Emirates Heritage Club: Exhibiting the Cultural Richness of the United Arab Emirates
Today’s A Journey
through Aesthetic Realms
will be presented
in Arabic,
with subtitles in Arabic,
Aulacese (Vietnamese),
Chinese, English,
French, German,
Hungarian, Indonesian,
Italian, Japanese,
Korean, Malay,
Mongolian, Persian,
Portuguese, Russian
and Spanish.
Welcome,
amicable viewers,
to A Journey
through Aesthetic Realms
on Supreme Master
Television.
The United Arab Emirates
is a federation of
seven Arab states located
on the southern shore
of the Persian Gulf.
This abundant land
has been inhabited
for thousands of years by
peace-loving people with
a rich traditional culture.
Under the personal
direction of His Highness
Deputy Prime Minister
Sheikh Zayed Bin
Sultan Al Nahyan,
The Emirates Heritage Club
was established
in May 1993
for the conservation of
the precious traditions of
the United Arab Emirates.
Its official launch in 1997
was endorsed by
His Highness
Sheikh Khalifa
Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,
current President of
the United Arab Emirates,
who was then Crown
Prince of Abu Dhabi.
The Emirates Heritage Club
is organized
to serve its mission
of research, protection,
and dissemination of
the invaluable heritage of
the United Arab Emirates.
It includes
the Zayed Centre
for Heritage and History,
the Heritage Village,
the wildlife sanctuary
Al Sammaliah Island,
a central library, a theater,
a sailing school,
a sports hall,
an astronomy camp,
as well as several
other cultural facilities.
In 2010,
the Club sponsored
an environmental
photography contest
to showcase
the unique biodiversity
of the country,
attracting conservationists
and camera persons
from around the world.
Recreating life scenes
of the historical past,
The Heritage Village is
a reconstructed
desert oasis situated
on a 16,000 square meter
water front zone,
with a spectacular view
of the cityscape of
Abu Dhabi, the capital of
the United Arab Emirates.
Here, visitors from near
and far can experience
Bedouin tents, traditional
houses, Arabic markets,
a local craft shop, as well
as maritime trading boats
of the past.
In a majestic mosque,
a rare collection
of the Holy Qu’ran is
also on precious display.
As well as houses,
tents were a main form
of residential structures
for Arabs.
Tents could be easily
set up and carried around,
while houses
were usually built near
palm farms or trade routes
of the land and the sea.
Traditional houses
of United Arab Emirates
were built in harmony
with nature and
people’s nomadic lifestyle.
They include
temporary shelters
and permanent houses.
Because of
the extreme difference
in temperature between
winter and summer,
people often had to move
from one place to another
as the season changed.
Therefore, temporary houses
were very popular.
They were typically
built in clusters
for easy communication
within each social group.
Ample common public
areas were allocated
for communal activities.
Today, please follow
our camera to visit some
traditional Arab houses
in The Heritage Village
with our friendly guide,
Mr. Adnan M. Sallam,
Head of
the Media Section in
the Emirates Heritage Club.
This is called
the “Tent House.”
And, it is built in deserts.
This is
the “Arab Sitting Room,”
where people used to sit
and talk with each other
in the evening.
Even when the rain falls,
water does not get inside;
that is, it prevents
any water from coming in.
Here, people
share conversations
and drink coffee.
The head of tribe
sits in the middle
with members of the tribe
to talk with each other.
So, this is
the “Tent House”
where they sit inside
in cold weather in deserts.
In summers,
the people moved into
a type of temporary shelter
called Al Arish,
which was made with
light, dried palm branches
for easy setup.
It consists of
a larger sleeping section
and a smaller cooking
and storage area.
This is the “Oasis House”
that consists of
palm fronds.
It was lighter weight
for nomads,
when they moved from
one region to another
carrying these houses.
“Palm Leaf House”
was lived in
during ancient times.
This holder was for
a mattress to be placed on,
in the past.
This is a wooden box.
They used to put gold and
jewelry here. And this.
So, their lives were simple.
This is to let the air enter.
They lived in this place.
In the evening,
here's where
they used to take a bath,
for women and men
within the house
for privacy.
This is the model of
mud houses at that time,
and this is the model
of the “Tent (House)”
or “Palm Leaf House”
from palm fronds.
This is for those
who lived in cities,
but this is for those
who lived in the desert.
Keeping cool is essential
for health and comfort
in a hot environment.
An ingenious structure
was used to funnel cool air
into the living area.
This is a wind catcher.
It consists of palm fronds
also to collect air
to let it enter
inside the coastal house.
The air enters for people
who are sitting here;
that is, fresh air enters if
the weather is wet or hot.
The air enters from inside
and comes down
for people in the house
in the “Palm Leaf House.”
The cookware
used in the past was
portable and practical
for easy preparation
of fragrant Arabic coffee
and meals.
This is
the cooking equipment
that is made of copper.
These are
the coffee equipment and
food equipment for rice
where coffee was made
inside the house
if the weather was hot.
In the evening,
the housewife
made coffee here.
The dining area is bright,
open, and comfortable,
equipped with simple
and handy accessories for
serving and storing food.
This is a mat that is made
of palm fronds.
In the past it was used
to put food on
and sit around.
They put food here
if they wanted to eat it,
which is similar to trays
nowadays.
This mat was used to
put food on if one wanted
to eat or something.
This is a mat where
meals are placed on.
This is a cover which
was used to cover food;
that is, if there are
any dates or others,
it is placed underneath
to be protected
from flies and insects.
Residents next to the coast
are less mobile.
Their houses
are built to adapt
to the wetter environment
and their lifestyle.
This house is
the house of the coast and
is made of palm fronds.
But it is stronger than
the “Palm Leaf House.”
It is fixed and
does not let rain come in.
This is a lamp.
This is a hanger
for hanging clothes.
This is the bed.
From rooftops
to fencing walls, from
the floor to the ceiling,
everything around
a temporary Arab house
is inseparable
from palm trees.
These resilient
desert plants
also provide for people’s
food and clothing.
The palm tree
is a very important tree
for the Arabs.
It is used
in every aspect of life.
For everything,
in residence, in clothing,
that is, he covered houses
with palm trees
where he used to build
a whole house from it.
Food is covered
by palm trees.
Their whole lives
is from the palm tree.
At home and abroad,
even mats and everything
were from palm trees.
The palm tree
is very important for us.
The palm tree
also gives us food,
like ripe dates,
which they used to store.
This palm tree
is important for
the Arab people in the past
and in recent days.
What are some of
the activities taking place
in an Arab house?
Let’s hear from
Mr. Jassim M. Al Alawi,
Public Relations Officer
of the Emirates
Heritage Club.
They talk to each other
about their daily affairs.
In this place,
coffee and dates
are usually offered.
We see here the man,
who is usually
a coffee specialist.
He is currently roasting,
which is of course
by the fire.
Now, after roasting,
he beats or hammers coffee
to cook it.
The box in the back
is usually used
for coffee materials
to be placed , like
the roaster and others.
Our thankfulness,
Mr. Adnan M. Sallam and
Mr. Jassim M. Al Alawi,
for your kind introduction
of the traditional houses
and elements
of the rich heritage
of the Arab people.
These practical structures
reflect the simple
and contented life
on a harmonious land.
May the time-honored
culture of
the United Arab Emirates
continue to flourish,
adding unique beauty
to your blessed land
and our precious world.
For more information on
the Emirates Heritage Club,
please visit
Gentle viewers,
thank you for your
loving company today
on A Journey through
Aesthetic Realms.
Up next
on Supreme Master
Television
is Vegetarianism:
The Noble Way of Living,
after Noteworthy News.
May you be graced with
happiness and love.