Traditions and Heritage Revival in the UAE

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The term “invention of tradition”

Within the discursive context of Sakr’s (2008) article, the term ‘invention of tradition’ is best discussed as Arabic oil-states’ tendency to invest in exploring the cultural roots of its populations by the mean of encouraging architects to combine the elements of Arabic traditional architectural style with the elements of an architectural style that is now being commonly referred to as globally-urban. According to the author, such tendency cannot be referred to as being solely instigated by considerations of Arabian cultural identity’s preservation but also by essentially economic considerations of providing Gulf countries’ tourism-related industries with an additional boost: “To recover its (Arabian) identity, attempts have been made in recent years to create the so-called ‘Arabian style’, that would offer tourists the sense of place that they were dreaming of”. (152).

Given the fact that, for duration of forty years, since the discovery of immense oil deposits in Arabian Peninsula, Arabic oil-countries have been undergoing a rapid transformation from being essentially feudal states of the Third World into post-industrial states that feature some of world’s highest standards of living, it was only natural for the citizens to grow increasingly forgetful as to what defines their cultural identity. In its turn, this had brought about a situation when, as of today, it is namely the sheer strength of these citizens’ consumerist urges that characterize the qualitative essence of their existential mode. As it was rightly pointed out by Wilson (1982): “Individuals will naturally prefer to obtain goods now than at some future date” (107).

Given the fact that foreigners account for often as much as 80% of oil-states’ populations (as it is the case with UAE), there are good reasons to believe that Gulf countries’ rapid socio-economic progress may result in depriving them of an objective justification to exist as culturally unique geopolitical entities, which in its turn, would cast doubt onto objectiveness of these countries’ nationhood. This is exactly the reason why, throughout the course of two recent decades, the policies aimed at ‘reinvention of traditions’, have played rather important role in shaping up Gulf countries’ cultural landscape.

Intentions of heritage related activities in the UAE

The foremost intention of heritage-related activities in UAE is being concerned with both: fostering the sense of national identity in country’s native-born citizens and providing potential tourists with an additional incentive to consider visiting UAE as culturally rich Arabic state. Because the process of Globalization undermines the inner integrity of traditionally functioning nation-states, such as UAE, it makes perfectly logical sense for Gulf countries’ rulers to become increasingly preoccupied with trying to preserve cultural heritage, associated with the traditional ways of native-born citizens’ living – by doing it, these rulers strive to ensure the legitimacy of their governmental authority.

As Khalaf (2002) had put it: “With the speed of such oil-propelled, globally driven cultural change the leaders are becoming increasingly concerned with the preservation of their threatened national cultures” (14). At the same time, while endorsing the policy of ‘invention of tradition’, it was becoming increasingly clear for policy-makers in UAE that their intention to preserve local people’s cultural traditions cannot be solely thought of within the context of strengthening the extent of country’s national integrity, but also within the context of diversifying country’s economy.

Given the fact, that Arabian Peninsula’s oil deposits are estimated to last for only another 50-100 years, it represents the matter of foremost importance for the leaders of Gulf countries to invest into making national economies less oil-dependent. According to Zakaria (2004): “Even Saudi Arabia recognizes that its oil economy can provide only one job for every three of its young men coming into the work force” (17). Therefore, the fact that ever since early nineties, UAE’s officials have been trying to provide Dubai’s architectural landscape with an aura of Arabic cultural uniqueness should be regarded as yet additional proof as to the sheer strength of their economic insightfulness.

The reason for this is simple – by doing it, UAE’s rulers increase the extent of city’s attractiveness for tourists. In its turn, this created a situation that even today, Dubai is being considered as one of world’s most authentic and yet luxurious tourist destinations. In the article from which we have already quoted, Sakr states: “(In Dubai) Leisure, work, shopping, residence, sightseeing are all collapsed into one experience. Increasingly, people live as tourists in their own city” (149). As the example of Dubai shows, in globalized world, the significance of officially endorsed policies, aimed to promote the ‘celebration of cultural traditions’, should be accessed through the lenses of economic pragmatism.

“Heritage inspired” projects as a remedy to alleviate Emiratis’ sense of alienation

While agreeing with suggestions that Dubai’s ‘heritage inspired’ projects such as Madinat Jumeirah, Old Town, Bab al-Shams or Al Maha Resort do add to the legitimacy of an outlook on this city as one of world’s most well-known tourist destinations, I do not necessarily agree with suggestions that the mere existence of these projects can somehow slow down the process of UAE’s citizens’ growing increasingly alienated from their own cultural traditions, due to being affected by the forces of Globalization.

It is important to understand that; whereas, the process of Globalization has been dialectically predetermined by the laws of history, the tendency of a particular individual to think of its identity solely within the context of his or her ethnic or religious affiliation, serves as an indication of such individual’s intellectual inflexibility. In its turn, this renders a concerned individual’s mode of existence anti-historical.

Therefore, I can only subscribe to Leach’s (2003) point of view, in regards to the discussed subject matter, which treats the concept of cultural heritage as such that is being only formally related to what is being commonly perceived as its emanations: “Cultural identity emerges as a complex, rhizomatic field of operations that engages with – but is not defined by – cultural artifacts such as architecture” (127). In today’s post-industrial megalopolises, such as Dubai, it is namely residents’ varying ability to earn money, which reflects the degree of their social value, as individuals, and consequently – their chances of self-actualization.

And, it is needless to mention, of course, that within the conceptual premise of an earlier statement, one’s unwavering willingness to stick to its cultural traditions, while facing the challenges of globalized living, should be referred to as something rather counter-productive. It is namely the fact that UAE’s rulers had shown themselves committed to clearly post-industrial ideal of openness and tolerance, while choosing in favor practicing the secularized form of Islam, which had enabled them to take the full advantage of country’s oil.

After all, Iranian oil deposits are being estimated to be five times as large as that of UAE – yet, it is not the residents of UAE that strive to immigrate to Iran but the vice versa. Apparently, as time goes by, more and more citizens of UAE grow to think of their sense of alienation from the rest of Islamic world as the actual source of their cultural identity – pure and simple. Therefore, the fact that, during the course of recent decades Dubai’s landscape saw the erection of many Arabically styled buildings, should not be thought of as simply the proof of city officials’ traditional-mindedness, but as what it really is – the indication of these people’s commerce-related industriousness.

Works Cited

Khalaf, Sulayman. “Globalization and Heritage Revival in the Gulf.” Journal of Social Affairs 19, no. 75 (2002): 13-42.

Leach, Neil. “Belonging: Towards a Theory of Identification with Place.” Perspecta 33, (2002): 126-133.

Sakr, Mamdouh Mohamed. 2008. “Creating the ‘Arabian’ Architectural Style.” in Amer Moustafa, Jamal Al-Qawasmi & Kevin Mitchell (eds) “Instant Cities. Emergent Trends in Architecture and Urbanism in the Arab World”. Sharjah: CSAAR Press, 145-160.

Wilson, Rodney. “Economic Change and Re-Interpretation of Islamic Social Values.” Bulletin (British Society for Middle Eastern Studies) 9, no. 2 (1982): 107-113.

Zakaria, Fareed. “Islam, Democracy, and Constitutional Liberalism.” Political Science Quarterly 119, no. 1 (2004): 1-20.

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Traditions and Heritage Revival in the UAE

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