Popular Traditions

Since the third century B.C., pearling was considered one of the professions practiced by the inhabitants of Arabian Gulf in general and Ajman people in particular. Pearl diving formed the basis of the economic activity in the region until the middle of the 20th century.

People who lived along the coastal areas of the UAE , and in Ajman coastal regions in particular, depended on fishing for their livelihood.

Dhow building
Trading and sea transportation

Markets have long been considered the center of economic activity. Markets were distinguished, in the past, with their location in the center of the city, close to the sea-shore, which facilitated the transportation of goods.The market was made of shops built of coral and plaster or palm branches. Most of the stone buildings were owned by the local government and were rented...

Bedouin tribes were scattered deep in the desert and around its edges. They moved from one part to another during the summer looking for grazing land near water on wells to allow them to survive with their animals. They depended on domestic animals such as camels, sheep and goats to secure their food supplies and to strengthen their own economy. In addition to grazing, the...

Traditional medicine is a major component of the cultural patrimony of the people of the United Arab Emirates. It covers the concepts and philosophy of the people regarding health, diseases, names of diseases and different methods of treatment.

The living room occupies a major position in each house as it forms a gathering point for all family members where they meet, sleep, eat and look after the children. As heat developed in the summer, the housewife used the living room for household activities, cause of its cooler climate because large windows between this room and others allowed in currents of cool air. Usually...

Nations differ in their clothes and costumes just as they differ in their customs, traditions and languages. Religious principles and original Arabic traditions played major roles in fashioning the local costume.

Since pre-history man’s need of arms was two-fold: to defend himself and to secure food by hunting animals and birds. In the beginning, simple weapons such as arrows, axes, knives and swords were used and they have developed over the years into the sophisticated form we see today.

A police officer in the early Islamic days was known as man of ”assas”. ”Assas” in Arabic means patrolling the streets by night to check public security and look for suspects and thieves. The first police officer in the Prophet’s time was Saad Bnu Abi Waqqas and in Abu Baker’s, the first rightly guided Caliph, Abdullah Bin Mas’oud.

The beginning of education in the Emirates of Ajman was similar to that in the rest of the Emirate. It depended on the “Mutawa” and “Mutawa’a” who were in charge of teaching the children to read the alphabet, memorize the Quran and understand its meanings.

In some regions of Ajman, especially Masfoot, farming was a traditional occupation.

Coffee shops were relatively new. That was in the early forties.#A Coffee shop used to serve its customers tea, “gadw” “pottery marghile” and soft-drinks, the most famous of which was “namlet”.