The youngest assal in the state

In the video .. "Saeed" .. a child roaming the mountains in search of honey

"Saeed" on one of the trips in search of honey.

Emirates today

The child, Saeed Rashid Mohammed Al-Hafiti, who is the youngest honey in the country (10 years old), spends most of his time searching for beehives among the mountains of the Emirate of Fujairah, which are rich in natural apiaries for honey, since he inherited the profession of “assal or beekeeper” that is rooted in the residents of the eastern region and the Emirate of Fujairah.

Al-Hafeti told «Emirates Today» that he started learning this profession three years ago, that is, since he was seven years old.

He added: «My father used to accompany me with my brothers to the mountain to search for honey among the Sidr and Samar trees, and in the mountain caves, and with frequent going with him, and watching him and my brothers who were asking for my help when they found a beehive, after painstaking research, and long hours waiting for any sign Indicating the presence of bees in the site where they are searching, this hobby became my passion and a dream that was achieved after the painful bee stings.

He continued, “When I was seven years old, I used to look at bees with fear, as if they were my enemy, because what I want is honey, not bees. However, my father’s great experience made me deal with bees as a friend, for their sting is a medicine and a cure for me.

So the stings that cause tumors in some parts of my body are no longer an obsession for me, but rather made me happy with the result that lies in my obtaining honey.

Regarding the way he searches for beehives in the mountains of the Emirate of Fujairah, he said: “I am not looking for honey alone, due to my young age. Rather, I am going on this trip with my companions, who are my two older brothers.”

And he continued, “The methods for detecting honey sites depend on the experience of the beekeeper, and the method he relies on in searching for nectar scattered on the rocks of the mountain, which the bees dispose of as waste.” Its proximity to the cell.

The more I say, the more it indicates that he is on the way and he still has time to continue searching for her.”

Al-Hafiti added that he relies on another method in case he does not find the points left by the bees on his way to the hive, which are the sun's rays, as he can distinguish the location of the hive from the shadow of the bees, while it is on its way to the hive through its shadow formed on the rocks.

He said, "This method is adopted by the people of the Emirate of Fujairah and Dibba Al-Fujairah as a special method that they inherited from their ancestors, and they practice it to this day."

The honey child excels in knowing the seasons and nature of honey, and distinguishing between its types through the taste and its specifications, such as color and others, by virtue of the experience he gained from his father and siblings, explaining that “Sumar honey starts from April to June, while Sidr honey starts from September to November.” Pointing out that “Al-Assal must acquire certain skills before he starts working, the first of which is to be brave.

And my father gave us courage in funny ways. Snakes and scorpions will be part of the search journey, and you have to face them with wisdom and courage.

Also, the journey of searching for honey needs patience, given the long time that honey spends searching for beehives, as it starts from seven in the morning and may end at eight in the evening.

When asked about whether he prefers to sit on smart devices and a smart board instead of practicing his hobby of collecting honey, he said: “I was not attracted to the electronic games and programs that my peers excel at in school, as much as my curiosity about the world of bees aroused. The fun that I spend searching for honey is not I can get it from playing with smart devices,” indicating that he urges his friends to learn a hobby that they practice instead of indulging in playing with devices and wasting their time without learning a skill that will benefit them in the future.

Al-Hafiti stated that what bothers him most is that some young men and children practice the profession of beekeeper or honeybee without full knowledge of how to deal with the hives. Unfortunately, they burn the bees by igniting the hive, which makes me very sad, and I am eager to educate those who do such behavior by training in proper methods instead of tampering with nature.

The little beekeeper:

• «Methods for detecting honey sites depend on the experience of the beekeeper and his method of searching for nectar scattered on the rocks».

• "The bees are my friend and I do not harm them while collecting honey... This hobby has become my passion after many painful stings."

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