final project

Sports and leisure time in the UAE in the past and present

 

Every country passes through different stages throughout its history, and each one of these stages is characterized by certain features related to the life of people, and the UAE is one of the countries that have encountered significant changes through the last four decades. The changes in the UAE have affected different aspects of life in the country, and one of the fields that have witnessed remarkable changes is that of sports and leisure time.

In the past people in the country used to live a life that can be described as being tough and lacking luxurious features,  and that was reflected in the ways that they used to practice sport and to spend leisure time .When thinking about the changes in this area the best source of information that can be reliable and trusted is a character that has lived the two phases of the past and present, and I don’t find better than my eldest uncle, as he has always been a man fond of sports.

When I asked him about the sports in the UAE in the past, his eyes sparked and all of his facial expressions changed to reflect pleasure and excitement. He started by saying that sports in the UAE in the past were mere joy and pleasure as the ways that people used to entertain themselves were very limited , and not as they are today. He told me that they used to spend days in the desert practicing falconry, and they knew very well how to train their falcons, so as to be very skilled and good hunters. The training for the falcons was achieved through improving a strong bond of trust between that wild bird and its handler, which is a very important factor that ensures good hunting process. That time falconry was a way to spend leisure time, a way to practice sport and also an away to provide food .But today, matters are different and falconry becomes just a sport, but no one can deny that the UAE falcons are still keeping their outstanding power, skill and beauty. He added that falconry is an important feature of the heritage of the country, so it can’t be lost.

When I asked him about other sports in the country, he replied by talking about two other important sports in the country, which are camel race and horse race. About camel racing, he told me that in the past they used to depend on children to act as camel jockeys because they enjoy light weight, so they don’t hinder the speed of the camel, but today this job is done by certain devices, and he sees that this issue has made the sport lose a significant part of its traditional nature.

In the end, my uncle advised me to be keen on practicing our traditional sports as they are an important part of our heritage and history that we should  always keep.