{
  "id": 16037458,
  "title": "Experience Emirati heritage hands-on at Al Ain's Traditional Handicrafts Festival",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/22/experience-emirati-heritage-hands-on-at-al-ains-traditional",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-10-22T10:44:49.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Gulf News",
    "slug": "gulf-news",
    "url": "https://gulfnews.com/uae/abu-dhabi/experience-emirati-heritage-hands-on-at-al-ains-traditional-handicrafts-festival-1.500719650"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Experience Emirati heritage firsthand at Al Ain's Traditional Handicrafts Festival. Participants can engage in various activities, such as visiting the salon to learn about traditional hair styling, wearing traditional attire, experiencing the Ayala, discovering how a Rahmani drum is constructed and played, shaping clay using ancestral techniques, and participating in Heritage Carnival Games with loved ones. Over 900 artisans, designers, and heritage practitioners will be present at the festival, which takes place from October 23 to November 11 at Souq Al Qattara in Al Ain. Entry is free for all visitors.\n\nThe festival boasts two new additions: a salon and a music pavilion. The Salon showcases daily beauty rituals and hair care practices from the past, emphasizing the importance of hair as a symbol of beauty. Mariam Sultan Al Dhaheri, the Head of the Programmes Development Department, explains the significance of the fashion pavilion, which demonstrates the artistry behind Emirati clothing, from selecting fabrics to understanding garment types and wearing them elegantly.\n\nRauda Mohamed Al Dhaheri, Head of the Community Engagement Unit, highlights the festival's focus on hands-on experiences. She emphasizes the importance of each detail in Emirati culture, from hair to accessories, and how the festival aims to convey this meticulous approach. The Traditional Music Pavilion, a new addition to the festival, offers visitors the chance to learn about traditional instruments like the Ayala and the Rahmani drum, as well as participate in activities inspired by the rababa. Malek Al-Hammadi, Head of the Programmes Development Unit, explains that the team wanted to go beyond showcasing instruments and provide visitors with a deeper understanding of their construction and performance.\n\nThe festival's interactive spaces, including the Bait Al Gahwa and the fashion pavilion, aim to create a sense of community and connection among visitors. Local entrepreneurs showcase their products and stories in the souks, providing a unique shopping experience. The festival is meant to feel like home for everyone, allowing families to bond and learn about Emirati traditions together.",
  "summary": "Abu Dhabi: At this year’s 12th Traditional Handicrafts Festival in Al Ain, Emirati heritage is something you try, not just something you look at. You can take a seat in the salon to see how hair was once styled, learn to wear traditional dress, stand in line for the Ayala, find out how a Rahmani drum is built and played, shape clay with inherited techniques, or take on the Heritage Carnival Games…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}