE. It involves mainly young girls who swing their long black hair while swaying their bodies according to the rhythm of the music.