Today's Edition
TALAH TURK (ABU DHABI)
What better way to learn about a country’s history and culture than to step into a place that has witnessed it in real time?
Tucked away in Khalifa Park in the UAE capital is the Heritage Majlis offering a quick look into a few gems of Emirati history.
The one-storey building consists of three rooms that are now labelled “The Sheikh’s Room”, “Al-Majlis”, and “Al-Tarmeem”.
The Sheikh’s Room
The first room teaches visitors about traditional weapons in the UAE. It offers a brief description of the history of weaponry and how it developed over time from simple handmade sharp objects to guns.
It also explains how weapons are an important part of the UAE’s culture, specifically special occasions liked weddings, where locals showed off their decorated daggers and swords as a tradition.
Images of the weapons are on display, labelled with their Arabic and English names such as the local sword, silver daggers, Matchlock, and Lee-Enfield.
Al-Majlis
The second room contains images of official documents from the late Sheikh Shakhbout bin Sultan Al Nahyan, who was the Ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1928 to 1966.
The room showcases black and white images of the late Ruler, and features a detailed description of the Majlis including dimensions, as well as information about its construction and location. Also on display, neatly framed on the walls of the Majlis, are the banknotes and stamps from that time period.
Al-Tarmeem
As for the last room, it showcases images of the renovation process of the Majlis in 2001, which was ordered by President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
Alongside the images is a detailed explanation of the intricate process of construction and unique materials used, including local and imported resources such as Indian Teakwood and Al Qana sticks.
The Concept
The Majlis, which directly translates to council or assembly, has long been an integral component of the local social scene, where locals spend their time debating, deliberating, and exchanging information about current issues and affairs.
The Majlis carries such immense significance that in 2015, it was inscribed on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.
