(SIH) Highlights the Authenticity of Maritime Heritage at the Al Maleh and Marine Fishing Festival in Dibba Al Hisn
The Sharjah Institute for Heritage participated in the 13th edition of the Al Maleh and Marine Fishing Festival in Dibba Al Hisn, through a comprehensive heritage pavilion showcasing the richness of the UAE’s maritime heritage and the traditional crafts, practices, and tools associated with it. These elements played a significant role in shaping coastal life, with generations preserving and passing them down through time.
The Institute’s participation highlighted the deep-rooted historical relationship between the people of Dibba Al Hisn and the sea. The pavilion featured a collection of maritime artefacts, diving and fishing tools, traditional boat models, live demonstrations of traditional crafts, specialised publications, and photographs documenting the history of the place and its maritime way of life.
Al-Musallam: The Festival Documents the Heritage of the Sea
The festival was attended by His Excellency Dr. Abdulaziz Al-Musallam, President of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, who visited the Institute’s pavilion and reviewed the details of its participation, including its artefacts and live demonstrations showcasing the authenticity of Emirati maritime heritage, its diverse elements, and its close connection to local identity.
Dr. Al-Musallam affirmed that the Al Maleh and Marine Fishing Festival represents an important heritage and cultural platform for introducing the history of Dibba Al Hisn and its deep-rooted relationship with the sea. He noted that maritime professions, crafts, and practices constituted an integral part of Emirati society and contributed to building a rich body of knowledge and expertise worthy of documentation and preservation.
He explained that such events play an important role in safeguarding local heritage and keeping it alive in the consciousness of younger generations by providing the public with a direct opportunity to discover the crafts, tools, and practices associated with the lives of their parents and ancestors.
Al-Kindi: Dibba Al Hisn Possesses a Rich Maritime Heritage Worth Documenting
His Excellency Mr. Abubakr Al-Kindi, Director of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage, also visited the festival and undertook a field tour of a number of participating pavilions and entities. During the tour, he reviewed various heritage and cultural initiatives and contributions presented by the festival, highlighting the diversity and richness of Emirati heritage.
The tour included the Institute’s pavilion, where he followed up on the details of the Institute’s participation and listened to an explanation by Mr. Mohammed Al-Loughani about the maritime artefacts, diving tools, and traditional boat models. He also watched part of a live demonstration by the artisan participating in the pavilion and learned about the nature of the crafts and skills historically associated with maritime life in the region.
Al-Kindi praised the efforts made to highlight Emirati maritime heritage and the historical, cultural, and human values it embodies. He stressed that presenting heritage in a live and interactive manner goes beyond introducing the past; it contributes to keeping this heritage present in community life and gives younger generations an opportunity to learn about its details, practices, and authentic crafts.
He said that heritage festivals provide an important space for communities to reconnect with their heritage, particularly when artefacts are complemented by live crafts, photographs, oral narratives, and specialised publications. He noted that Dibba Al Hisn possesses a rich maritime heritage that deserves to be documented and highlighted, as it represents an authentic part of the city’s history and the heritage of its people. He also stressed the importance of continuing efforts to preserve these traditions and strengthen their presence in cultural events, ensuring their continuity and the transmission of their knowledge and skills from one generation to another.
Visits Reinforce the Institute’s Presence
The Institute’s pavilion was also honoured by visits from His Excellency Dr. Thani bin Ahmed Al Zeyoudi and His Excellency Abdullah bin Mohammed Al Owais. They viewed the pavilion’s contents and its heritage displays, which reflect the authenticity of Emirati maritime heritage and highlight Dibba Al Hisn’s rich cultural legacy connected to the sea, fishing, and diving.
Artefacts Evoking the Heritage of the Sea
The Institute’s pavilion featured a diverse collection of artefacts and tools associated with the sea, fishing, and diving, alongside a number of books and specialised publications focusing on the marine environment, maritime proverbs and terminology. It also showcased various traditional boat models from the collection of Mr. Mohammed Al-Loughani, an Emirati artisan specialising in traditional boatbuilding.
The pavilion also featured live demonstrations of the craft of making rope necklaces, allowing visitors to explore one of the traditional crafts associated with maritime heritage and observe the different stages of its production in an interactive manner.
Photographs Capturing the City’s History
The pavilion also included a photographic exhibition documenting aspects of the maritime environment in Dibba Al Hisn and tracing the city’s history and its relationship with the sea, diving, and fishing. The exhibition offered visitors vivid glimpses into coastal life and the significance of the sea in the local heritage.
Hind Al-Awani: Our Participation Documents the Heritage
Ms. Hind Al-Awani, Director of the Sharjah Institute for Heritage – Dibba Al Hisn Branch, affirmed that the Institute’s participation in the Al Maleh and Marine Fishing Festival stems from its commitment to documenting and promoting maritime heritage and highlighting the rich legacy of Dibba Al Hisn, with its deep-rooted connections to the sea, traditional crafts, and professions.
She said that the festival represents an important opportunity to introduce Emirati maritime heritage and highlight the details of the life experienced by parents and ancestors along the coast. She added that the Institute’s pavilion brought together heritage artefacts, live demonstrations, photographic documentation, and specialised publications, with the aim of offering an integrated experience reflecting the richness and diversity of maritime heritage.
Living Heritage for Future Generations
The Sharjah Institute for Heritage’s participation in the festival reaffirms its commitment to preserving Emirati heritage, documenting its components, and highlighting its presence within the cultural landscape. It also strengthens the presence of traditional crafts and practices in heritage events, contributing to the preservation of Emirati maritime heritage and ensuring that it remains present in the awareness of future generations.