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Rich Traditions of Emiratis

Salamah Ghudayer, a volunteer at the Shaikh Mohammad Centre for Cultural Understanding shared some of the ways her Al Ain family celebrates Eid.

He says that the night before Eid, women do last minute shopping and men go to the fruit souk, but everything is done in a ordered manner. “It’s not that we are not organised,” Ghudayer said. “It’s that people always worry that there isn’t enough, that more people will be visiting.”

In the days before Eid, intricate henna floral patterns snake along the hands and arms of women more than usual.

Ghudayer said her family usually brings a woman to their home so they can have the henna done while people engaged with the preparations.

“The elderly like the plain designs on the bottom of their feet and fingertips, so we do it for them after our intricate designs dry.” Early the next morning, her family goes outdoors for the Eid prayer. In Al Ain, Ghudayer said the entire city gathers, but there are just a handful of locations in Dubai for people to gather for prayers outdoors.

After prayers, some members of the family stay back to greet guests at the home while others leave to visit others.

“It’s hard to describe who visits and who stays to greet guests,” Ghudayer said. “It has to do with social ranking within your social circle.”

Women sit in the main majlis, or sitting room, and receive guests.

Male visitors recite poetry to announce their presence and the women, who dress up for the occasion and wear makeup, greet female visitors.

Children are even more eager on occasions like these as they know that 
‘Eidya’ is waiting for them. Edya is a small amount of money given as a token of love. Ghudayer compared the small gift to the candy given out on Halloween, and the Chinese who have a similar tradition during the lunar new year when adults give children red envelopes with a small change.

Families rest during the afternoon before the prayer and prepare for the evening guests, and the visits lasts normally for three days so that everyone can see all their close ones.

During Eid Al Adha, local families are also busy preparing for people who return from the Haj. If the family members are returning from Haj, Ghudayer said there are extra preparations, with a larger majlis set up to accommodate more visitors and new linen and cloth laid out. “People who return from Haj are believed to have been absolved of their sins,” Ghudayer explained. “We try to help them in their fresh start by giving them a clean, new lifestyle for them to return to.”

emily@khaleejtimes.com

• UAE