Al Ain (WAM)
Councils are considered a manifestation of communication, solidarity, hospitality, and generosity among the people of the Emirates, and among many peoples of the region, and they play an important role in instilling values, customs, and traditions in societies.
The Majlis is considered one of the elements of culture and heritage in the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, the Sultanate of Oman, and the State of Qatar. Therefore, these countries were able to include it in the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage in UNESCO, through a joint international file they submitted, and since December 2015 it has become part of the human heritage of peoples.
Councils are spread across many Gulf Cooperation Council countries, and are known by different names. In the State of Kuwait, it is called the “Diwaniyah,” in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia it is known as the “Majlis,” and in the Emirates it is called the “Al-Milas,” with a ji-yam in the Emirati dialect.
Parents accompany their children to gatherings, where, in addition to customs and traditions, children acquire a lot of knowledge and knowledge through conversations that are circulated in various fields, such as education, economics, poetry, culture, heritage, and others. Therefore, the councils are considered a platform and a school that contributes to building and strengthening the Emirati identity.
Types of councils
Al-Hazza Musabah Al-Kuwaiti, a researcher at the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi, said that the councils have received the attention of the people of the Emirates for a long time due to their position in achieving communication between the members of society, and their owners were keen to pay attention to their construction, decoration and furnishing, and to give them a distinctive place in the palace or house, as the council is built With an independent entrance from the rest of the house, the Emirati environment and its natural resources were reflected in the construction and equipment of the Majlis.
He explained that the Majlis may be a house of poetry, near the house of the tribal sheikh or in the middle of the “Al-Farij” neighborhood, or Bedouin tents, or it may be a barn surrounded on three sides by branches of Samar, Ghaf and other trees to protect it from the wind and sand. The gathering takes place in the shade of one of the large Ghaf trees, distinguished by their lush shade, and to which people resort at the time of “Qayla,” that is, in the afternoon.
He pointed out that councils in the Emirates are classified into multiple sections depending on the environment in which they are located. Coastal councils are built of plaster and clay, or arish, or in the form of an umbrella, and the “loaded” boat may be the council of divers after they finish diving operations. In this type, the discussion focuses on the types of ships, fishing or diving operations, their difficulties, sales operations, the pearl trade, and others.
He pointed out that the Bedouin councils consist of two types: councils that are held in the open, which the Bedouins call “barns,” where they sit in the open air around a fire and a pot of coffee, and poetry house councils, which are held in a tent made of hair.
Councils for merchants
Al-Kuwaiti stated that the professions practiced by the residents of the Emirates were reflected in their councils, and in the type of conversations that took place in them. There were councils for sheikhs, others for pearl merchants, “tawish” councils, councils for fishermen, and others for those interested in hunting, and special councils also appeared for those working in the field of folk arts. And poetry councils.
He explained that the trade councils were distinguished by the fact that they were open to everyone, especially those working in the diving profession, and by their noticeable activity during the pearl diving seasons, especially in the “Qaffal” season, i.e. the end of the diving season, to negotiate pearl prices and conclude sales deals. They were also active during the month of Ramadan. After Friday prayers, merchants would gather at someone's house to eat lunch and exchange conversations related to their work. They would also discuss sea news and stories about the dangers that divers faced.
“Barzah” councils
Al-Kuwaiti said that there were judicial councils, which specialized in Sharia issues and issues that were transferred from councils of sheikhs and merchants to judges. The Emirati community knew many of these councils, which were known by many names, and their role was not limited to resolving disputes and ruling on various cases, but rather contributed to spreading Religious awareness and teaching of Sharia sciences. The doors of the judges’ councils were open from early in the morning until the time of the noon prayer, and then opened between the afternoon and sunset prayers.
The researcher at the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi explained that in the UAE it is customary to have special councils for sheikhs, in which members of society gather to present their issues, discuss their life affairs, and pass on news. It is called “barzah.” It is said that the sheikh is prominent if he is sitting in the room. I found it, and it could be inside or outside the palace.
He added that these councils were, and still are, playing an important role in social and economic life, and in formulating important decisions in each emirate, and every individual in the emirate has the right to attend Al-Barzah, express his point of view, and present his own case, and visitors to these councils are keen to adhere to wearing the Emirati dress. .
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