'Rare portal into UAE's past': Student films 1,800-year-old Ras Al Khaimah tribe

Khaleej Times

7 hours ago

Twenty-two-year-old Dubai-based film student Ali Fuad filmed a documentary uncovering the untold story of the Al Shehhi tribe—a resilient Emirati community living in Ras Al Khaimah's mountains for over 1,800 years. His film highlights the tribe's unique language, traditions, and way of life, much of which has yet to be recorded in Emirati history.
Titled 'Echoes of Our Land', Fuad's documentary won the best audience award at Middlesex University Dubai's Premier de MDX screening.
'The Al Shehhi have preserved their heritage for centuries, including a dialect completely distinct from other Emirati dialects. But few people in the UAE even know about them,' Fuad told Khaleej Times, adding: 'I felt a responsibility to share their story with the world.'
His documentary started as a final-year project in the film-making class under senior lecturer Deema Maghalseh. A brainstorming session led Fuad to the Al Shehhi people, and with Maghalseh's support, Fuad spent months conducting immersive research and production work in the mountains of Ras Al Khaimah. One of the biggest challenges was the lack of visual and written documentation, Fuad noted, explaining: 'There were very few films or visual records available, and even written sources were limited.'
'To overcome this, I had to personally visit these areas, meet the people, and learn directly from them. I relied heavily on the elders, who generously shared stories and cultural knowledge passed down through generations,' he added.
Supported by a grant from the Sheikh Saud bin Saqr Al Qasimi Foundation for Policy Research, Fuad's film evolved from a class assignment into a full-fledged documentary that blends raw ethnography with cinematic storytelling.
'I lived with them'
Fuad, who is also a hiker and adventurer, lived alongside the tribe during production, observing their daily lives to ensure an authentic portrayal.
'I didn't want to just observe from the outside,' he said. 'I lived with them, helped herd sheep, shared meals, and listened to the elders. That's how I gained their trust.'
The film's production pushed the team physically and creatively. Fuad shared: 'One of the filming sites was a mountain village that required a four-hour hike to reach. It was physically demanding and tested the entire crew's endurance. But if there's one thing I learned during my time at university, it was to push beyond my comfort zone in order to tell stories that matter.'
The crew, composed of fellow students, including producer Naiem Ayman and director of photography Hayden Diaz, formed a close-knit unit that bonded through shared challenges.
'What started as a second-year assignment became a movement of self-discovery,' said Maghalseh of Echoes of Our Land. '(Fuad) didn't treat this like a school project. He treated it like a calling.'
Guardians of the rugged mountains
According to Fuad, the Al Shehhi tribe holds a unique place in the UAE's cultural and historical tapestry. 'For centuries, they have stood as the guardians of the rugged mountain regions of Ras Al Khaimah, their way of life shaped by the harsh terrain and unforgiving climate. The mountains forged a people marked by resilience, strength, and deep-rooted traditions that remain distinct from other regions in the UAE.'
Life in the mountains was incredibly demanding. With no roads or vehicles, everything was done on foot. Water was scarce, food was hard-won, and survival depended on herding sheep and goats, grinding wheat, and sustaining their community with unwavering determination.
The people cultivated wheat in the early winter, patiently waiting for harvest season to make traditional bread like khubz and dishes such as Aseed, along with beloved Emirati sweets like luqaimat. Since machinery was unavailable, they ground the wheat by hand using the Riha (millstone), rhythmically chanting Tahweed to stay motivated — a musical tradition passed down through generations.
The tribe's cultural expressions, including their unique dialect and war chants like Nabdah, set them apart. These were not just songs but stirring cries meant to show strength and unity in the face of enemies. Even today, the few remaining members of the tribe who still live in the mountains, greet each other with the Nabdah.
Women played a central role not just at home but also in the community's survival. They tended to livestock, fetched food and water, and crafted everyday items by hand. Palm fronds were woven into utensils and roofing materials that provided natural ventilation, essential during the scorching summer months.
Fuad said: 'What makes the Al Shehhi tribe's story even more remarkable is how much of their heritage has been preserved through time. Spending time with them is like stepping into a living museum — a rare and vivid portal into the UAE's past, where every song, every craft, and every tradition speaks to a legacy of strength, adaptation, and enduring cultural pride.'
Untold Emirati stories
The project has already sparked momentum for a full documentary series focused on UAE heritage, expanding the university's impact in cultural storytelling. Fuad now plans to continue exploring untold Emirati stories, from desert communities to the coastal traditions of pearl divers.
'There's so much more to the UAE than skyscrapers. Our country is filled with rich, diverse stories that the world hasn't seen,' Fuad explained. 'I want to be part of the generation that documents them before they fade away.'
Asked about the most touching moment during filming, Fuad recalled a conversation with one of the tribe's elders. 'He told me, 'Now I have something to show my children and grandchildren.' That moment hit me deeply — that this wasn't just my story, it was theirs.'
'These past three years didn't just prepare me — they launched me. I've learned to tell stories that matter, and now I'm ready to take them to the world.'
Fuad also has this advice: 'Be authentic. Start with the stories that move you. Talk to your grandparents and neighbours. The most powerful stories are often right in front of you — waiting to be told.'