Ras
Al Khaimah Customs
Customs
and traditions are passed on from parents to children and in
the long run they are inherited by generations.
The
people of UAE are known for their generosity, bravery and friendliness.
They have a great legacy which they are still proud of, despite
the speedy and tremendous transformation and development that
took place in the society. The people of UAE have also adopted
some of the various customs and traditions brought into their
country by expatriates from all over the world. Although the
UAE has become a cosmopolitan society, people still boast of
the great heritage of their forefathers.
It
is the custom of the UAE people to entertain their guests warmly.
They usually serve Arabic coffee to their guests as a gesture
of respect and warm welcome. It is a symbol of generosity and
hospitality. The Arabic coffee is made and served in very special
way.
Folk dances and other traditional sports are still highly appreciated
by many people. Falconry, horseback riding, camel racing, boat
racing and rowing are a few examples.
Songs
praising God are sung on special occasions to promote spiritual
feelings and reinforce people's belief. The Prophet's Birthday,
the Hijrah New Year and Isra & Meraj are some examples.
National Dress
National
costumes of UAE are divided into two main categories:
*
The costumes which were used very long ago and are now out of
fashion. It is not easy to find any of them nowadays.
* Old costumes commonly used in the first half of the twentieth
century.
The
present national clothes are a continuation of the old costumes
of early Muslims. However, due to the cultural changes that
have taken place in all the classes of the society, the national
clothes, especially women's clothes, have changed significantly.
The following is a brief description of the national clothes
of women and men in the UAE.
Women's
clothes
Women's
clothes in the UAE look like the usual clothes worn by women
all over the Arabian Peninsula. The dress, commonly called "Nafnoof"
or "Al Goon" is a long variety that reaches down to
the feet. UAE women also wear an embroidered "Kandoorah"
whose style varies according to its embroidery, fashion or material.
They also usually wear a "Sirwal" under the "Kandoorah".
Women cover their head and face with a loose scarf called "Sheelah"
or "Waqayah". Sometimes a woman would cover her face
with a sort of veil called "Borgo" which is a special
piece of cloth tied to the rear of the head and partly covers
the face. She usually wears a black mantel to cover the whole
dressed body and special shoes or sandals, too.
Men's
clothes
Men
all over the country nearly wear the same unified dress called
“Kandurah”. Men usually wear as underwear a "Wezar"
or "Wezarah" with which they wrap the lower half of
their body. The head cover called "Ghottrah" is usually
supported by a black or white "Kofiyyah" or "Eqal".
Under the "Ghottrah" and the "Eqal", men
usually wear a loose sleeveless cloak or mantle called "Bisht"
or "Abayah". Men of all classes wear sandals on most
occasions.
Popular
Arts
The
UAE in general and Ras Al Khaimah in particular is well known
for its folklore, folk music, folk dance and other traditional
and popular art forms which embody and reflect the social, ethical
and aesthetic values of the community. Traditional dances for
example are meaningful movements played rhythmically to symbolize
the common ideas and likes of a certain community.
Al
Wahabiyyah
It
is one of the oldest art forms of Ras Al Khaimah and is performed
only here. The songs during this performance are divided into
three sections. Drum players stand between two rows of performers
comprising the band. One of the performers begins by reciting
a line of poetry. He repeats it a number of times until the
other performers have memorized it. Then he recites another
line of poetry from the same poem. The first line is a start
and the second is the astinato or pedal. The two rows of dancers
rhythmically move forward and backward, a row bows and drummers
keep drawing nearer to it for 10 minutes while moving their
heads. The opposite row repeats the some movements as the drummers
draw nearer to them as well. Dancers with swords and guns add
charm to the show. This folkdance is usually performed on special
occasions, feast days and at wedding parties.
National
Food
The UAE kitchen is known for its delicious dishes and
recipes passed from one generation to another. The following
are some the most popular dishes and recipes in the UAE.
National Food
The UAE kitchen is known for its delicious dishes
and recipes passed from one generation to another. The following
are some the most popular dishes and recipes in the UAE.
Khammer (Leavened) Bread
It is made
of a flour paste mixed with water and dates. The mixture is
left for a whole night. In the morning it is cut into round
pieces. They are then spread into loaves and baked one by one
on a "Tabi" which is either a pot or a frying pan
made of iron. A mixture of water and eggs is put on each loaf
to improve the flavour.
Regag
(Wafer-thin) Bread
It is the most common sort of bread in the United Arab Emirates.
A fairly soft paste is manually cut into pieces and spread into
a frying pan or pot (Tabi). It is left on fire until the bread
gets dry. The loaf is taken out of the Tabi with an iron or
copper handle called Mehmas. Regag bread is usually eaten with
butter and sugar. It can also be made into porridge or gruel.
Chabab Bread
It is made of a fine paste that can be scooped with a can and
poured on a "Tabi" placed on a light fire. The paste
should be spread before it gets dry. It should be turned upside
down to get it evenly dried. Butter and sugar are put on the
loaf to improve the flavour.
Al Harees
It
is a very popular dish that undergoes a complicated process
of preparation. It is costly as well. Al Harees is usually associated
with wedding parties, special occasions and along with special
meals during the Holy month of Ramadan. Al Harees is made up
of ground wheat and meat. In the past, people used to sing a
folksong called Allayah while grinding flour for the dish. Meat
should first be washed and then mixed with ground wheat, boiling
water and some salt. The mixture is kept boiling on fire until
it is well cooked. Then it is poured into a special pot with
a small neck called Berma and is placed into a hole for about
six hours. The pot is then taken out and the mixture is stirred
again. Finally some butter is added to the dish before it is
served.
| Ras
Al Khaimah Heritage
The
Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah has an impressive archaeological
heritage and a very rich history. This area had always
enticed settlers with its unique combination of all
the four types of landscapes found in different parts
of the United Arab Emirates:
the fertile plains, the mountainous region, coastal
areas and the desert environment. The interaction
of these geographical factors and the living style
of people have shaped up the very special heritage
of the Emirate.
Archaeological excavations and finds have proved that
the history of Ras Al Khaimah dates back to the very
immemorial past. It reveals that an advanced civilization
that carried on trade existed in this region since
5'000 BC.
Ubaid Period (5'500 - 3'800 BC
|
This is the oldest era known so far in the history
of Ras Al Khaimah. Not far from Al Jazeerah
Al Hamra, huge ruins of structures and external
roofs have been discovered. These ruins are
indicative of the early human activities in
this area. Moreover some pottery remains,
beads, nets and stone implements were also
found from the same area. They are a good
evidence of the early existence of the Bedouin
desert inhabitants who used to live on the
coast in the winter. The pottery remains resembled
pottery and earthenware pots found in Mesopotamia in the same
period. This is living proof of direct trade
relations between both areas. In the area
of Khatt, excavators have also discovered
historical sites that contained granite implements
which belonged to the same era. |
 |
Haffet
Period (3'200 - 2'600 BC)
This era was known for its ruins of graves and burial
grounds which were built on high mountains. They were
made of local stone and shaped like beehives. Each
grave consisted of one or two small rooms. These were
discovered in the areas of Khatt, Wadi al-Bih as well
as in Wadi al-Qarw.
Umm
al-Nar Civilization (2'600 - 2'000 BC)
The Umm al- Nar Civilization existed
in the middle of the third millennium BC. It was arguably
the most important period in the development of a
civilization in the UAE. Evidence suggests that trade
between Mesopotamia and the Valley of Inds (south-east
of Iran)
flourished during the period. These areas together
provided a vast and extended network for distant trade
especially in high quality pottery which they were
famous for.
The
period is well known for its round graves whose external
walls were built of smooth engraved and polished stones.
A grave was divided into rooms to be used for massive
burial, in other words they were used for burying
generations of dead people. Archaeologists were able
to discover the remains of more than one hundred bodies
in these graves. The largest grave was found in the
Shamal area. One of these graves had a 14.5 meter
diameter. A stone on its front had the drawing of
a human foot engraved on it. In 1988, another grave
was discovered in the Menaie Valley in
the northern area of Ras Al Khaimah. Another grave
was discovered in Aasama, where significant collections
of bronze implements were also found. Among them were
arrowheads and daggers.
Wadi
Suq Culture Period (2'000 - 1'600 BC)
The most remarkable archaeological finds of this era
are the 15 huge graves in the area of Shamal, comprising
the biggest cemetery in the prehistoric era. More
graves were also discovered in Ghaleelah, Al Qirm,
Al Rams, Qarn Al Harf, Khatt and Athan in 1976. Their
excavation work and investigations were carried out
during 1985-1990. Most of the Wadi Suq graves were
huge and were built above the ground. Their foundations
were built of limestone. Each grave was the burial
place of 30 to 60 bodies. The personal belongings
and remnants found in these graves are at present
on display in the Ras Al Khaimah National Museum.
They include painted cups, cans and indented stone
pans, pots with lids, personal jewels (namely beads),
metal tools and arms.
Late
Bronze Age (1'600 - 1'250 BC)
The second half of the second millennium BC, the
late Bronze Age, is known from a settlement in the
Shamal area, which has been partly excavated by a
German Mission of the University of Goettingen.
Built at the foot of the rising mountains, it showed
traces of 'arish' style housing, typical of the United Arab Emirates
until as recently as 50 years ago. Large amount of
shells and fish bones discovered from the area indicate
that the people relied on the Creek, which was probably
not far away. Dates and animal bones discovered from
the area suggest that farming was also common during
the period.
Iron
Age (1'200 - 300 BC)
The Iron Age here is best known from finds from the
southern part of Ras Al Khaimah where a number of
graves were discovered. Some of them were oblong with
four rooms, others were shaped like a horseshoe and
some others were circular in shape. Archaeologists
have discovered painted pans and large number of stone
engraved decorated pots made of chlorite from them.
One of the most significant discoveries was a stone
with the drawing of a phoenix engraved on it. The
drawing of this imaginary bird resembled those painted
in Assyrian palaces in Northern Iraq. In Northern
Ras Al Khaimah there are two settlements shaped like
hillocks. The settlement in Khatt was discovered in
1968. The other is in Shamal. Both settlements represent
life in the northern region in the Iron Age.
The
Hellenic and Parthian Era (300 BC -300 AD)
The later pre-Islamic time, the Hellenic and Parthian
Period, is also evident in the northern parts. Survey
projects launched by the Antiquities and Museums Department
have led to the discovery of some historical sites
in the northern and southern districts of Ras Al Khaimah.
These sites include individual tombs and reused old
graves found in Shamal, Asimah and in Wa'ab / Wadi
Muna'i.
The
Sasanian Occupation Era (300 AD - 632 AD)
The Sasanian occupation of Ras Al Khaimah is now becoming
increasingly evident. A team of archaeologists have
founded a small site on the island of Hulaylah
that was occupied during the Sasanian Period. Recently
two other sites were found in Khatt. The most significant
discovery of this era during the three-phase exploration
campaign was a Sasanian citadel. It was built mainly
to have full control over the fertile plains in the
north of Ras Al Khaimah. This monument was evacuated
when Islam was adopted in the UAE area. For the early
as well as for the later Islamic Periods, Ras Al Khaimah
is the most important Emirate regarding the archeological
heritage. The early centuries of Islam are well presented
in Kush and at the island of Hulaylah.
The
Abbasids Era (750 - 1'250 AD)
This period of history featured the great unified
Islamic Empire and the huge expansion of trade with
East Asia. This era
was embodied in small areas in the Arabian
Gulf. The presence of two of these areas
in Ras Al Khaimah helped it to play a great role as
a bustling trade route in the early Islamic Era. One
of these places was Al Khoush which was a castle abandoned
by the Sassans during the Islamic expansion in this
area. It was reoccupied by people who lived in it
for the next seven centuries. The second place is
situated in the Island of Hulaylah. It was a structure
made of palm leaves. Its ruins are few and vague,
however they are considered to be of great historical
importance.
Both
the sites were known as a part of Julfar, which was
an old town well known to Muslim travellers and geographers.
Some Abbasid pottery and Chinese porcelain pots imported
from Iraq and elsewhere
were found in these two areas. The antiquities show
us how far people of Julfar were deeply interested and
involved in trade at that time The
Later Islamic Era (14th - 19th century)
In
the middle of the fourteenth century, Kush and the
Island of Hulaylah were deserted. People began to
settle on sandy beaches near the coast. This area
was called Julfar. It was discovered by the famous
archaeologist Piatris in 1968. Many archaeological
expeditions were delegated to the area by France Britain
Japan and Germany. They all showed that Julfar was
a vast populated area from the fourteenth up to the
seventeenth century.
The town was built of baked mud bricks and protected
by a mud wall, 2.5 meters thick and 4 meters high.
It was a main center of trade in the lower part of
the Arabian Gulf. Julfar was famous for its vast and
flourishing trade with distant areas. The finds of
porcelain and pottery from here were imported from
Arab and European countries. It was the hometown of
the famous Arab navigator, Ahmad Ibn Majid who was
called "The Lion of Seas". Julfar was famous for its
quality pottery made in Shamal and the Valleyof Haqeel
which were among the main centers for making and distributing
pottery pots throughout the Gulf countries. The pottery
industry prevailed for more than 500 years. The last
abandoned pottery oven was in the Valley Haqeel 30
years ago.
The
recent History (19th - 20th century)
Even
the more Recent History (19th & 20th Century)
is well presented in the National Museum of Ras Al
Khaimah. In the recent years the Department of Antiquities
and Museums has conducted several surveys to collect
the data about traditional buildings. 75 standing
towers built of mud-brick or stone and mortar were
registered during a survey. Recently, a survey concerning
the existence of old mosques located more than 20
sites, which were older than 30 years. They have been
recorded, planned and photographed by a Belgian team
and reflect the unique and important architectural
tradition of religious buildings in the United Arab
Emirates in general and the Emirate of Ras Al Khaimah
in particular. |
