UAE Society and Heritage (SOCL-103) PDF

 SOCL-103: UAE Studies Week 3 – Session 1 The UAE Society and Heritage Dr. Sara Almarzooqi Week 3: Learning Objectives Learning Objectives – Session 1 Identify the role of Analyze the nature Identify the feat...

 SOCL-103: UAE Studies Week 3 – Session 1 The UAE Society and Heritage Dr. Sara Almarzooqi Week 3: Learning Objectives Learning Objectives – Session 1 Identify the role of Analyze the nature Identify the features of the social of the tribal the language, social environment in the community of the cohesion, and UAE. UAE. political community in the refinement of the UAE. Learning Objectives – Session 2 Classroom Discussion: Q&A forum on the VLE: How Weeks 1, 2, and 3 review can the UAE preserve its questions. originality and cope with modernity?  Table of Contents 1. UAE Society 2. UAE Culture 3. Components of the UAE Community 4. Discussion UAE Society  UAE Society The UAE community has been affected by three settings: The The desert shaped the lives of Desert the people Classification of Bedouins: 1. Nomads: move to different places throughout the year. 2. Semi-nomadic: gathered around oases. 3. Nomadic: Move between mountains and adjacent grasslands. Social values and morals: such as freedom, courage, generosity and honesty, and The religiosity. The sea represents the survival Marine of the people People lived and worked near the coast: in shipbuilding, fishing, pearling, and trade. The The oil transformed the lives of Industrial the people Building of cities and large immigration from different countries. Construction and markets, participation of women in employment. Spread of culture, community development, and education. High level of person’s income and improved means of living. Activity (1): Social Life of the UAE Click here Or open the PDF file (Social Life of UAE) on the VLE – Week 3. Discuss the information. After Reading the Article The UAE can be broadly divided into three geographical and, therefore, economic regions: 1) 2) 3) What is the exact number of the population in the UAE? (search) What is the number of nationalities living in the UAE? (search) UAE Culture  Culture - Culture is a complex whole that makes the behavior patterns and interactions between members of societies unique and distinct. - Culture refers to the shared beliefs, values, customs, behaviors, and artifacts that characterize a group of Non-Material Physical or people or society. It encompasses both tangible and Culture so-called intangible aspects, including language, traditions, Civilization - Religion arts, social norms, and daily practices. Culture shapes - Buildings - Language how people interact with each other, understand the - Clothing - Customs world, and define their identity (Kottak, 2014). - Machinery - Traditions - Values and - Means of transportation. - Culture can be categorized into: social systems a. Material Culture ( also called Physical or so- called civilization) includes the physical objects, resources, and spaces that people use to define their culture. These are the tangible aspects of culture such as building, clothing, machinery and means of transportation. b. Non-material Culture refers to the intangible The Components of the UAE Culture A. Religion The UAE community is an Islamic community, and Islam impacts all means of social life. For Muslims, matters relating to marriage, divorce, inheritance, economics, politics, and personal conduct are affected by Sharia (Islamic) law. However, in February 2023, family courts in the UAE began implementing Federal Decree-Law No. 41 of 2022 regulating matters of family law for non- UAE Government Portal (2023) Muslims residing in the UAE. The deep-rooted Islamic UAE culture has helped it to maintain a strong bond with the rest of the Arab world, and the culture of UAE is enriched with Islamic heritage and tradition. The UAE is tolerant of other religions and accords religious freedom to the expatriate population. These religions primarily  The Harmonious Coexistence of Religions Abrahamic Family House – Abu On Dhabi February 4th, 2019, His Eminence Grand Imam of Al-Azhar and His Holiness Pope of the Catholic Church signed the ‘Document on Human Fraternity for World Peace and Living Together’ during their historic meeting in Abu Dhabi. The Abrahamic Family House is a cultural landmark that is the first of its kind in the whole world. It’s a place for learning, dialogue, and worship. It symbolizes the shared values of harmonious coexistence and understanding among the three Abrahamic faiths of Judaism, Image Source: Abu Dhabi Media Office Christianity, and Islam. The names of the three iconic houses of  B. Language Language is the cornerstone of every socio- cultural heritage because it is the first means of communication. Arabic is the official language of the UAE although English is widely spoken and understood. UAE Society is of Arab origin, descent, and hopes. Arabic is spoken officially and popularly. Since the UAE is home to a large expatriate community, a number of other languages are widely spoken which primarily include C. Custom and Traditions UAE is predominantly an Islamic country. As a result, the local customs and traditions are reflective of and influenced by Islam. They are unwritten laws, and every person follows them. The people of UAE are known for their generosity, bravery, and friendliness. In UAE, there are many cultural norms that are important for impressions. Here are some of the cultural norms in UAE: - The respect of the elderly as they are the heads of the families. - The holy month of Ramadan is a particularly special time for Muslims. What are the customs in greetings?  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. Watch this Video (from 1:38 to 3:56) Folk dances and other traditional sports are still highly appreciated by many people. (E.g., falconry, horseback riding, camel racing, and boat racing). D. Clothes The traditional dress for men is Kandura - a long white robe with a headgear known as Ghutra. Women in the region wear a long dress called Abaya over normal garments. They also wear a Scarf / Sheila in public places. E. Literature and Arts Arts, folklore, and literature are the growth of the community itself to grow, bloom, and stimulate the new generation to develop. The sea and desert have played a role in the nature of the art in this area. Image by: Eric Arazas Source: Muhaisn, E. (2022, June 22) Most Popular Forms of Arts in UAE Society Fine Singing Dancing Arts Poetry Stories Construction of Ships Architecture Pottery Literatu Music re F. Music and Dance Music and dance were widely practiced in the olden days. Ayalah or the 'stick dance' is one of the folk dance forms. It involves performances by two rows of dancers facing one another. Dancers are positioned close together in rows, signifying the unity and cooperation amongst tribal people. It is accompanied by drumming. Harbiya is another popular dance in UAE. Like Ayalah, Harbiya is also performed by two lines of men confronting each other, but the recitation is based on the repetition of unaccompanied melodic phrases. Today, Emiratis play traditional music and perform traditional dances on special social occasions. G. Poetry Traditional UAE's literary heritage comprises Taghrouda and Nabati poetry. Taghrouda involves a poetry duel. This art was practiced in rural areas to hasten the search for a lost camel or horse. Al Taghrouda, which is popular at weddings, is also performed on horseback to urge horses to speed up. The equestrian taghrouda is usually about courage, bravery, and magnanimity. Nabati refers to the dialect of Arabic spoken. Nabati poetry has been a feature of life in the Arabian Peninsula since the 16th century. H. H. Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum composes Nabati poetry. He has published compilations of such compositions. UAE Heritage and its Originality “The combination of our genuine originality and magnificence of the past ambitious are the future for our generation”. The UAE society is proud of his originality in the legacy of social customs, and values. Image source Factors that Affect UAE Culture The UAE society has been witnessing a transitional civilized shift. This hasn’t affected the core values of the UAE since it’s originally a tolerant and aspiring society. The UAE society is affected by the huge developmental influence, the influence of different cultures, and the diversity of the people living in this Components of the UAE Community  Main Components of the UAE Community Express by one phrase the following components of the UAE. Linguistic Religious Humanistic Unity Unity Homogeneity Historical Geographic Customs & & Fateful al Unity Traditions Unity Unity Discussion  Discussion 1. What are the main factors that affect the culture, traditions, and customs of the UAE? 2. Do you think that the UAE still maintains its identity with all the cultural diversity that lives in it? Explain. 3. What are the main components of the UAE community? 4. Discuss three non-material culture and three physical culture. Provide examples  References Kottak, C. P. (2016). Cultural Anthropology: Appreciating Cultural Diversity. McGraw-Hill Education. Social Life: The official portal of the UAE government (n. d.): https://u.ae/en/about-the-uae/culture/theaspectsofuaessociallife Time Out GCC. (Oct 29, 2019), The UAE’s Top Art & Culture Spots in 2019 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jM_RQasbbtU Commisceo Global. UAE Language, Culture, Customs and Etiquette. https://www.commisceo-global.com/resources/country-guides/uae-guide#c5 Gillett, K. (2023) UAE’s major arts and culture events in 2023, from the Sharjah Biennial to IIFA awards, The National. https://www.thenationalnews.com/arts-culture/art-design/2023/01/08/uaes-major-arts-and-culture-ev ents-in-2023-from-the-sharjah-biennial-to-iifa-awards/