UAE: Summer camp in RAK teaches children how Emirati families once lived and farmed

Khaleej Times

2 days ago

The historic area of Shamal was chosen as the site of this year's Ras Al Khaimah kids summer camp, because of its deeply rooted agricultural heritage, according to Ahmed Obaid Al Teneiji, Director General of the Antiquities and Museums Authority in Ras Al Khaimah.
Al Teneiji said the Antiquities and Museums Authority selects a different environment each year to showcase the diversity of the emirate's landscapes and traditions. After last year's camp focused on Ras Al Khaimah's coastal culture in Shaam, this summer the spotlight shifted inland to the fertile lands of Shamal.
'This year, we focused on the agricultural environment, which Ras Al Khaimah is famous for the area of Shamal,' Al Teneiji explained. 'It's an opportunity for the younger generation to connect with the traditional practices their forefathers engaged in, from working with palm trees and harvesting dates to learning traditional irrigation techniques and the many uses of the blessed palm tree.'
The summer camp, which ran from July 15 to 19, featured hands-on activities for kids aged 12-15, including palm frond weaving, rope making, and demonstrations of traditional date harvesting. These were organized in collaboration with local craftspeople and the Palm Arts and Heritage Society.
Al Yazrah water-extraction method
One of the activities during the summer camp was water-extraction method known as 'Al Yazrah.' Before the use of electric pumps, farmers in the UAE relied on animal power to draw water for agriculture.
Al Yazrah used a bull typically over two years old and trained for months to pull a bucket from a shallow well along a sloped path. This method was once widespread in coastal and eastern regions of the country.
This technique was common about 30 years ago, As the bull moved back and forth, the wooden system would make rhythmic sounds that helped keep the worker focused and motivated.
At a recent summer camp, young participants had the chance to see how Al Yazrah worked, offering them a hands-on experience of how earlier generations managed farming with limited tools and great creativity.
13-year-old Yousef Rashid Ahmed Rashid Al Shameili expressed his enjoyment of learning about Emirati heritage at the summer camp, where he discovered how to climb palm trees using a traditional rope called a habool. He also learned the process of harvesting dates, including how to separate and collect ripe date bunches. 'There were many things I didn't know before, but I learned a lot through the camp,' he shared.
Al Teneiji highlighted the strong community engagement the camp received, noting that children and families came not only from Shamal but from all across Ras Al Khaimah. "Every day, we had families returning," he said."
'We want the children to not just learn, but to experience what life was like how families used to migrate from coastal areas to the farms during the summer season, how they lived, worked, and built their livelihoods from the land,' Al Teneiji added.
He also revealed that next year's summer camp will explore a different environment within Ras Al Khaimah which its mission is to educate youth through immersive, place-based learning.