A tradition that the Emirati family has preserved for thousands of years
Falcon and Fire... A heritage barn that attracts visitors at Expo Dubai
Photography: Osama Abu Ghanem
Visitors share "Al-Nahdi"'s passion for carving shapes from pottery
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In a distinguished corner of the “Heart of the Emirates” pavilion, Sultan Al Ali, a student at the University of Sharjah, was received by the Expo visitors, explaining to them the details of the heritage barn that the Emirati family still preserves in a tradition that lasted for thousands of years, with a falcon they used to use in hunting, and a fire to cook what it hunts. Of birds and animals.
In another corner, young visitors Abdul Rahman Al-Nahdi shared his passion for making pottery in the traditional way, carving with him shapes, pots and incense burners, in an atmosphere of joy, warmth and tradition.
Student Sultan tells "Emirates Today" that he finishes his university lectures daily and heads to "Expo Dubai", to show visitors to the Samim pavilion the details of what the Emirati citizen has been calling since ancient times "the barn", where he gathers with his family and friends around the fire, and next to them are their hawks that Accompany them in the solution and travel.
He added that he inherited this hobby from his father, and he raises with his brothers about nine falcons, which they participate in in various races and events, pointing out that the Emiratis used to use falcons to hunt rabbits, bustards and other animals and birds that can be eaten, then they cook what they catch on the fire.
He stresses that it is not a way to earn money, but rather for entertainment and entertainment, despite the fact that it is very expensive, as falcons need constant follow-up and care.
He points out that his presence in the "Expo Dubai" doubles his happiness, as tens of thousands of people flock to the exhibition daily, and many of them show interest in visiting the barn, especially from foreigners who are keen to take pictures with the falcon, and ask about the details of the place and how it relates to the authentic Emirati heritage.
In another corner of the "Sameem" pavilion, Abdul Rahman Al-Nahdi sat making pots and pottery figures for the visitors of the pavilion, who were not satisfied with watching, but some of them participated in working with him with love and happiness, realizing that it is not just an industry, but a wonderful art.
Al-Nahdi told "Emirates Today" that he works as a government employee, but he inherited the hobby of pottery from his father and grandfather, in a family tradition in which many Emiratis worked in the past.
He adds that he brings pebbles from the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah and Jebel Hafeet in the city of Al Ain, then crushes them with wood and mixes with water for a full nine hours, until it turns into the material from which jars, cooking utensils, incense burners and others are made, pointing out that the presence of a market for pottery products in the country indicates that Continuing interest in this ancient heritage.
He mentioned that he usually practices this hobby in his spare time, as it gives him a kind of calm and serenity, in addition to the fact that many still prefer pottery utensils in cooking because of the good taste of foods.
It was also used as a coolant in the past to keep food from rotting, and to keep water cool.
He explained that many visitors think that the materials he makes from tractors, pots and incense burners are for sale, but they are for display only, noting that it is wonderful that some people are keen to participate in making beautiful forms of pottery, which reflects that this hobby arouses the passion of many.
He added that he was happy to be in the "Expo Dubai", as it is a global event by all standards, and reflects the UAE's ability to host and succeed global events, no matter how large, stressing that the exhibition management's keenness to allocate a pavilion for Emirati heritage establishes an important message, that what we have reached is modernity. It is based on a long and solid history.
The "pottery industry" is one of the oldest traditional industries in the Emirates, an industry that the Emirati man started 2,500 years ago.
This industry dates back to the Umm al-Nar period, which dates back to the period between 2500 BC and ends in 2000 BC, and its tombs contained large quantities of pottery vessels.
The skill of making pots and pottery tools of different shapes and sizes depends on high technical techniques that contribute to their formation, in addition to knowing the types of sand used, because the quality and quality of sand help in taking the desired shape.
The “wheel” is the main piece in the pottery making machine, in addition to other small equipment such as threads, pieces of cloth and wood.
With it, the potter can shape or remove the excess from the pottery before preparing it, or decorate it with certain geometric shapes.
This wooden or metal disk is rotated by another wheel of stone, which the manufacturer moves with one of his feet to control the speed of rotation of the wooden disk in front of him, which allows the manufacturer to deal with the clay according to the speed needed by the process of forming his product.
But with the development of this profession, the machine used became dependent on electricity, to increase production and its accuracy.
There are types of pottery, some of which are extracted from the ground and used to cool water and irrigate agriculture.
Including what is extracted from the slopes of the mountains, and is used in cooking and food preservation.
potter's corner
The "Sameem" pavilion was dedicated to the pottery industry in the old home and mountain life sector in the Emirates.
It is true that pottery is a modest material compared to pearls and the role it played throughout the history of the Gulf, but it is an important part and an essential axis in daily life, which makes it valuable in the Emirati heritage.