Heritage Surprises week: Discovering cultures

This year's heritage package is not only about revisiting the UAE's past, but also about discovering the culture of a featured country from each continent. In a nutshell, that's five countries in one week.

Venezuela, Malaysia, Djibouti, Romania and the host country UAE are up for exploration at different venues as was witnessed at the opening ceremony of the Heritage Surprises of DSS, last week.

World heritage was up on display at the inauguration as flowers typical to the chosen countries were used to herald the launch of this week's edition of the DSS.

The Youla and military teams, two groups enriched with the UAE's heritage, thrilled the audience with their display, following which the opening ceremony concluded with the traditional bands of the five countries performing.

Deira City Centre hosts the Venezuelans every evening from 5-7pm and Ibn Battuta Mall hosts them from 8-10pm.

Visitors can catch a glimpse of a traditional Venezuelan wedding and other side features such as a native heritage show and local dances that use instruments typical to their culture — such as the kamboor, orogo, calsebo and aljanzya.

For those more keen on African culture, the Djibouti activities include the Wil Wile Folkloric Show and the Barimo Folkloric Show.

The cultural performances are done by the 4 March Troupe, a national artistic and folkloric troupe of Djibouti. The troupe consists of two singers, six male and female dancers each and three musicians on the drums, organ and flute.

The Wil Wile dance is basically a warrior dance that presents the warrior with his spear and fighting the enemy. This is followed by a song and dance sequence that plays on the same storyline.

This dance is typical of Djibouti culture and is performed at all their occasions and festivities. The intensity and high spirits with which the dancers perform make it worth a watch.

Another popular dance that is being staged is the Barrimo. This hails from the coastal regions particularly in the northern parts of the country. Full of life, the dance targets the young and young at heart.

Though based on a romantic theme it works on a beautiful melody that takes up a lot of energy. The dancer's movements are filled with expression and tell a tale that emphasises the importance of values.

Sadexleey, also from Djibouti, is performed by young dancers who follow the beats. The last dance from the dynamic country is the Horra, a masculine expression with a romantic twist. The body expressions are elegant and poetic and slowly build up the levels of passion.

All this and the display of traditional costumes and handicrafts and a peek into the traditional villager's life are offered at Al Ghurair Centre from 5-7pm and at Deira City Centre from 8-10pm.

The Romanian troupe have been filling malls with their energy, catchy tunes and their Drum Beat Show has found a new rhythm by way of the Romanian Heritage Activities nights. There is also an exhibition of their handicrafts, national costumes and a recreated set of a typical Romanian village that can be viewed from 5pm till 7pm at Hamarain Centre and from 8pm till 10pm at Reef Mall.

From Malaysia, a country that has blended cultures from different parts of the world beautifully, is a showcase of arts, music, dance, games and other pastimes.

The Malaysian dances and handicrafts are available for public viewing at the Ibn Battuta Mall and Oasis Centre.

The dance performances are held daily from 5-7pm at the China Court in the Ibn Battuta Mall and is a 45-minute long show that sees dancers perform classics such as Walinong Sari, Zapin Pekan, Tenun Pahang, Dikir Rebana, Tari Kipas, Siwag, Tari Kebaya, Siam, India, Cina, Sabah, Sarawak and the grand finale.

The dances feature choreography from Malay, Chinese and Indian dances and are a display of grace and colour. While most dances follow a storyline, others make use of additional props to enhance the complete experience.

Stephen, a British tourist en route to England from his holiday, was stopping over in Dubai and said that his family were thoroughly enjoying the experience.

"We're just back from a holiday in Australia and I'd never bargained for an insight into other cultures on this trip," he said, taking a break from filming the Malay display.

Most residents are already familiar with the history and heritage of the UAE, but for tourists and visitors, who are amazed with the skyscrapers and development, a visit to the cultural exhibition called Timeless Dubai has them speechless.

Located in Wafi City, the exhibits range from the ancient to the contemporary and provide a unique blend of education, culture and history. Members of the public can view ancient relics and learn more about pearl diving, while taking a break from window shopping.

Rare pottery from the 1st to the 3rd millennia is one of the major attractions of the exhibition as is the rare collection of weapons that includes khanjars, swords and guns.

The heritage section follows the daily routines and rituals of the Bedouins, highlighting the important roles played by water and date palms.

Jimmy from Singapore and his wife Tara were interested in the displays and demonstrations of traditional skills such as basket-weaving, perfume-making and henna.

"We are just surprised that the country still retains this side of its heritage despite developing at an incredible pace," they said.