UAE and Culture Presentation

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).

The UAE Government

• 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.

UAE and Culture

• 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 cultural aspects

Dressing code of the UAE people

• 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.

Etiquette

• 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.

Food

• 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

• 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.

Sports

• 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.

Music and Dance 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).

Museums and art galleries

• 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.

Language

• 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.

Education

• 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

• 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.

Conclusion

• 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.

Works Cited

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.