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Lifetime Learning… Building Success… Towards Globalization

Chapter 2Originality of the UAE Society and

its Main Characteristics

Lifetime Learning… Building Success… Towards Globalization

EIBFS/UAE Society

The Environment of Emirates Society

• Before the discovery of oil, the emirates society used to be a nomadic and maritime society associated with the desert and the sea.

• These environments had an obvious effect on the formation of its nature and socio-cultural character.

• The emirates society was affected by three environments:• The desert environment• The maritime environment• The industrial environment

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Three Environments of the Emirates Society

The desert environment ( Nomadic life, Quest of water, the date palm)

The maritime environmentFishing, Pearling and Maritime trade

The industrial environmentDiscovery of oil and the change in lifestyle

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A. Desert Environment

• Desert land covers one third of the Emirates.

• The areas where the tribe settles determines the type of trade they practice.

• As per their settlement in oasis, or coastal centers or open desert, they would take on farming, fishing or grazing

• The citizens of the emirates in most cases belong to nomadic tribes originally coming from the desert.

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Categorization of the Bedouins of the Emirates

• Migrant Bedouins: – They keep moving from one place to another all year along.

They occupy massive areas and they graze animals. – Example: Tribe of Awamer and Al Manaseer

• Semi Migrant Bedouins: – They move between nomadic life style and settlement style.

They mostly gather near the oases and water centers near the plains.

– Example: The Tribe of Bani Qatab and Awamer.• Seasonal -Migrant Bedouins:

– They move from the top of the mountains during the summer to the plains in the winter.

– Example: Al Shohooh in Ras al Khaima and Dibba.

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The Effect of Desert on the Bedouin

• We can summarize the main affect of desert life on the inhabitants as follows:• Migrant life style gives the Bedouin the sense of independence

and freedom.• Generosity is a quality associated with the desert.• Bravery and patience are qualities obtained from the daily life.• Moral values, honesty, Islamic values, high self-esteem were also

the manifestation of desert on the life style.

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B. The Sea Environment

• The ruins at Umm al Nar and Al Qasis areas indicate that since ancient times the land of Emirates had a very active role in sea trade.

• The people of the land had links with Eastern Africa and South Asia.

• Sea life affected greatly the Emirates society.

• Many economic activities were associated with sea.

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The Effect of sea Life on inhabitants’ trade

• The main economic activities associated with the sea are:• Ship Construction: Ship building boomed before the discovery of oil

as many economic activities were linked with sea. Other industries associated with ship building were; rows making, sails, and nets manufacturing.

• Fishing: As a result of scarcity of food people turned to the sea. The people of Emirates fish near the sea shore using different types of nets according to the type of fish available.

• Perl Diving: Locally known as Gous, pear diving was traditional trade and major source of revenue of the Emirates land till the thirties of the 20th century when oil was discovered.

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The Organization of Pearl Diving

• As a profession , pearl diving can be divided into two categories:• 1. Finance Supplier: They prepare the fishing fleet and support the

divers’ families during their trip. Financier has the upper hand over the whole operation.

• 2. Working Category: The includes everyone working on the ship. The job required 10-25 men on each ship. They can be divided into the following:• Captain: knows the secrets of the trade, has the sole power on ship.• Divers: Go deep down to look for shells• Puller of ropes: they lift the divers from the sea bed.• Apprentices: who join to learn the trade; they work on the ship.

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The Effect of Diving Season on the emirates society

1. The shopping markets boom before the pearling season. 2. Quite life of the city when ships are away.3. Strong mutual relationship and honor during the business

transaction.4. Strong family relations at home when member of family are

away for diving5. Cooperative spirit and feeling during the diving activities.6. Impact on art, culture, songs and proverbs, children play.

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Features of Pearl Trade

- A very complex trade which normally took place in Dubai, Bahrain or Mumbai.

- The estimated market value of the pearls in the UAE in the year 1905 was about eight million rupees.

- It was run by middlemen, brokers and merchants.

- The size of the trade depends on various factors including:- size and quality of the pearl's layers, - craftsmanship of the merchant

amount of the available supply.

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C. Industrial Environment

• Production of oil caused a drastic change in life style and economy of people.

• It turned over;• all material side of the life

like; clothing, food, and building.

• Non-material side such as habits, customs, and social rules.

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Characteristics of Change in the Life Style of the Emirates

• We can summarized the characteristics of change in the life style of the Emirates as follows:• Movement of people from desert to urban areas where jobs and

services were concentrated.• Migration of people from other courtiers. • The emergence of markets and companies.• Participation of women in work, job and education.• Spread of education in all parts of the emirates.• Increase in the income of the people and improvement of living

standard.

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The Cultural Factors• By social heritage we mean what the individual acquires

through his social life. The main cultural factors in the Emirates Society are:

• Religion: – The Arab Emirates society is highly and deeply influenced by Islam. All

social aspects that have prevailed in the society originated from the religious belief.

• Language: – The Emirates society is originally Arab; and the Arabic is official and

spoken language. The local Arabic language of the country contains plenty of foreign words as a result of overseas connections.

• Traditions and Customs:– The Emirates society inherited rich traditions and customs such as

respect to elders family bonds, speech manner, dining etiquette, good communication with relatives, welcoming guests etc

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Literature and Arts

• The sea, desert and social cultural and material heritage of the society have played important roles in the shaping the arts in the Emirates.

• The most important forms of arts in the Emirates are:a. Music, singing, and folk dancing related to the sea life, the city life

or Bedouin life.b. Fine arts and applied arts such as building ships, architecture, and

different form of design.c. Popular literature including poetry, stories, and proverbs and so

on.

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The UAE Heritage and its Originality

• ‘He who does not know his past cannot make the best of his present and future, for it is from the past that we learn.’

• ‘A nation without past has no present or future’.

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The UAE Heritage and its Originality

• The origins of the people in the UAE land goes back to Arab Bedouin and their desert.

• It carries good ethics, generosity, self sacrifice, bravery, and pride.

• The Emirates Society is proud of its originality and every social heritage, customs, values, traditions it inherited from the past.

• The social life in the Emirates is affected by (i) originality, (ii) the conservative approach (iii) the Union unity and development

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The Major Characteristics of the UAE Society

1. Language as a unifying factor: Arabic language is a major factor that reflects the society’s customs

and traditions and supports unity.

2. Religious unity: Religious and spiritual unity of Islam forms a major characteristics of

the UAE society.

3. Human homogeneity: The people of the UAE are deeply bonded and socially and spiritually

close to each other with belief in common aim and one nation.

4. Historical and fate Unity: Emirates society’s historical characteristics were embodied along the

history as the people witnessed positive as well as negative events. This resulted in the formation of the union later on.

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The Major Characteristics of the UAE Society

5. The Geographical unity: The are of the UAE forms a whole unit and it is considered one of the

important characteristics of the society. The strategic geographical unity and position of the UAE adds strength and power to the nation.

6. Customs and tradition unity: The people of the Emirates take pride in belonging to this land and in

its customs and traditions that are derived from the Arab Islamic civilization. The Emirates society managed to form an integrated social image which expresses its identity.

7. Similarity in the political Structure: The formation of the UAE Federation by seven emirates reflects the

similarity of the political structure and the strong relations between the ruling families.

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Review Question Topics

1. The emirates society was affected by three environments. Highlight them.

2. Highlight the effect of desert on the life style of the people in desert. 3. Outline the three main categories of the Bedouins of Emirates. 4. Explain the effect of sea life on inhabitants’ trade.5. Explain the organization of pearl diving.6. Outline the effects of diving season on the emirates society.7. Highlight the characteristics of change in the life style of the Emirates.8. Outline the most important forms of arts in the Emirates.9. Write a note on the UAE heritage and its originality.10. Explain the major characteristics of the UAE society.