UNESCO inscribes UAE Sadu on list of intangible heritage of humanity

Abu Dhabi, Nov 27, 2011 (WAM) - The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH) has announced that the traditional UAE Sadu has become the new addition to the UNESCO List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of ADACH said: "The efforts to register "Sadu, the skills of traditional weaving in the United Arab Emirates", in the UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity that needs urgent safeguarding, has borne fruit". Sadu is a form of weaving done by women in the rural communities in the UAE for the production of fine furniture and decorative accessories for the camels and horses. The Bedouin men slit wool of sheep, camels and goats, which is then cleaned and prepared by women. Wool is spinned and then dyed and woven on a loom as the case with the plain weave. The traditional colours include black, white, brown, beige, and red. Distinctive geometric designs are employed when spinning wool. Weavers gather in small groups and begin spinning and weaving while talking about family events and sometimes they sing or recite poems. These meetings are the traditional means for teaching this craft, where girls learn by watching. Girls are assigned some tasks to do such as sorting wool, before learning more complex skills. The UNESCO announcement was made Friday, November 25, 2011 during the sixth meeting of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, which is currently holding its 6th session in the Bali, Indonesia, from November 22 to 29. The inclusion of Sadu in the UNESCO List of Intangible Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding contributes to enhancing the sustainability of this traditional craft, and casts light on the intangible heritage of the United Arab Emirates and promotes cultural diversity and human creativity worldwide and participate in the dialogue among civilisations, said Sheikh Sultan bin Tahnoon. The UAE application file was presented to UNESCO as an initiative of ADACH with support from the Ministry of Culture Youth and Community Development, Permanent Delegation of the UAE to UNESCO and a number of ministries, municipalities, relevant organisations and associations and non-governmental organisations. Mohammed Khalaf Al Mazrouei, Advisor for Culture and Heritage at the Court of His Highness the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Director General of ADACH said that Abu Dhabi and the United Arab Emirates, through such a registration, pursue their achievements in the field of preservation of cultural tangible and intangible heritage. "In cooperation with a number of the concerned official agencies, ADACH has succeeded in November 2010 to register falconry on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. It also succeeded in having the City of Al Ain inscribed on the UNESCO's tangible heritage list in June 2011. It as well prepared two international files in cooperation with the Sultanate of Oman to register 'Iyala' and 'Taghrouda' on the Representative List of Intangible Cultural Heritage. The two files are expected to be examined next year, 2012," said Mazrouei. The Director General of UNESCO, Irina Bokova said that each country whose heritage is registered at UNESCO should be so much proud of this, as it promotes and enhances the identity of the citizens of the state. "The intangible heritage is the pride of nations, communities and groups, because it creates respect, understanding and peace among peoples, and helps them achieve sustainable development. Preservation does not mean freezing heritage, but rather means the transfer of knowledge, skills, meanings and values from a generation to another, which is the focus of the UNESCO Convention for 2003," said Bokova. The success of the UAE in registering Sadu on the UNESCO List of Intangible Heritage in Need of Urgent Safeguarding represents a real victory and proof of the efficient detailed file submitted by ADACH. It demonstrates ADACH keenness to promote the old heritage of the UAE. The world countries put forward 29 nominations, and the Advisory Body of UNESCO agreed only to 12 files and rejected 11 others, while 6 countries withdrew their nominations. These efforts elevate the UAE to the ranks of the great and leading countries in this field, such as China, Japan, Korea, Spain and Norway. After oil was discovered in the UAE and rapid economic and social transformations took place, Sadu practice has receded. Nomadic pastoral communities moved to the urban cities, and young women began to increasingly work outside homes. Now, Sadu is only practiced by old women, whose numbers decreasing. ADACH has thus started to implement its strategy to safeguard crafts, handicrafts, and ensure their inheritance through young artisans. - Emirates News Agency, WAM