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Emiratis

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Emirati  · Template:Lang-ar
Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan · Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum · Lubna Khalid Al Qasimi · Wasel Safwan · Hamdan bin Mohammed Al Maktoum
Regions with significant populations
United Arab Emirates UAE 947,997 (2010) [1]
 United Kingdom5,406[2]
 United States4,000
Languages
Gulf Arabic · Standard Arabic
Religion
Islam

Emirati people or people of the United Arab Emirates (Template:Lang-ar) are citizens and an ethnic group who share their culture, descent and the Arabic variety of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The largest concentration is in the UAE, with a population of 947,997 being ethnic Emirati (however, they are a minority within their own country, as Emiratis make up only between 15-20% of the UAE population).

Many Emiratis, including those that compose the ruling dynasties of the emirates of Abu Dhabi and Dubai, trace their origins to the Bani Yas clan[citation needed]. However, people outside of the Bani Yas clan, such as Baluchis[note 1] and immigrants from Iran's Bastak region, Oman, Yemen and Bahrain, have been gradually integrated into Emirati society. A tiny[citation needed] number of South Asian, African and people from other races have intermarried with Emiratis, thereby becoming non-Emirati UAE citizens. [citation needed]

Populations with Emirati ancestry, the result of emigration, also exist in other parts of the world, most notably in the Middle East, Europe and North America. Population estimates are seen to have a very small diaspora.

History

UAE is a recently created country with a history that is shared by the neighbouring empires such as Persia, Rome, Ottoman empire, and foreign powers such as Portugal and England.[citation needed] The earliest inhabitants were the Neolithic people, 5500 B.C. Significant control, and commerce was established by the successive Persian empires. During the Sassanid era, Persians controlled most of the lands around the Persian Gulf.[3] The Romans also exerted influence on the Persian Gulf. Envoys from the Islamic prophet Muhammad saw the islands convert to Islam around 630 C.E. The Portuguese would then battle the then dominant force in the Persian Gulf, the Safavid empire and control UAE for the next 150 years. During the 16th century, the Ottomans took control of the Islands and UAE was known as the "Pirate Coast." By the 19th century the British empire had taken complete control of the land then called "Trucial Sheikhdoms"/"Trucial States"/"Trucial Coast".[3] Oil was discovered in 1959. Trucial Sheikhdoms were under the control of the British empire until 1971. Consequentially, with weakening British control, the Trucial Sheikhdoms became the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in 1971-1972.[3]

The term Emirati comes from the Arabic word emir (Template:Lang-ar) which means commander. Each emirate is ruled by an emir, whose citizens (generally) belong to his clan. The Bani Yas tribe forms the basis of many clans within the United Arab Emirates. Sub-clans of the Bani Yas include[4]

Another definition of "Emirati" is Arabs with origins in the UAE.

Demographics

Main article: Demographics of the United Arab Emirates

The population of the UAE as of 2009 stands at six million, of which 16.5% are native Emiratis.

The rest of the population of the United Arab Emirates (83.5%) is composed of expatriates, with the largest groups hailing from South Asian countries such as India (1.75 million), Pakistan (1.25 million) and Bangladesh (500,000). Members of other Asian communities, including China, the Philippines, Thailand, Korea, Afghanistan and Iran make up approximately one million of the total population. Western expatriates, from Europe, Australia, and Latin America make up 500,000 of the overall population.

Language

Main article: Emirati Arabic

Emirati Arabic is a variety of Arabic used in the United Arab Emirates closely related to other Gulf Arabic dialects spoken in Arab countries of the Persian Gulf.

Religion

Islam is largest and the official state religion of the UAE, and although the government follows a policy of tolerating existence of other religions, it favors Islam and conversion from other religions to Islam.

The government also imposes restrictions on marriage and social mobility for its inhabitants. In UAE for instance, Muslim women are forbidden by law from marrying men of "the book" (referring to the people of Christian and Jewish faith), while Arab men are allowed under Islamic law to marry women of "the book". In UAE, a union between a Muslim woman and a man of "the book" is punishable by law, since it is considered a form of "fornication". Even though the government allows construction of churches and other religious facilities, any display of the Christian cross on the churches is forbidden. There are also no synagogues in UAE.[5]

It is illegal in the UAE to spread the ideas of any religion apart from Islam, through any form of media, as it is a form of proselytizing. There are approximately 31 churches throughout the country and one Hindu temple in the region of Bur Dubai.[6] Emiratis are largely Muslims, approximately 85% of whom are Sunni and the remaining 15% are Shi'a .[7]

The UAE authority maintains a rather strict control over access to foreign resources and ideologies, including the Internet. The country's two main Internet providers Etisalat and DU block access to certain content. One particular instance of censorship includes information on the Baha'i Faith, Judaism, atheism and criticism of Islam. The "Cyber Crime Law" provides penalties for using the Internet to preach against Islam, inciting someone to commit sin, and using the Internet to promote a breach of public decency.[5]

Culture

Main article: Culture of the United Arab Emirates

Emirati culture mainly revolves around the religion of Islam and traditional Arab, and Bedouin culture. Being a highly cosmopolitan society, the UAE has a diverse and vibrant culture.[citation needed] The influence of Islamic and Arab culture on its architecture, music, attire, cuisine and lifestyle are very prominent as well. Five times every day, Muslims are called to the prayer from the minarets of mosques which are scattered around the country.[8] [citation needed].

The falcon is a national symbol.
Camel race in front of the Dubai towers

National symbols

Falcon training is one of the national symbols which can be seen on the Coat of arms of the United Arab Emirates and were used as hunters, trained by the Bedouin tribes. Other symbols are the Camel and the Arabian Horse.

Music and dance

Main article: Music of the United Arab Emirates

The music of the United Arab Emirates stems from the Persian Gulf khaleeji tradition, and from Bedouin folk music. Distinctive dance songs from the area's fishermen are also well-known. Liwa (or leiwah / leywah) is a type of music and dance performed mainly in communities which contain descendants of East Africans.

The country's most famous performers are Mohammed Al Muhairi (better known as Mehad Hamad), Aitha Al Menhali, and Hussain Al Jasmi. Other singers from the United Arab Emirates include: Samar Mattar, Reem Al Mahmoudi, Huda Al Nuaimi, Ruwaida Al Mahrouqi, Haneef Al Raisi, Shamma Hamdan, Fayez Al Saeed, Abdallah Belkhair and Meera.

Diaspora

Main articles: Emirati American and Emiratis in the United Kingdom

Emirati ancestry, the result of emigration, also exist in other parts of the world, most notably in the Arabian Peninsula, Europe and North America.

Discrimination

In recent years, many Emiratis who wear traditional attire have complained about being discriminated against by expatriates living in the UAE. Emirati men who wear the Kandura or the women who wear the Abaya have been turned away from certain leisure activities like visiting the beach, bowling in Dubai Outlet Mall and skiing at Ski Dubai.[9] Emiratis have also complained of chronic overcharging in various shops and restaurants. Those wearing the Kandura are reportedly being charged triple amounts for goods and services, mainly because of public misperceptions that all Emiratis are rich.[10]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Baluchis are people inhabiting Balochistan, not to be confused with the AlBloushi family which is part of the Bani Yas clan.[citation needed]

there is no difference between balochis or baloushi, in Arabic 'ch' is read as 'sh'

References

  1. ^ a b UAE National Bureau of Statistics. (PDF). Retrieved on 2012-01-01.
  2. ^ "Country-of-birth database". Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. Retrieved 24 October 2010.
  3. ^ a b c MobileReference (2010). Travel Dubai, United Arab Emirates: Illustrated Guide, Phrasebook and Maps. Google eBooks.
  4. ^ : The Government and Politics of the Middle East and North Africa. Long, Reich.
  5. ^ a b United Arab Emirates International Religious Freedom Report, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor (2009)
  6. ^ Advanced Digital Technology www.adtworld.com (2008-04-05). "Gulfnews: Churches and temples in the UAE". Archive.gulfnews.com. Retrieved 2009-07-15.
  7. ^ United Arab Emirates Religion
  8. ^ "UAE Culture". Uae.gov.ae. 2000-06-01. Retrieved 2009-07-15. [dead link‍]
  9. ^ http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/heritage/cracking-the-uae-dress-code-can-be-tough#page2
  10. ^ http://www.thenational.ae/news/uae-news/emiratis-complain-of-chronic-overcharging-in-shops
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