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.
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 |
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.
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