For a decade I have had friends from all over the world who have visited Dubai and told me about the Emiratis, the natives of the United Arab Emirates. Most of what I heard was nasty and negative comments about Emiratis. These range from comments about their hypocrisy, greed and vanity to outright accusations of racism, religious intolerance and corrupt nature.
And for a year now, I’ve been living in Dubai hoping to meet these Emiratis who have been inspiring such stories. And surprisingly, they don’t seem to exist. My fascination with the culture, tradition, language, religion and people of this region has made me observe, analyze and present these facts about the Emirati people. To me, they are a nation of well-intentioned but very misunderstood people. Here’s why.
They are not arrogant: Emiratis are no more arrogant than a Filipino, an Indian or an American in the United Arab Emirates. What they are is that they are very private people. When it comes to his family and personal life, we would rarely find an Emirati person open to discussions. Respect for their family, culture, value system, and traditions has often led people to think of them as aloof, reclusive, and therefore arrogant. What may surprise you is that a warm smile, greeting and handshake is all it takes to start a conversation with an Emirati. Dubai is today the business center of the world. And that wouldn’t have happened if the natives of the land were arrogant and anything but welcoming.
They are not floating on money: a popular belief is that the Emiratis are very privileged and lead a luxurious life without their feet touching the ground. This is one of the most common misconceptions created by both expats living in the UAE and those coming on tour. You may often hear unverified statements about an Emirati who is so rich, doesn’t need to work, and takes the benefits of his country for granted. However, if you were to take the time to observe the Emiratis, you would find them doing everything like everyone else. They wait in lines at a Starbucks, board the subways, and walk with their families in the many shopping malls and. And the privileged few in society are not just limited to Emiratis. Many of the rich people in the UAE today are expats, some of them are Arabs from other countries.
They focus on education: in any case, an average Emirati seems to be more educated than an average Westerner. I’ve heard some sneaky comments that Emiratis don’t learn much and rely on their connections and influence to climb the ladder. It is understandable that in a country where the basic rules and laws are written in Arabic and English, it is natural to see that the citizens of that country are preferred by their government for high-ranking positions. Anyone who believes that Emiratis with very little education have preference for jobs is misinformed. Every high-ranking Emirati official we know would have studied at one of the best universities in the Middle East or the world.
They have a sense of fashion: yes, men prefer the Kandura and women wear the Abhaya. But no, they don’t because they don’t have any other clothes! Wake up expats. Emiratis greatly respect their traditions and culture and believe in continuing them through the ages. In fact, it is a pity that most of the Asian countries have forgotten or hidden their traditional costumes and opt for Western attire. As for doubts about your fashion sense not adhering to Western tastes, take a look at where Emiratis buy their non-traditional clothes, watch a fashion show showcasing Emirati designers, or just take a moment to notice the Emirati youth hanging out in the malls and you will never doubt again!
They love to mix with other cultures: Although the Emirati culture is traditionally influenced by the culture of the Persian empire, modern Emiratis are a perfect mix of cultures from both the East and the West. From India to the United States, Emiratis have taken cultural lessons and combined them with their modern lifestyles. This is evident in many aspects of your daily work and personal life. They wear traditional costumes, drive the latest cars, eat Chinese food, watch an Indian movie, and hang out with their American friends. Now, if that’s not mixing cultures, then what is?
I think the Emiratis are misunderstood in their own land. Lately I have heard that Emiratis are discriminated against in the UAE simply because of their appearance and the perceptions, prejudices and apprehensions that expats have towards them. In a land that is open to the whole world to come and profit and live in peace, being a misunderstood native is not an easy thing. It can eerily resemble the story of the new world: the Americas, where everyone migrated to live and prosper, and slowly the misunderstood Native American Indian tribes disappeared. However, with a modernizer like Sheikh Mohammed running this great nation, that is an unlikely possibility. What might be possible one day is that misconceptions about the locals end up pushing them deeper into this bubbling society, forcing them to live in its center instead of branching out everywhere. This would create new challenges for the government and the people. Will such things happen? Will the misconceptions never break? Will the day come when local Emiratis are understood and appreciated in their own country by everyone else?
Only time will tell.