Sharjah: Visitors to the Sharjah Heritage Days festival can enjoy a host of traditional Emirati crafts with fun and educational activities such as cooking classes, workshops and various shows.
The festival, in its tenth edition, is called ‘A Decade of Heritage' and will run until April 20 throughout the emirate with events in Sharjah city, Al Hamriya, Al Dhaid, Khor Fakkan, Kalba, Al Madam, Dibba Al Hisn and Maleha. The festivities in the city of Sharjah are located in the Heritage Area enclosed in the Sharjah Wall opposite the Institute of Theatrical Arts.
Food takes up a large part of the festival, with various booths arranged all over the area dedicated to all kinds of sweet and savoury Emirati dishes.
‘Cooking classes'
One of the major attractions is the Handicrafts Village, which is offering a busy entertainment schedule. Starting at around 4.30pm and until 9.30pm, crafts and cooking workshops are held. Doll making, carpet making, and the famous Lukaimat — fried dough balls, doused with sweet date syrup — are some of the things you can learn to make.
Kholoud Al Hajiri, Heritage awareness representative from the Directorate of Heritage, who is responsible for the Handicraft Village said: "We have two areas, one has traditional products and the other has the workshop section and cooking classes. We are running two traditional handicraft workshops and one cooking class a day."
A new addition to the section, Kholoud said, is the General Women's Union's Handicraft Centre, which is participating for the first time. The Handicrafts Village will also enact various traditional ceremonies such as an Emirati wedding, a bride's henna ceremony and a "Nothoor" ceremony, which is held for an infant after their first steps.
Children are not left out, as they have a dedicated corner where they are taught various crafts. There is also an alleyway filled with stalls for young entrepreneurs called Awel Fal (First Luck), where teenagers sell various products ranging from sandwiches and drinks to shoes.
And For the first time in its history, the festival will include cultural corners from Kuwait, Yemen, Morocco and East African countries.
The corners show also traditional clothes, customs and handicrafts of these countries. One will also be able to buy traditional products and watch performances of these countries.
‘Different lives'
An entire corner of the festival ground will be dedicated to the demonstration of the four different terrains of the UAE — coastal, agricultural, mountainous and Bedouin — and their associated lifestyles.
Men in the traditional coastal dressing will act out the process of fishing, while others will cook on an open fire in mountain terrain, giving visitors a clear idea of the differences and similarities between these lifestyles.
"There is a traditional healer called Zweina from Oman, she performs Hijama [wet cupping] and other treatments for ailments such as throat soreness and overdue pregnancy. We also have a photo booth where you can your photo taken in traditional Emirati dress." Kholoud added.
The festival is organised by the Heritage and Cultural Affairs Division of the Sharjah Information and Culture Department, in collaboration with the Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority.
