Citizen Bakhit Muhammad Al-Muqbali from the city of Hatta decided to be part of its history and traditions by establishing his company “Zaman Awal” for trade, in which he carried a pioneering spirit and love for the heritage of his city, as his project is a continuation of the heritage of Hatta, and an effort to preserve its cultural identity.
The “Zaman Awal” store was established in 2017, and since then Al-Muqbali has been offering a selection of popular products that reflect the unique culture of the Hatta region. The project is one of the prominent examples of pioneering initiatives that have been supported by the “Mohammed Bin Rashid Establishment for Small and Medium Enterprises Development” and aims to… To promote sustainable development in local communities.
Al-Muqbali said: “The products sold in the store represent a bridge in time between the present and the ancient history of Hatta. I am a heritage person to the core, and I have deliberately sold a variety of goods and products, most of which bear the signatures of local craftsmen, and reflect the depth of authenticity and cultural heritage in the United Arab Emirates.” .
Al-Muqbali is keen to offer his products that reflect the flavor of the ancient past and the traditional methods that were prepared by fathers and grandfathers in the city, such as Arabic ghee, which is an essential part of the ancestral table, and is prepared at home by extracting it from cow’s milk. The store also features the sale of Arabic coffee, “bazar” spices, and pumpkin. “Dried cheese” is an embodiment of the city’s past, as it is produced by local craftsmen, which enhances pride in the local identity.
The “Zaman Awal” store is distinguished, as Al-Muqbali says, by focusing on home production, as it seeks to encourage handicrafts and crafts in the local community. “Zaman Awal” also provides shoppers with an invaluable experience to discover local products that are a vital part of the Emirati heritage.
He added that the local honey sold in his store is produced through a private apiary, which offers two types of honey (Samr and Sidr), and the honey is distinguished by its traditional character and authentic flavor that reflects the diversity and richness of the ancestral table, pointing out that he focused on designing the external packaging of his products in a modern way, It reflects the elegance and beauty of rural and mountain life in the city of Hatta, and the design aims to highlight its distinct identity.
He continued: “My desire to highlight the beauty of the city of Hatta is not limited to the quality of the products, but rather goes beyond that to the details of packaging and choosing the sizes carefully, and I look forward to our customers’ experience including discovering the beauty and heritage of the city.”
Al-Muqbali believes that the ancestors’ development of the process of preserving cheese for a long period is an important achievement that reflects their ability to withstand the harsh life of the past despite the lack of methods to facilitate the preservation process. It also reflects their special interest in improving preservation techniques, to ensure that its quality continues for a period exceeding one year through… Drying it, exposing it to the heat of the sun for certain periods, and adding a percentage of salt to it, made him keen to sell the “pumpkin” and tell its story to tourists and shoppers in the store.
He said: “The store’s visual identity has had a positive impact in arousing the curiosity of tourists and visitors and purchasing its products, as the continued demand from them represents confirmation of its success in delivering a unique message and a distinctive experience that expresses the spirit of the city of Hatta.”
Bakhit Al-Muqbali:
• The store’s products represent a bridge in time between the present and the ancient history of Hatta.
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