Embassy of the United Arab Emirates - Gallery

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Culture in the UAE

The UAE’s culture is rooted in the traditions of a nomadic, desert people. The tribe has been the principal building block of UAE society since successive waves of migration, beginning in the middle of the first millennium BC, brought Arab tribes to the region. The terrain which these tribes inhabited—desert, oasis, mountains and coast—dictated varied lifestyles but the common thread was the resourcefulness in managing the harsh environment. This was assisted by the social structure in which each family was traditionally bound by obligations of mutual assistance to his immediate relatives and to the tribe as a whole. Among the tribe an individual's selfless hospitality was the source of his honor and pride. A common religion, Islam, also has held the people together.

Fishing Bedouin Heritage Education Girls and Education Henna Camels Falconry Knife Dancers Stick Dancers Na'ashat Drums Desert Life Traditional and Modern Traditional Bangles
Fishing
The sea has always provided a valuable source of food for the people of the Emirates. For years, fishing served as a source of economic development. Cities such as Abu Dhabi and Dubai began as small fishing towns and grew into larger trading hubs.
Bedouin Heritage
The Emirati were semi-nomadic Bedouin people, living in tented camps. Some tents were very elaborate, with carpets and furniture.
Education
Education and literacy is one of the UAE’s highest priorities. Today, the UAE is transforming K-12 programs and is home to a wide range of universities.
Girls and Education
Girls’ education is a critical goal in the UAE. Female literacy rate is nearly 95 percent and 77 percent of females continue on to higher education from high school.
Henna
Henna, a reddish dye obtained from powdered leaves, is widely used to stain the hands and feet for weddings and other special occasions.
Camels
The camel is integral to UAE history and culture. Originally nomadic Bedouins, the Emirati people relied on camels as their source of food and transport in the deserts. Camel racing is a beloved sport in the UAE.
Falconry
The sport of falconry, the use of trained birds for the pursuit of game, is a traditional pastime still practiced today.
Knife Dancers
During celebrations, Emirati men perform traditional dances, based on re-enactments of battles fought or successful hunting expeditions.
Stick Dancers
Rhythmic chanting and waving of camel sticks by groups of men are features of local celebrations. Here the stick dancers practice.
Na'ashat
During celebrations, the brightly dressed women perform the na’ashat dance, where they whip their hair in circles.
Drums
Traditional drums are also used in national festivities.
Desert Life
Most of the surface of the UAE is desert, stretching from the Arabian Gulf coast south to the uninhabited sands of the Empty Quarter, and east to the gravel plains bordering the Hajar Mountains. The sands overlie the thick, oil-rich sedimentary strata of the Arabian Platform.
Traditional and Modern
The UAE is characterized as mixing the traditional with the modern.
Traditional Bangles
Women customarily adorned themselves with gold and silver necklaces, forehead decorations, earrings, bracelets, anklets, and rings for fingers, noses and even toes.
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