UAE | Heritage and Culture
Algerian exhibition leaves a sweet taste
An Algerian woman selling traditional sweets at an exhibition in Abu Dhabi was surprised to receive Emirati customers from Sharjah.
- By Binsal Abdul Kader, Staff Reporter
- Published: 23:32 December 27, 2008
- Abu Dhabi residents from all countries enjoyed the beauty of Algerian traditional handicrafts at the exhibition held at Abu Dhabi Cooperative Society in Mina, which ended on Saturday.
- Image Credit: Abdul Rahman/Gulf News
Abu Dhabi: An Algerian woman selling traditional sweets at an exhibition in Abu Dhabi was surprised to receive Emirati customers from Sharjah.
"I was very happy when my Algerian friends in Abu Dhabi told me that they came from a northern emirate... 150 kilometres away", said Boukerdous who was in the capital for a week long exhibition.
"The Emiratis said they had heard about the taste of Algerian sweets", she said.
Abu Dhabi residents from all countries enjoyed the beauty of Algerian traditional handicrafts at the exhibition held at Abu Dhabi Cooperative Society in Mina, which ended on Saturday.
Shaikha Lubna Al Qasimi, Minister of Foreign Trade, opened the exhibition last week .
Boukerdous was one of six women who came from Algeria with a 20 member team.
"I gave the samples of my sweets to all customers and it worked. Whoever tasted the samples made bulk purchases", she said.
She said almost her entire stock was finished.
"Most of the Algerian women are trying to find self employment with their craftsmanship", said the woman who prepares her products at her home.
"I had visited Syria also earlier for a similar exhibition", said Boukerdous.
Sense of home
The exhibition gave the 5,000 strong Algerian community in the UAE a taste of home, said an embassy official. "Most of the community members are living in Abu Dhabi and Dubai, and majority of them are businessmen and academics", said Hadda Fouial, Media Attaché at Algerian Embassy.
"Algerian Business Councils in Abu Dhabi and Dubai are coordinating the businessmen", she said.
"Many Algerian women were happy to get traditional women's wear like 'Karakou' and 'Djeba Ferghani' which are worn during special occasions like wedding", said Nesrine, an Algerian student in the capital.
"These hand-woven dress are very costly- ranging from Dh 2,000 to 4,000", she said.
Algerian men were wearing 'Barnous', a traditional menswear used during prayers and special occasions. "Made of camel skin, it is a perfect wear to resist the winter", said a shopkeeper.
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