UAE and Culture Presentation

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Table of Contents

Introduction

UAE is an acronym for United Arab Emirates.
This is a country found in Arabian peninsula.
The UAE was established in 1971, and it is located on the coast of the Arabian gulf.
It is a seven Sheikdom federation, or has got seven emirates each governed by a commander (Eman, p. 68).

Introduction

The seven emirates or sheikhdoms making up the UAE nation include Abu Dhabi, Ajman, Dubai, Fujairah, Ras Al-Khaimah, Sharjah, and Umm Al-Quwain.
The UAE president is the head of state, and the head of government is the Prime Minister.
This country is dominated by Arabic people though there are other incoming communities.

The UAE Government

UAE’s society is multicultural.
UAE culture has been defined by the Islamic religion as it is the most dominant in the region.
Apart from Arabs, the other cultural group found in UEA is the Bedouin.
UAE has Islam as the official religion, and Arabic language as the official language.
Arabic and Islam culture in UAE has a great influence on the peoples’ architecture, music, attire, cuisine and lifestyle.
UAE is religiously liberal, and there is no threat to posed the other religions.
Other religions found in this country include Christianity, Hinduism, and Sikhism.
The UAE is accommodative to other religions since the UAE people are courteous, kind, friendly, and hospitable.
UAE is a home to many communities that have faced persecution in their places of origin.
The country hosts many tribes, religion, and other cultural communities.
The UAE has a cosmopolitan atmosphere due to many communities found in the country.

UAE and Culture

UAE and Culture Cont'

UAE men prefer wearing white cotton or wool tunics known as kandura.
UAE women wear black garments covering almost every part of their bodies known as abaya (Hurreiz, p.146).
Nonetheless, this is not a law for all UAE people.
Western dressing code is used by the rest of the population that is currently on the increase.

This is an important cultural aspect in any society.
There is a law on etiquette that is followed and should be respected in the UAE region.
All people living in UAE should conform to the etiquette of the UAE people. Only western style is allowed in some occasions.
Any person disregarding this risks being arrested.

UAE has adopted most eating habits and styles from the surrounding communities such as Iran and Saudi Arabia.
People of UAE take seafood, fish, rice, and meat as their traditional food.
Rice and meat is their staple food where the meat is obtained from lamb and mutton .
Goat meat and beef is not one of their interests, but its included with the exception of pork for Muslims.
Common beverages include tea and coffee.
Some drinks like alcohol are not available locally, but only found in big hotels and restaurants.
Night and golf clubs together with supermarkets in UAE are permitted to supply alcoholic drinks.
Some dishes in UAE include Lukaimat, Fareed, Batheeth, Khamir, and Al-Madrooba among many others (Benesh, p.37).

Literature and poetry has a great influence on the UAE culture.
This is because UAE is a Persian gulf country where poetry has dominated for years.
The people of UAE have several themes which form the basis of poetry.
The themes include satire, chivalry, self-praise, patriotism, religion, family and love.
Ancient poetry was influenced by a scholar known as Al Khalil bin Ahmed, but was later modified during Islamic civilization.
Western culture has had a great influence on the ancient Arabic poetry.
In the 20th century, prose poetry made its way into the local literally scene.
Most Arabic poets have influenced poetry in UAE.

The most popular sporting activities in the UAE include falconry, camel racing, and soccer.
Since its establishment, the UAE values sports, which has formed part of their culture.
The UAE has a football association that promotes the sport and improve players’ and coaches’ welfare.
This country has various youth programs, and sports have had a great impact on culture.
The most popular sports in the UAE have come from both within and outside the country.
Cricket is a popular game in the UAE, and it originated from the Indian sub continent due to expatriate population and western influence.
Other popular sports in the UAE include tennis and camel racing, which has highly influenced the culture of people in the UAE.

This has had a significant influence on culture in the UAE.
Most dances in UAE are male oriented, and take place during celebrations.
Most songs that were sung in the ancient society are still surviving today in the UAE.
Movies from Hollywood and Bollywood are popular in the UAE.
Young girls swing their hair and sway their bodies during dance (Peck, p.73).

These are places where artifacts and other objects of scientific, cultural or historical significance are preserved.
Museums and art galleries are well established in the UAE and are regarded in high esteem.
Sharjah Sheikhdom is the most famous for this with 17 museums.
In Abu Dhabi, a cultural foundation for indigenous and foreign art presentation has been established.
Abu Dhabi has embarked on the path to become an art Centre of international caliber.
Dubai also has a plan to construct a museum and a district for galleries and artists.
The UAE has a pavilion that was built in 2009 for cultural events and it was designed for art events.

The UAE official language is Arabic because of the dominating Arabs in the nation.
Other spoken languages include English, Hindu, Urdu, and Persian.
The introduction of foreign languages has greatly affected the culture of the UAE.

This has had a great influence on the UAE culture .
In public schools, Arabic language is used as the main language, and English as the second language.
Private schools use English as their main medium of instruction .
Western education has been embraced because most companies in the Gulf region require candidates with western education (Torstrick, p. 120).

Architecture in the UAE is largely inspired by Islamic culture.
Architecture in the UAE reflects on the customs and traditions of the dominant community in the region.
Simple building materials were adapted to people’s demand and life style.
Permanent houses in the UAE were built using stone, and the roof were done using palm tree leaves.
Portable tents were used during tribal movements during winter.

UAE cultural aspects

UAE cultural aspects Cont'

Cultural aspects in the UAE has had a great influence on the culture.
A significant percentage of the cultural aspects have been influenced by the expatriates in the UAE.
For example, the dressing code of the people in the UAE has been affected by the western style of dressing.
The introduction of Christianity and other religions has seen some people convert from Islam to these other religions.

Conclusion

Benesh, Gina C. Culture Shock: United Arab Emirates. Portland, Or: Graphic Arts Center Pub. Co, 1996. Print.

Eman, Gaad. Inclusive education in the Middle East. New York: Routledge, 2010. Print.

Hurreiz, Sayyid Hamid. Folklore and folk life in the United Arab Emirates. London: Routledge, 2002. Print.

Peck, Malcolm C. The United Arab Emirates: A Venture in Unity. Boulder, Colo: Westview Press, 1986. Print.

Torstrick, Rebecca. Culture and Customs of the Arab Gulf States. Westport: Greenwood, 2007. Print.

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