Sailing into the future
Just as in other parts of the Arabian Peninsula, dhows have featured in the UAE's cultural heritage as well as its modern history.
Dhow-building needs skill, says a UAE national who has made a hundred boats
Just as in other parts of the Arabian Peninsula, dhows have featured in the UAE's cultural heritage as well as its modern history. While sharply evocative of the nation's seafaring heritage and helping to preserve its culture, dhow construction has also represented a major aspect of the socio-economic structure of the UAE society.
The industry has, however, attracted only those who are more fascinated by, or involved in, the nation's cultural heritage and have chosen it as their profession. Being highly skilled, they also share their knowledge with today's younger generations who are more involved with modern technology and less interested in learning the profession.
Dhow-building involves hard work, high skill and patience. It takes between three months and a year of hard labour to build a dhow, depending on the size. Also, the bigger the dhow, the more workers it needs. For instance, to build a 130-foot dhow, 150 to 200 workers need to put in a year's hard labour.
Al Shamsi painstakingly carves each and every piece of wood.
An almost-ready dhow
