Faces of Abu Dhabi
Many come to Abu Dhabi for the striking modern architecture and gold-embossed opulence that has made the Emirates world-famous. The most widely recognized features of the United Arab Emirates today are the gleaming skyscrapers, the breathtaking grandeur of the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, and the pristine desert dunes. And yet, beyond the contemporary skyline, there is a deeply rooted heritage that defines the true spirit of the UAE.
Lucky timing allowed me to experience the 10-day, annual Maritime Heritage Festival—an event which invites Emiratis to slow down and remember their roots as a small, coastal town before the oil boom.
Navigating the festival grounds alongside a local guide, I was able to get a rare glimpse into the maritime and seafaring traditions of the men, as well as domestic and artistic traditions of Emirati women. In a region where women deeply value their personal privacy, photographing them is typically strictly avoided. But, because the festival held demonstrations of these traditional crafts, I was allowed to take pictures —though only after my guide requested explicit permission from each individual woman.
Through the lens of these festival artisans, this series of portraits captures the coastal past of Abu Dhabi before modern industrialization transformed the landscape. Ultimately, the goal of the festival was to transport the attendee back in time, and by providing a living window into these generational customs, the event successfully bridged the gap between the historical past and the present.
A few things you’ll notice in these photos:
The Battoulah
In several of the portraits featuring female artisans, you will notice a striking, metallic-gold face covering known as a battoulah. Historically worn by married Emirati women, it is a deeply respected symbol of modesty and personal privacy. In this gallery, it also marks a fascinating generational shift: while the older artisans safely guard their privacy behind the traditional masks, the younger generation has largely transitioned toward a more modern aesthetic, leaving their faces uncovered.
The Abaya and Emirati Head Coverings
Throughout Abu Dhabi and the wider UAE, the standard daily attire for Emirati women consists of the abaya (a long, loose-fitting outer robe) paired with a headscarf that is unique to the Arabian Gulf region known as a shayla. In this gallery, you’ll notice two completely different generational styles of this headwear. The younger artisan wears a modern, contemporary shayla made of thick, solid black fabric neatly pinned and wrapped over her shoulder. By contrast, the older artisans all wear a more traditional, vintage variation where delicate, transparent black tulle is draped like a veil over their shoulders and, in one case, covers her whole face.
While historically these garments were plain black, designed strictly for basic modesty, you can notice a great deal of modern personalization in contemporary daily life. Look closely at the portraits and you will see how women express their individual style, utilizing gold-flecked patterns on the fabric and gold jewelry galore.
The Kandura
Traditional dress for Emirati men is not reserved for special occasions; it’s a proud statement of identity, worn daily. In these photos, you will see men wearing kanduras—crisp, loose-fitting, ankle-length robes that are typically white.
Much like the Omani dishdasha, the Emirati garment is distinct for its sleek, collarless neckline. If you look closely at the chest of the men in these photos, you’ll notice a long, braided tassel called a tarboush hanging down the center. While purely decorative today, these tassels were traditionally dipped in heavy Arabian perfumes to keep the wearer smelling fragrant in the coastal heat.
Men’s Head Coverings
Atop their heads, men wear a ghutrah (headscarf). It is often held in place by a heavy black cord called an agal, which historically served as a rope nomadic desert tribes used to tie a camel’s legs at night to keep them from wandering off. During the day, the easiest place to store the rope was on top of their head coverings, where it eventually evolved into a permanent, symbolic accessory designed to anchor the fabric against the desert wind.
However, in several of these portraits, you will notice a more casual, active variation called the Hamdaniyah style. For this look, the black cord is omitted entirely, and the fabric is tightly wrapped around the crown of the head like a streamlined turban, keeping the covering secure while the men work on their traditional crafts or handle falcons.
In the harsh, resource-scarce desert of the Gulf region, falconry (known locally as kanas) was not historically a sport or a hobby—it was a vital survival tool for the Bedouin (the nomadic Arab tribes inhabiting the desert regions of the Arabian Peninsula and beyond).
For thousands of years, wild falcons were captured and trained with to hunt animals for the handler and his family. After hunting season ended, the falcons were released back into the wild.
Today, though, falconry has transitioned from a necessity into one of the UAE’s most honored national heritage sports. These birds are so revered in the UAE that they are issued their own government passports, travel in air-conditioned luxury, and compete in prestigious tournaments with prize pools worth millions.
This falconer demonstrated explained that each bird wore a leather hood (called a burqa) to cover the bird’s eyes in order to keep it calm. He posed with an intense gaze, showing off the deep bond between handler and bird, while standing proudly in front of the Abu Dhabi Falconers’ Club booth.
In a bustling kitchen station, framed by the distant Abu Dhabi skyline, a group of three women worked side-by-side to demonstrate traditional Emirati meal preparation. While the others prepped different elements of the meal, this artisan sat enveloped by the rich aroma of raw ingredients, using a heavy metal mortar and pestle to methodically crush spices into a fine powder.
She was crafting Bzar: the foundational, savory spice blend unique to the United Arab Emirates. Historically, the family matriarchs would prepare this essential blend in massive batches, grinding enough spices at once to last their households for months.
Look closely past the foreground of her workspace and you can catch a glimpse of the city’s towering modern skyscrapers. It serves as a beautiful juxtaposition—an ancient, aromatic domestic art being kept alive right in the shadow of a ultra-modern metropolis.
Sitting cross-legged against a backdrop of palm-frond weave, this elder artisan was practicing the meticulous art of hand-knitting a traditional fishing net.
In his right hand, he held a classic wooden netting shuttle wrapped tightly with twine. With incredible rhythm and precision, he looped and knotted the thread, building out the structural mesh grid row by row. Historically, these nets were the lifelines of the local economy. Before the discovery of oil in the region, the survival of families along the coast relied entirely on the quality of a fisherman’s gear to pull catches from the Arabian Gulf.
He was incredibly focused, not noticing (or perhaps, just not caring) when I came up to his stand to watch the demonstration. Seeing his skilled hands continue a craft that has sustained the region for generations is a quiet reminder of Abu Dhabi’s deep, unbreakable connection to the sea.
Seated cross-legged behind a vibrant cloth packed with jars of oils and powders, this woman was demonstrating how to make traditional Emirati incense, known as bukhoor. In Gulf culture, incense is commonly used to scent the home before guests arrive or to add perfume to one’s clothing.
As I watched this artisan interact with potential customers, one tested the scent of the incense by pulling her black veil over the burner, trapping the fragrant smoke underneath to see what it smelled like.
She had such an open, kind, and welcoming demeanor. This booth showcased a lovely snapshot of a sensory tradition that has defined the warmth of Emirati homes for generations.
Bringing a vibrant, joyful energy to the heritage grounds, I photographed this younger artisan smiling warmly, while working at the talli booth. Al Talli is a traditional form of Emirati hand-braiding and embroidery that utilizes gold, silver, and colored threads to create intricate decorative braids. The finished product is subsequently used to embellish the cuffs, collars, and hems of women’s traditional garments in the region.
To construct the piece, each artisan uses a specialized, stuffed cushion called a kajeoja, around which the threads are wound and braided. Historically, the process of making talli served as a highly social activity for women in the UAE. Gathering collectively in homes to braid allowed them to share stories, foster community, and pass down the skill from generation to generation.
Notably, this woman was the only female demonstrator at the festival practicing her craft without a battoulah. While the older generation of artisans highly values their privacy by using face coverings for modesty, this young woman’s open expression highlights a shifting cultural landscape. Today, these coverings are largely only worn by the older generations, whereas younger women have transitioned toward a more modern aesthetic. Alternatively, appearing in public without a battoulah can simply denote that a young woman is not yet married.
To me, this portrait bridges the gap between historical customs and contemporary life. Even as her modern demeanor shines through, her hands remain anchored to the traditional weaving pillow in her lap. These generational arts are not fading into history, a fact underscored by UNESCO officially listing Al Talli on its Intangible Cultural Heritage list, ensuring the craft remains alive in the hands of a new generation of Emirati women.
Seated directly in the middle of a massive sheet of heavy canvas, this craftsman was demonstrating how his ancestors would sew sails for dhows (the traditional wooden sailing boats used in the past for fishing and pearl diving). Just behind him, his two sandals sat neatly on the sand.
Historically, the sails for these dhows had to be stitched with absolute precision. Artisans used thick needles and heavy-duty, interlocking stitches specifically engineered to withstand the brutal winds and salty air of the Arabian Gulf. A single structural failure at sea could leave a crew completely stranded.
If you look closely at the cloth near his hand, you can spot a small hand-drawn symbol on the fabric, which serves as a guide used to ensure the immense sheets align together perfectly. Tied directly to the spirit of Abu Dhabi’s maritime heritage, this demonstration served as a vivid reminder that long before the arrival of modern engines, the region’s entire seafaring economy relied quite literally on the strength of a sail-maker’s stitch.
I walked up to a group of men sat sharing a lively conversation in the golden afternoon light. They were sitting together on low, patterned floor cushions in a warm display of Karam (traditional Arab hospitality).
As they chatted, a local woman walked among the booths, offering them a box of Jalebi: a traditional, bright orange sweet made of crisp, deep-fried batter soaked in a saffron and cardamom sugar syrup.
While enjoying a break for sweets and small cups of Arabic coffee, this artisan didn’t stop crafting. Look closely at his feet and you will see a bundle of white cords anchored firmly around his big toe; this creates enough tension needed to braid thick lines by hand.
This specialized work is part of traditional dhow rigging and rope-braiding. Every line, knot, and loop on an old sailing ship had to be meticulously hand-crafted to withstand the fierce winds and rough waters of the Arabian Gulf. It is a snapshot of ancient daily life. showing that even during a moment of relaxation and hospitality, the community’s connection to their maritime heritage never pauses.
This artisan came walking right up the smoothed sandy path of the festival grounds, effortlessly balancing a large woven basket directly on her head. Historically, carrying goods this way was a practical, daily necessity for Emirati women as they transported food, household supplies, or harvested dates across the settlements.
The basket itself is even a piece of living history, hand-woven from dried date palm leaves using a traditional craft called Al-Khoos. In the arid environment of the Gulf, the date palm was a vital resource, with no part of the tree going to waste. Master weavers would dye and braid the fronds to create everything from sturdy storage baskets like this one to floor mats and house thatch.
As she paused and looked past my camera, the direct sunlight caught the brilliant gold embroidery on her sleeves and the intricate henna patterns stained onto her fingers. It was a spectacular display of poise and tradition, moving gracefully through a changing world.
Seated behind a mountain of raw cotton, this artisan was deep in the process of stuffing a traditional wool pillow. Amidst a sea of white and black clothing at the festival, his red-checkered headscarf (called a keffiyeh) was a vibrant pop of color.
Using his hands to evenly distribute the packing, he was tightly stuffing a canvas lining to create a firm floor pillow. Before the introduction of modern, imported western furniture, Gulf households relied entirely on these handmade cushions—traditionally stuffed with raw cotton or local sheep’s wool. Because daily social life, meals, and meetings took place entirely on the floor, these pillows had to be packed with serious density to serve as sturdy, supportive armrests and backrests.
Look behind him, and you can see the finished products: pristine white cushions adorned with traditional red, green, and gold embroidery. It is a quiet, beautiful look at a trade dedicated entirely to mastering the physical comfort of community gatherings.
In a region that values privacy, especially for women, there is really interesting interplay between what is revealed and what is hidden.
Seated at the center of the kitchen demonstration booth, this artisan was roasting a complex mixture of whole spices. At one point, she leaned over to manage her workspace and stir the spices with a large wooden spoon.
The close-up image highlights the deliberate layering of traditional Emirati women’s attire. Her delicate, sheer black veil draped elegantly over her gold metallic battoulah. The striking contrast between the deep black of her face covering and the vibrant, festive orange and purple patterns of her dress underscores the vibrant aesthetic of the heritage grounds.
There is a deeply-rooted, soulful heritage in the United Arab Emirates. You just have to look past the glistening skyline.