Emirati heritage in African Sahara as the UAE participates

The UAE's Al Ayalla group has held its first performance for the Saharan Bedouin festival, Tan Tan Moussem, taking place from 5th to 10th May in the southern region of Morocco.
A 200-strong Emirati delegation, headed by the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee - Abu Dhabi, has returned for the fourth year as a special guest at the annual festival celebrating the heritage of Sahrawi tribes.
A camp with several traditional Emirati tents are presenting the customs, traditions and heritage of the UAE. Emirati women representing Abu Dhabi's General Women's Union are preparing traditional Emirati foods, as well as holding workshops and showcasing different handicrafts at the festival.
Also participating is the Camel Racing Federation and Swaihan's Veterinary Research Centre, who have organised several camel competitions and are holding camel veterinary presentations.
Music, folklore, pearl diving and date farming are among the many Emirati traditions being showcased at Tan Tan.
"Ever since the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan started bilateral relations with Morocco, the Maghreb nation has been a great friend of the UAE. The Moroccan people and its leadership have a genuine appreciation of the UAE. This country has so much to offer, but culture is one of the most distinguished attributes of Morocco. For these reasons, we are participating in the Tan Tan Moussem. It is part of our cultural exchange," said Abdulla Butti Al Qubaisi, Director of Communications at the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee.
Some 250 African tents are erected on the outskirts of the town of Tan Tan, among the foothills of the Sahara and a wave ride away from the Atlantic, each tent belonging to a different Sahrawi tribe. Throughout the festival, the nomadic tribes and each region of Morocco will be celebrating their customs, handicrafts, music, poetry and tribal culture.

Source: WAM