Traditional games forum under way in Sharjah

Sharjah: The 7th Traditional Handicraft Forum opened on Thursday and hopes to not only link the younger Emirati generation with their cultural heritage but familiarise visitors with the names and rules of the country’s traditional games.

Organised by the Directorate of Heritage at the Department of Culture and Information in Sharjah, in collaboration with the Heart of Sharjah, a project developed by the Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq), the nine-day will take place at the Heritage Area in Sharjah.

Visitors to the forum will be told about different Emirati games, which are considered as one of the most important components of heritage and social life of the traditional people of the UAE.

“The Traditional Handicraft Forum, as well as the traditional games, will be great opportunities for citizens, residents and tourists to become better acquainted with Emirati heritage and take part in the various activities and games,” said Yousuf Al Mutawa, manager of the Heart of Sharjah.

The games include Al Hubai, which consists of a girl skipping on a long rope while two of her friends spin the rope, Alraj, which involves a bicycle wheel rim with an iron rod placed in the centre and pushed forward quickly, and a bending and jumping game, where several children create a line by bending at a 90 degrees angle and another jumps over each one until he completes the line.

Other activities scheduled include an intellectual programme, which will take place at the Theatrical Association Artistic, along with workshops for girls and boys on making traditional toys from household waste materials at the Al Qasba yard. A traditional games show will also be held, in addition to two exhibitions, in which one will showcase the materials used in traditional games and another will feature images of traditional games. Along with several competitions, visitors will also be able traditional storytelling in Bedouin tents.

“I am pleased to reaffirm that Emirati folklore is rich in values that call for pride, authenticity, and philanthropy, attributes and values that form the cornerstone our contemporary life in the UAE,” said Abdul Aziz Al Musallam, director of the Directorate of Heritage at the forum’s opening ceremony.

An Italian foundation, who will be taking part in several programmes and seminars in the forum, also participated at the opening event, where they told the audience about the differences and similarities between the two countries’ traditional games.