Dubai Culture: United Arab Emirates

Dubai’s Cultural Roots and History

Dubai is located in the United Arab Emirates culture rooted in the Arab and Islamic traditions. Since most of the Emiratis located in the region are Muslims. Dubai is a city which is too tall. Dubai has gained its popularity due to its economic prowess, which has made it a world-class city. The history of the region, however, points to a different direction due to the harsh climatic conditions and other factors. In a decade or two back, Dubai was initially inhabited by Nomads and Bedouins who walked across the area with their herds of cattle. The settlement of Dubai indicates that the area was initially inhabited by a community of fishermen who lived along the Arabian Gulf and made a living by fishing, herding goats and sheep and pearling.

Dubai’s Cosmopolitan Culture

The Dubai culture is mainly cosmopolitan with several rumbling engines. The culture is characterized by a high influx of foreign population composed of Indians, Persians and Baluchi’s. Dubai’s culture has grown to be a global one since it carries people from diverse backgrounds in terms of race, nationality and religion (Antiado, Castillo & Tawadrous, 2017). Islam has however remained to be the official religion and Muslims making up the majority of the culture. The area is also made up of other religions including Sikhs, Hindus, and Christians who all have left an undeniable mark in the cultural perspective of Dubai.

Changing Cultural Norms in Dubai

Change is necessary in the cultural life of any federation in the world. The changes towards employment and marriage of women are discernible, especially to a native cultural group such as Dubai. The women have been given more choices in the population to choose their marriage partners so long as they observe the norms and religious regulations. Moreover, they have gained a greater access to education and other professional roles (Nickerson & Goby, 2016). The new forms of entertainment also allow women to socialize and meet other people at their peril. Such entertainments that range from football matches to DVD players and films have influenced the behavioral norm and taste of the population in the region.

Weather and Climate in Dubai

Considered the oasis of the UAE, the temperature in Dubai as indicated by the meteorological departments are generally hot during the day most of the times in the year. The highest temperatures hit up to 48 °C while the lowest temperature may reach 8 °C. The temperature peaks are mainly between 12 pm and 3 pm during the day, with residents being advised to stay indoors whenever it is possible. The nation has mostly plenty of sunshine during most parts of the year with clear skies. The winds kick up the dust in some regions though the people have found diverse ways of putting up with the harsh weather conditions (Parkhurst, 2018). July and August are the hottest months of the year due to the positioning of the geographical region along the latitude axis. The humidity in the summer may feel bothersome at times during December with an average humidity rate of 82%. The Dubai dwellers put on sunglasses when it fogs up and remains indoors in case it grows too hot. The lack of rain Dubai keeps the skies cloudless with the air being dry most of the time. The air gets heated up as a result of the continuous sunshine unlike most parts of South Asia. The sandy terrain of Dubai, as well as the lack of vegetation, causes the rising summers during the day and the hot climate.

Folk Dances and Performing Arts in Dubai

The distinctive tradition of the Dubai culture is iced by folk dances and arts. Dances and performing arts form an integral part of any culture since they express emotions as a beautiful form. The folk dances in Dubai include Youlah and Ayala feature on most of the occasions such as the UAE National celebrations and the traditional weddings. The contemporary dance scenes have in the recent past grown rapidly across the emirates. The city is filled with several training centers for almost all the dances ranging from Flamenco to Salsa and Bharat. Moreover, the performance space, including the Dubai Community Theatre and the Arts Centre have ensured that the local and talented artists get the platform to nurture their skills (Nickerson & Goby, 2016). Drums and tambourines are the most common accompaniment, with other traditional instruments accompanying the dances. The long end flute, commonly referred to as Nay, with a long-necked plucked lute, Tambura and a fiddle played horsehair, Rababah is played in the various folk dances. The folk dances are common in Dubai and are used to depict a battle, celebrations of triumph and overcoming the opponents. The Ayala dances are performed with between 25 men and may go up to 200 men, who form two lines facing each other with their arms locked as though they want to do a battle.

The Coffee Culture in Dubai

Dubai offers a pretty good caffeine fix that is mainly the Arabic coffee. The delightful city dwellers are obsessed with the coffee that is freshly brewed to give a unique experience to the consumers. The Arabic coffee is a rich and strong blend of coffee which is boiled in a tin or the copper dallah and usually served without sugar. The coffee contains spices such as the cardamom and saffron which are ground with beans. Coffee is common in Dubai and the dwellers have a fancy for it. There is a coffee museum located in Al Fahidi, which is in the neighborhood of Dubai (Parkhurst, 2018). the region is proud of the various methods of brewing including Ethiopian, Emirati, and Egyptian blends. They offer a unique spot that offers a relaxing atmosphere together with a traditional architecture and oriental background.

Dubai’s Generosity and Philanthropy

Being ranked as one of the favorite destinations in the world due to the beautiful shorelines and tall buildings, Dubai is also ranked as one of the most generous cities in the world. The world giving index has admitted the entry of the United Arab Emirates as moving from position fourteen in 2015 to tenth place (Dickinson, 2016). The classification is made in terms of giving money for charity and for a good cause, volunteering and helping strangers. Dubai is also ranked as the largest donor of official development in the world in comparison to the national income.

The Significance of Dates in Dubai’s Culture

Dates have culturally played a key role in the Middle Eastern cuisines and decorate the rituals around hospitality. The dazzling bling in the market for dates defines the market culture for the luxurious fruits. They are most prevalent during Ramadhan and are often eaten to break the fast and given as gifts. Dates form a critical part of the agricultural sector in the region, with more than 400 varieties of dates being made available in the UAE (Tournois, 2018). The production of dates makes up the majority of the fruit farming as well as the vegetable crops in the UAE. Dates are celebrated in the Middle East culture in the annual Liwa Date Festival which coincides with the Ramadhan. Most of the dates available Dubai are grown from Saudi Arabia.

References

Antiado, D. F., Castillo, F. G., & Tawadrous, M. I. (2017). Educational Tourism in Dubai: The Global Higher Education Hub Across Culture. In Leadership, Innovation and Entrepreneurship as Driving Forces of the Global Economy (pp. 543-551). Springer, Cham.

Dickinson, K. (2016). Arab Cinema Travels Transnational Syria, Palestine, Dubai and Beyond. Macmillan International Higher Education.

Nickerson, C., & Goby, V. P. (2016). From philanthropy to broader social engagement: Muslim consumers’ response to corporate social marketing strategies in Dubai. Journal of Islamic Marketing, 7(4), 423-440.

Parkhurst, A. (2018). City and cosmology: genetics, health, and urban living in Dubai. Anthropology & Medicine, 25(1), 68-84.

Tournois, L. (2018). A pre-event assessment of residents’ reactions to Dubai Expo 2020. Tourism Management, 68, 46-51.