Melting pot of cultures

As the Dubai Metro swooshes above the city, life for many under its elevated tracks remains undisturbed. Perhaps no more so than in Zahrat Al Satwa (the rose of Satwa) the traditional barber shop I loyally frequent.

Sitting in one of the raised, red leather chairs, I scan through one of the Arabic dailies and spot a quote from a social commentator who predicts the Dubai Metro will play a major role in getting the city's multi-national residents and citizens to interact more with each other.

As the generously dispersed white shaving foam on my face is skilfully swept away using a butterfly razor I would never trust myself with, I cannot help but look around the shop and see all the different faces.

A place like this is sure to give the Metro a run for its money.

The clientele frequenting the barbershop comes from all walks of life. I have seen CEOs of multinational companies waiting on the bench next to bus drivers; from the teenager who insists on looking like Cristiano Ronaldo to the mother who is trying to stop her child from crying with promises of lollies and teddy bears.

The barbers are all predominately from the Indian state of Kerala and are well-versed in pigeon Emirati Arabic. They speak Malayalam to one another, but at the drop of a comb, they can turn round and give an entering European gentlemen a 'Good day to you, sir' as he finds a place to sit.

Most Emiratis frequent the place at least once or twice a week. How else do you think we get our beards geometrically aligned to near perfection? The staff are more than just employees, they are treated like family and you can see that every Eid Al Fitr when customers give them Eideyas (Eid money) worth four to five haircuts, on top of their regular bill.

This sort of Arab gift-giving culture is also extended to engagements, weddings and childbirths.

Apart from reducing the weight on people's heads, the traditional barber is also an amazing source of information. The barbers will tell you who has had a big meeting today, who is about to travel abroad and who just got back.

I get most of my updates on all the boys I schooled with not from Facebook or Twitter, but from them. Over the sound of clippers and scissors I am informed that "Redah changed jobs again" or "Saeed finally got married". They can even tell you who is related to whom.

I once saw them introduce distant members of the same family to one another. "This is your second cousin from your mother's side who married your first cousin from your fathers' side!"

The entrepreneur in me cannot help but be impressed by the financial numbers. The fact that in these troubled times the building actually houses seven similar gent saloons, some of them right next to each other, speaks for itself.

I am sure the balance sheets, if they exist at all, would make any banker seriously think of a career change. Even the tsunami of globalisation has not been able to affect this business.

Although I am positive that the Metro will contribute to cultural exchange and dialogue, it will take a long time before it starts to offer what traditional barbershops do. Now what would really rock my world is to see a traditional barbershop open in a Metro station! After all, mixing the best of the old and the new is what this city is all about.

Wael Al Sayegh is an Emirati cultural consultant, poet and writer.