Discover this long held Emirati tradition.
There’s a lot of beauty in our country and our narrative is not being highlighted,” says Emirati Sana’a Amro. Sana’a goes on to explain how many of the tourists and residents who visit and live in the UAE, rarely coming into contact with Emiratis and Emirati culture.
“How many tourists come and go without meeting an Emirati or knowing what the UAE is? And all [that] they saw is some fancy buildings and then left? They probably don’t even know the story behind these fancy buildings.
The founder of The Knot, which started in 2018, an Emirati-led start-up that strives to deliver authentic social and cultural experiences in Abu Dhabi through carefully curated stories of past and present, Sana’a is determined that the story of her country is not only told well, but through its people and traditions.
“One such experience is Beit Al Arab which focuses on Emiratis who have a Mejalis and who want to receive guests. We go to their houses and we assist and we create storytelling.” One such Mejalis is located in Al Falah City, a master development towards the east of Abu Dhabi International Airport. An unassuming newbuild villa outwardly looks no different to the many others that line this suburban street.
The home of Um Youssef, this is just one of the experiences that The Knot offers. This Beit Al Arab or House of an Arab, and a place where a story of yore unfolds. The Mejalis, located in the yard, is how it would have looked in times gone by.
Today a group of NYU Abu Dhabi students are gathered, sat on the ground crossed legged in a circle while Sana’a tells the story of the UAE. The walls are lined with all manner of collectables that Um Youssef has gathered over the years. “She’s a private archivist,” says Sana’a who involves the students by asking them questions about their own culture and how that might be similar to what they are experiencing in the Mejalis.
The story narrated by Sana’a flows naturally but it was not always the case. Born and raised as an Emirati, she never interacted with non-Emiratis in order to “respect their privacy and likewise, foreigners thought that Emiratis like to keep to themselves.”
Seven years as a Cultural Engagement Manager at NYU Abu Dhabi changed all that. “I had to learn all about Emirati culture and the places in the UAE; how could I myself understand the diversity when, at that time, I had never been beyond Dubai.”
Today, The Knot creates a space for visitors and locals to connect through a common thread. And by discovering new cultures, sharing personal stories and creating emotional bonds, guests will leave any of the experiences on offer with a deeper sense of understanding, appreciation and admiration for the contemporary culture found in Abu Dhabi and beyond today.
For more information, visit theknot.ae
