Zayed heritage centre moves to preserve tradition and culture

The Zayed Centre for Heritage and History has embarked on a nationwide hunt for elderly nationals who have a wealth of knowledge and experience of traditions, culture, society and life in days gone by, so it can be preserved for posterity before it is lost forever.

It is a vital part of the centre's oral history project. A team of three scholars has compiled traditional music, habits, customs, and folk stories in a book recently published by the centre to highlight the cultural wealth of the country.

The book entitled An introduction to UAE Folklores has mainly collected its contents by speaking to people.

Dr Hasan M. Al Naboodah, Director of the centre's branch in Al Ain, supervised the work of Abdullah Ali Al Taboor, Fatima Masoud Al Mansouri, and Abdullah Abdulrehman, the three authors of the book.

The 343-page book is in Arabic and provides a detailed look into the UAE's culture and traditional life and social institutions. It is also planned to publish it in English.

It is in four chapters which are in turn sub-divided into sections covering individual topics such as introduction of folk stories, poetry, habits, family traditions, festivities on child birth, eating traditions, and traditional medicines. The book also include many pictures, most of which are very old.

It is a product of the oral history project under which the centre has recorded more than 400 audio cassettes that contain a wealth of information. This information is in the shape of interviews of elderly nationals from around the country. Students and researchers of the UAE University are also helping the centre.

According to Al Naboodah, the project is the brainchild of Sheikh Sultan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and President of the UAE Heritage Club. "We have been working on it for the last three years and hope that it will continue for many more years."

He said many aspects of the UAE social and cultural history are hidden in the hearts of elderly people. They are not written down, but still they are a precious part of our history. The centre, which was officially inaugurated by Sheikh Sultan in March 1999, has made many contributions to exploring and documenting the history and culture.

It was set up on the instructions of President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan who attaches great importance to the culture, history and heritage of the country. He considers culture and heritage as an asset for the younger generation and wants them to be preserved for the future.

The centre has two branches one each in Abu Dhabi and Al Ain.