Dates take Emiratis back to richness of bygone era

Abu Dhabi - Liwa Date Festival attracts people from across the country

The ongoing 11th Liwa Date Festival, which began last Wednesday, has attracted approximately 70,000 visitors across the country.
Visitors say they do not mind coming back to the festival tent located in Liwa City, Al Gharbia, an area known as the oasis of palm trees, situated in the desert, away from the heart of Abu Dhabi.
Mohammed Al Samer, who regularly visits the festival, told Khaleej Times he was planning to return one more time, before the heritage festival concludes on Thursday.
"We've really enjoyed this year's event. My family and I came from Dubai but it was worth attending the festival," he said.
His wife, Amina, believes that creating events that celebrate culture and history is very important.
"I love the way the festival incorporates Bedouin arts and crafts, it's a reminder of UAE's beautiful heritage," she said.
She also highlighted what the date palm meant to her.
"Dates to me, are a symbol of history, health, vitality and religion. The tree itself is a symbol of strength, because it goes through tremendous triumph and survival."
From fresh to soft, and to the popular medjool to dry dates - a wide range of the beloved fruit in all shapes and sizes are being displayed, sold, celebrated and eaten at the event, which is organised by the Cultural Programmes and Heritage Festivals Committee, under the patronage of Shaikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime minister and Minister of Presidential Affairs.
Historic fruit
The opulent fruit itself is not only a source of nutrition, it is also referred various times in the Holy Quran (17 Suras); and the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to eat a date first, as a way of ending his fast. The fruit is also mentioned various times in the Bible and considered as one of the seven holy fruits in the Jewish religion.
The origin of the date palm may in fact go back to antiquity, and the palm itself was cultivated as early as 4000 B.C, as it was used for constructing a temple near Ur in Southern Iraq, Mesopotamia. It is thus perhaps the most ancient and loved tree in the world.
Moreover, the date palm also reflects back to the life of Prophet Ibraham (pbuh), who was born in the city that grew the magnificent trees, the historic city of Ur, today known as Dhi Qar, with Nasiriyah as its capital.
The Liwa Date Festival is, therefore, not a celebration of culture and history of the UAE alone, but also a heavy reminder of the prized possession of the Middle East region.
If the festival tent gave local farmers a space to exhibit their produce, promoters of culture got chances to take part in art, music, dance, poetry and food competitions.
Contests, stories
Among various competitions and prizes that started from Dh125,000, Salham Harmoos Al Mazrouei from Liwa won a prize for producing the best dabbas ratab. There is also a traditional souk, which includes authentic Emirati costumes, luxurious oil perfumes and handcrafts. Also, stall owners were happy to entertain the visitors with stories about great ancestors, who have tremendously influenced their lives and the land itself.
Celebrating the ancient date palm is therefore a great reminder of a simple, yet significant fruit that has captured the minds, hearts and appetites of people from across the world. - jasmine@khaleejtimes.com