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Khaleej Times
6 days ago
- General
- Khaleej Times
UAE: How Emirati women once used different burqa'a colours to signify stages of life
The Emirati burqa'a, once a daily sign of modesty and social status, is now a fading tradition cherished by older generations and seen as a cultural symbol by younger ones. For women who do wear it, the face covering is not just an accessory but a piece of memories and identity sewn into its fabric. The term 'burqa' often refers to the full-body garment worn in some Muslim communities, covering the entire body. However, the Emirati burqa'a is distinct. In the UAE and parts of the Gulf, it refers to a decorative, stiffened cloth mask that covers part of the face, typically the nose and eyebrows, and sometimes the mouth, while leaving the eyes uncovered. The accessory is widely used to depict Emirati heritage during exhibitions and national occasions. Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. Visual artist Karima Al Shomely, who uses the traditional Emirati burqa'a in modern artistic productions as part of her creative work, describes it as a vital part of Emirati heritage rather than a religious symbol. She explains that it signified modesty, social status and protection from the harsh desert climate, and that migration to the UAE from Oman in the 19th century was facilitated through cultural exchange. She notes that regional variations emerged over time: older women chose smaller eye openings to conceal wrinkles or missing teeth; desert tribes dressed girls as young as seven in oversized burqa'as for skin protection; and colours like metallic gold-green and purple reflected age and status. Medium-length Miayani burqa'as often marked newly married women, while the Eastern Mankous, with its inverted 'sword', rested on the tip of the nose. More than an ornament, the burqa'a once enabled women to work outdoors modestly, navigate social rules and mark the transition from girlhood to womanhood. Worn for a lifetime Some elderly Emirati women continue to wear them as they have for decades. Seventy-year-old Zaafarana Ahmed Khamis first wore the veil after her marriage and has kept the practice for more than 46 years. 'In the past, there were clear rules about the burqa'a. Young unmarried girls wore larger ones that covered almost the entire face and chest, while married women could wear slightly smaller ones with wider eye openings.' Teen girls used to wear deep red or dark burqa'as, signalling modesty, while brides transitioned to a shiny, gold-tinted version that reflected their maturity and marital status. Inside homes, a single nail by the door held the burqa'a. As Khamis recalled: 'If someone knocked, we would immediately put on the burqa'a before opening the door.' The burqa'a was never just fabric. It was hand-sewn, held in place by the Al Seif, a strip of local wood across the nose, and tied with the al Shubuq, a red cotton or wool string fastened at the back of the head. Weddings were a milestone in the life cycle of the burqa'a, as brides received smaller, married-women styles in their trousseau. But today, Zaafarana says the meaning has shifted. 'It used to be for coverage and modesty. Now, younger women wear smaller, thinner designs that are more decorative than protective.' From daily wear to ceremonial symbol For 65-year-old Aisha Ali Al-Blooshi, the burqa'a has reappeared in talli-embroidered, indigo-dyed and even gold-plated forms for National Day and weddings. 'These new burqa'as are for occasions or fashion. They are not the same as what we used to wear every day. They are symbolic now, not our daily life,' she said. She predicts that the covering will 'survive only as a ceremonial or fashionable accessory' for future generations. Younger women now prefer the hijab, niqab or ghashwa. Eighty-year-old Maryam Salem remembers when the burqa'a was inseparable from adulthood. She first wore it on her wedding night at 17 because, in her region, unmarried girls were never expected to wear face coverings. She recalls buying indigo dye at the market, hand-sewing her own burqa'a, and later making them for others to sell at Dh3 to Dh5 each. To her, the burqa'a is a piece of her identity. Today, as the covering becomes a piece of heritage rather than a necessity, women like Khamis, Al Blooshi and Salem continue to wear it, honouring a tradition that speaks to the identity and resilience of Emirati women even as it fades from daily life.
The National
27-02-2025
- Entertainment
- The National
Weekly UAE museum and gallery guide: From art inspired by Emirati heritage to one created from chicken wings
This week's round-up of exhibitions is filled with artworks crafted from unexpected objects. From a satirical reflection of the fast-paced lifestyle in a contemporary city to a porcelain tribute to a work by the 13th century poet Rumi, here are three exhibitions to see this week. Lantian Xie is an artist who has a penchant for producing artworks that use unconventional materials to reflect upon experiences in a contemporary city. His newest exhibition at Grey Noise can be seen as a critique of the daily bustle in a fast-paced city, whether it's the anxiety of manoeuvring traffic, stopping at a gas station for food and fuel, or even taking on the city by foot. The exhibition features a panoply of objects that aren't traditionally used to create art: from chicken wings to a shirt and shorts. The centrepiece of the exhibition is a video that draws from Mass Traffic, a book that Xie wrote with Sabih Ahmed, featuring sequences of texts that reflect upon the speed of daily life in contemporary urban environments. Tuesday to Saturday, 11am-7pm; until March 29; Grey Noise, Dubai Melis Buyruk's exhibition at Leila Heller Gallery draws inspiration from the story of the four birds that is found in the fifth book of Rumi's Masnavi. Each of the birds in the story represents a facet of the human condition, including desire, fear, attachment and the yearning for freedom. Buyruk uses porcelain to materialise these concepts. Among the works is a series four oval frames that feature floral designs rendered that embody the qualities represented by the birds. Monday to Friday, 10am-7pm; Saturday, 11am – 7pm; until March 9; Leila Heller Gallery, Dubai Reflections and Inspiration from Emirati Heritage came about as a collaboration between Sharjah Heritage Museum and University of Sharjah's College of Fine Arts and Design. The exhibition opened in November 2023 and, after more than a year of being on show, it will soon draw to a close. Students from the college reflect upon elements in UAE heritage designs and across dozens of unique works to bring a refreshed look to these traditional motifs. Patterns found in traditional handicrafts like Sadu and Talli are rendered with vibrant paintings and sculptures. There are also works that reimagine the heritage elements in modern fashion designs. Saturday to Thursday, 8am-8pm; Friday, 4pm – 8pm; until April 15; Sharjah Heritage Museum, Sharjah
