Dubai is a unique and modern cosmopolitan city, and the United Arab Emirates home to many families from all over the world, each with its own unique culture. Expatriates and citizens of the UAE have been peaceful neigbours for many years but very often they remain strangers to each other…
Did you know that in Al-Bastakiya, a historic district of Dubai, one can find a group of barjeels, traditional buildings, which are mostly known as “wind towers”? Built in the 1900s as a part of the restoration project, which started in the 1980s, these buildings represent a bygone era of Dubai that existed long before skyscrapers and cool cars. Today, this district is mostly occupied by small independent art galleries and neat souvenir shops, but in one particular barjeel there is the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding (SMCCU). This organization was established to promote the traditional culture of the Emirates and better understanding of Islam among numerous emigrants and guests of the country.
Some information about the oldest district of Dubai
Diego Delso/Creative Commons 4.0
The district, considered to be the oldest part of the city, is located on the shore of the Dubai Bay, a little away from Bur Dubai. There are still buildings of the late XIX and early XX centuries here. The founders of the district at that time were Persian merchants. Over the years, the quartier was growing in size and then became a full-fledged area, which had an important impact on the life of the city. They were local traders of Dubai who helped to survive the crisis of the 1930s. Later there was a sharp increase in trade with Persia and India thanks to them. Some more time later, local businessmen managed to improve oil trade with the whole world and were granted UAE citizenship in gratitude for this.
Houses in this district are built in accordance with one very interesting principle: a mixture of red clay and palm pieces was used as a foundation; shell, coral stone and lime slabs extracted in the Persian Gulf were used for the walls. Among the residents one could see traders, pearl fishers and a small number of rich families. In this area there were invented wind towers, which were used to ventilate buildings.
The middle of the 1980s was a rather hard time for this place – it was ordered to be demolished and the liberated territory to be used to build a new business center and a full-fledged housing estate. The site was defended by Rayner Otter, the architect and author of the project, and the British Prince Charles, who finally persuaded the government to move the construction. Nowadays, this district attracts thousands of tourists with its narrow streets and classical Arab architecture.
A walk through the area traditionally begins with the Sheikh Mohammed cultural Centre. After that, it is worth visiting the Bastakiah Nights restaurant, which is located in the same old building, followed by the modern white mosque. Then, guests can explore the last surviving section of the old city wall and visit numerous art galleries of the city. The touristic itinerary is finished with visiting the Al-Fahidi Fort, which is home to the National museum.
At night time the area is spectacularly lit up and very often it becomes a venue for various outdoor festivals and celebrations, while the local restaurants and cafes provide a great opportunity for tourists to relax. Coffee lovers will surely appreciate the Coffee Museum, located also here. And the original view of Dubai wind towers, traditional air conditioners that effectively cool the air in houses, will certainly be a surprise. There is nothing strange for local residents and organizations to let tourists in to admire interiors. In addition to it, guests have access to almost all the traditional flat rooftops of the area, which offer stunning views of the Dubai Creek and the entire neighbourhood from above.
Centre as a mediator between cultures
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By meeting a lot of visitors from all over the world daily, the Centre seeks to create “safe atmosphere” where people feel free to ask questions at meals that include traditional local food served in the distinctive Emirati environment. The policy of open doors and houses helps to establish the dialogue, very often even with those people who have no idea what the residents of the Emirates and Muslims in general believe in. Among guests of the Centre one can meet radically different figures – from politicians and diplomats to executives of large companies and even celebrities.
His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, the Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai, once expressed the need to reach emigrants and educate them about the traditions and customs of the UAE. He understood that there was the need for dialogue and mutual understanding among Muslims and non-Muslims. It is not surprising that his idea led to the establishment of the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding in 1998. In 2015 the SMCCU was honoured to become a member of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s global initiatives and now it remains the bridge between many different nationalities that live, work and visit the UAE on sightseeing trips or specific programmes.
The place operates on the basis of philosophy. It helps to get rid of intercultural differences and minimize inter-ethnic conflicts through telling about habits and customs of the indigenous Muslim society. Here guests can get useful information about the culture, religion of the UAE, local etiquette, housekeeping and other things. The phrase “Open doors. Open minds” serves as the slogan of the Centre.
The location of the Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Centre for Cultural Understanding is a wind tower in the ancient Bastakiya district, well restored by local craftsmen. The building is the most elegant in the area. It is decorated with distinctive ornamental grilles and there is a beautiful patio with oil lamps hanging in front of it.
If you choose the right time to visit this place, you can even hear calls for prayer.
The main mission of the Centre is to organize ethnographic breakfasts, lunches, brunches and dinners, to immerse into the traditions and religion from within and to give an opportunity to meet the local residents. The programme of staying here assumes the acquaintance with the sense of prayers and principles of communication with Allah in Islam, as well as with the five main commandments (pillars) of Islam; a guide explains the history of Islam in detail and answers the question why it is necessary to wear abayas. The Jumeirah Mosque is mandatory, as well as the Dubai Creek while the walk. Guests are treated to freshly brewed tea, coffee, desserts and delicious dates.
Children under the age of five have to be left in a hotel: they are not allowed in; otherwise they can distract believers by crying.
Once at the Centre, guests can choose from a wide range of leisure options: someone decides to for a tasting of traditional cuisine, while others prefer talking to the locals or just having a rest. There are also exhibits inside that showcase the life and flavour of the local peoples. Some additional information can be read from the electronic boards in the English language. The owners of the Centre are glad to answer any questions, even the most delicate, acute and “uncomfortable” questions about the life in the Emirates and its culture.
What should the tourist know when visiting the Centre?
In order to get a complete image of the city and its history, it is necessary to combine a trip to the Centre a meticulous study of the surrounding area of Bastakiya, which is filled with history and will be a wonderful background for photographs. It is definitely worth visiting the street of small shops – one can find various Arab spices for any taste and price.
There are not many tourists and queues in the Centre, that’s why it is an ideal place for those who prefer a quiet holiday combined with mental pabulum.
Once inside, you should definitely go to the roof of the building, from where you can enjoy the spectacular view of the historic Bur Dubai, and the escort of advanced guides will help you spend time upstairs via having exciting conversations and find out a lot of interesting facts.
All the guides of the Centre are from the Emirates, and they have perfect knowledge of English.
The Centre hosts a great number of events, which include learning the Arabic language, walking to the mosque with a guide and guided tours through the ancient city and historical sites, as well as a traditional meal, during which visitors are offered to enjoy local dishes based on ancient Emirate recipes.
PhareannaH/Creative Commons 2.0
One of the features of the Centre is an interesting and detailed excursion to the Jumeirah Mosque, which is one of the most ancient and well-known mosques in Dubai. It is noteworthy that it is one of the few Muslim temples, which can be visited by those who do not adhere to Islam. It is important to pay attention to your appearance, as it should be modest: it is allowed to wear a long skirt or trousers and a shirt with long sleeves; women’s head should be covered with a scarf. It is forbidden to leave shoulders, legs and body naked. Before entering the mosque, you should put you shoes off and go through the cleansing ritual, during which your nose, face and mouth are washed three times with your right and left hands. Those who desire to get traditional clothes for temporary use can receive them while ticketing. A distinctive feature of such excursions is the opportunity to ask any question and get a sincere and honest answer.
It is worth mentioning that participants of excursions come literally from all over the world; however the majority of them are from Britain, America and Germany. Some of them tried to be polite, some of them openly expressed their cynicism, not even hiding hostile attitude towards Muslims. But during the excursion one could observe a cardinal change not only in the expression of the face, but also in a person's attitude to Muslim culture and faith. There were British people who had been living all their life among Muslims and said they knew nothing about them. Tour guides often highlights interesting cases that took place during such meetings. For instance, during the other excursion one person from the audience began crying. It turned out to be that his son was killed on September 9. During the event, his father realized that his longstanding hatred and hostility towards Muslims were wrong.
Dubai is famous all over the world for its many different things and architectural extravagance. But it is particularly worth noting that in Dubai, where the image of excess and materialism reigns, one can still find what one is looking for, including true faith and dialogue between different cultures. All you have to do is actually to look for...
Ilmira Gafiyatullina