Al-Ayala:
Why is the traditional Arab dance of girls waving their hair at Trump's arrival
in the UAE under criticism?
While US
President Donald Trump's visit to the Middle East is making headlines for his
historic deals, his lavish reception is also in the news.
His visit,
which began in Saudi Arabia, was greeted by white Arabian horses and the famous
purple carpet was laid. Along with the horses, camels were added to the horses
upon his arrival in Qatar, and Cybertrucks were also present in his convoy to
the palace.
However,
when he arrived in the United Arab Emirates, local girls dressed in white who
were there to welcome him performed a special dance that most people had never
seen before.
During this
dance, they are waving their long locks and Trump walks through them.
Users on
social media who had never seen this dance before seemed to be asking what the
hell this was, however, criticism emerged in Pakistan regarding why such a
performance was being given in an Islamic country.
What is
Al-Ayala?
We have
obtained information about this performance from the UNESCO website, as well as
from the UAE Department of Culture and Tourism.
Al-Ayala is
actually a popular cultural performance performed in northwestern Oman and
throughout the UAE. Al-Ayala involves singing, drumming, and dancing, and
attempts to depict a battle scene.
This
tradition dates back to the Arab Bedouin tribes, who used to do this in
preparation for war or on festive occasions.
Two rows of
about twenty men stand facing each other and hold thin bamboo sticks that are
held as an alternative to spears or swords.
Between the
rows, musicians play large and small drums, tambourines, and brass cymbals.
Rows of men shake their heads and tails in sync with the rhythm of the
tambourine and sing along, while other performers walk around the rows holding
swords or guns, which they occasionally throw into the air and catch.
In the
United Arab Emirates, girls dressed in traditional dress toss their long hair
from side to side. This particular dance is called 'al-Nisha', while in its
modern form it is also called Gulf dance.
In Bedouin
culture, it is a way for these women to show their trust in return for the
protection they receive from their men.
Al-Ayala is
performed at weddings and other festive occasions in both the Sultanate of Oman
and the United Arab Emirates. It is performed by people of various
nationalities and ages. The leading performer inherits this position and is
responsible for training the other performers. There are no age, gender, or
social class restrictions for performing Al-Ayala.
What is
the reason for the criticism?
The lavish
reception Trump received during his visits to the Gulf countries is also being
criticized.
However, the
reasons for the criticism of the reception in the UAE are different. A user named
Ashok Swain wrote that 'The Gulf countries are doing everything to please
Trump.' When female leaders of Western governments visit these countries, they
have to wear a headscarf, now women from the United Arab Emirates are dancing
for a Western leader without covering their heads.
A user named
Chelsea Heart wrote that ‘There was a time when this dance was done in private
gatherings, but now it is being made public by the United Arab Emirates to
highlight its culture around the world.’
A user named
Mian Omar said that ‘It is unfortunate that this is happening in an Islamic
country.’ A user replied to him and wrote that ‘You are very ignorant and do
not know that this ceremony is an old tradition that is about Arab culture.’
Another user
wrote that ‘When I was working in an Arab country, someone there told me that
Arabs only respect a strong leader.’
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