How one of UAE oldest villages is being transformed into a tourist attraction
Al Jazeera Al Hamra is a lesson of history standing on the traditional emirati architecture and one of the ancient villages within the borders of UAE. The Zabb tribe established this ancient settlement in the 17th century which contains immense cultural heritage.
Al Jazeera Al Hamra means "red island," which clearly describes the reddish coloration of the sand typical to that area which has been darkened by the strong rays of the sun. Al Jazeera Al Hamra is a village historically significant and there is so much more which remains unexplored.
Previously, Al Jazeera Al Hamra was unconsulted due to underdevelopment and the red sands theme was relatively quiet but presently, it has become an attraction for people pursuing to thrive in the roots of UAE. Until the abandonment of the inhabitants in the 1970’s, this village was flocked but post the villagers left, this beautiful piece of land was neglected until preservation began in 2010 which is still actively pursued.
All of this is a perplexing yet defining history of Al Jazeera Al Hamra conversed with the CEO Paul Griffiths about. Upon conversing, Griffiths enlightened us on the core idea of Al Jazeera Al Hamra and the reason behind itarele screaming magic rather than restoring it.
Expanding on his thoughts, he said, “There should be derelict houses because they give you that sense of what the place once was.” Ancient ruins alongside stout buildings which are just a few meters apart. The souq, otherwise known as a marketplace, was the busiest spot for trading and procuring goods in history. This place served as the center of all business activities, with no other businesses present on the island.
Griffiths, who was recently appointed as CEO last month, said that the purpose is not reconstruction but recovery of the site. Restoring the buildings is the aim of Griffiths with a more gentle approach to the task which is what he believes will have the desired effect. In this particular aspect, inhabitants can travel back to the time of Al Jazeera Al Hamra when pearl diving was prevalent in the Gulf region.
A total of 500 houses have been allocated to a 45-hectare land parcel which mostly belonged to the Al Zaab tribe of pearl divers, traders, date farmers and fishermen. Griffiths said that the village's structures were made of coral stone and beach rock, and the village was constructed of quicker and easier maintenance materials but were designed to be genuine in look.
The fort was the first structure to have work initiated on it back in the year 2016. It is seen at the entrance of the locality dominating the whole village with its tall round shape. It served as a military post and later on became the personal house of the local sheikh. At the moment, however, it holds events and activities for the public.
As for the more recent news, a Christmas market was located in the area during the month of December, and at the end of the month will mark the start of the RAK Art Festival for the thirteenth time, where various artists will visit the area and be able to display their installation art pieces.
Summers in the village
Griffiths noted that there are initiatives to have an indoor museum put up which will expand the accessibility of the heritage village all through the year. Griffiths noted that they have an opportunity of listening to persons who were among the first settlers of the village and are able to obtain the information from video clips and from oral history.
These plans are all part of Ras Al Khaimah’s plans to transform Al Jazeera Al Hamra into a lively and prominent historic site. Due to its proximity to resorts and hotels, it is a perfect site for those who wish to delve deeper into RAK’s past.
Al Hamra Heritage Village was constructed between 2016 to 2019. However, construction began after thorough research which took place in 2010. During this period, the harbor area was constructed first, followed by six courtyard houses in 2017 and finally the merchants’ houses over the span from 2018 to 2019.
History was a crucial element to the UAE, considering their vast rich culture, and Griffiths quotes “You wouldn’t go to Napels and and not go to Pompei, and that is the case we want with the heritage”. The goal is that everyone around the world who visits RAK would say, ‘the culture of the UAE is an unskippable landmark and a case of it’s, a World Heritage Site’,
The opening hours are Tuesday to Sunday from 9am to 5pm. Admission is free for visitors. There are signs that direct you to the Al Hamra heritage village, specifically to the visitor entrance. This area includes designated parking spaces.
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