Event Review: Qasr Al Hosn Festival, Abu Dhabi, UAE

Qasr Al Hosn (literally “the Palace of Defence”) is the oldest brick-and-mortar structure in the city of Abu Dhabi. It was first constructed with coral, sea stone, and mangrove (for flooring and roof structure) in 1761 as a watch tower protecting what was the only source of valuable fresh water in the arid island of Abu Dhabi. The tower was then expanded into a small fort in 1793 and subsequently became the ruling sheikh’s permanent residence and the seat of government. Following the construction of a new, much bigger palace, the fort was transformed into a museum in 1966 (note that the permanent exhibition is displayed in a venue next to the fort, not the fort itself). The fort is now conveniently located in the commercial district of Khalidiya, overshadowed by taller modern buildings that most people would associate with the present day’s Abu Dhabi.

The Festival

While the permanent exhibition is displayed throughout the year, the palace ground really only gets alive and buzzing during the annual Qasr Al Hosn Festival that takes place for 11 days every February. This is also your only opportunity to access the inner courtyards (and the National Consultative Council Chamber) as the fort is closed on any other day of the year. This year, the festival is held from 3 – 13 February between 16.00 – 23.00 daily.

The Attractions

Throughout the course of the festival this year, the palace ground is segregated into several zones reflecting the different areas in which the Emiratis used to live and their respective lifestyles, i.e.: Desert, Oasis, Marine, and Abu Dhabi Island, plus a designated area where visitors can learn about Qasr Al Hosn and its history. Each zone offers visitors a glimpse – and often hands-on experience – on various elements of Emirati culture and lifestyle through live demonstrations, which were fun, engaging, and educational at the same time.

Out of the so many attractions available for visitors, I have selected a few that were quite popular (and what I personally found attractive):

• Traditional food – there were over a dozen counters where visitors could buy food & drinks at a reasonable price (a karak chai or milk tea, for example, costs only AED 3), but those in a tight budget (or simply appealed by the idea of getting free food – who isn’t?) flocked to this counter to get their fill of scrumptious Emirati food – cooked live in front of you. There were only three types of food on offer, i.e.: luqaimat, chebab, and regag – all made with similar ingredients and even topped with the same date syrup (or “dhibs”), but they were so good I even braved another 30-minute queue just to have a second helping.

• Al Ayala (folk dance) – arguably the most popular performing art in Emirati events and celebrations, Al Ayala can be performed with a poetic chant in the background or accompanied by percussion instruments like drums, tambourines, and cymbals playing rhythmic tunes. Either way, this dance is always performed by a group of men carrying a thin bamboo stick (that represents a spear or a sword). The men form two groups standing in rows opposite each other and in front of each row, several girls dressed in beautiful gowns participate by tossing their head from side to side (“na’ashat”), displaying their long hair throughout the performance. In between the two rows are the musicians and a few other men hurling swords and guns to the sky. This dance is registered as a cultural intangible heritages of humanity at UNESCO.

• Stage shows – there were several live performances taking place throughout the evening, including bird and night safari attractions (the stars coming all the way from Al Ain Zoo), and Bab Al Khair, a popular theatrical show based on the life in Abu Dhabi in the 1960s. I did not partake in any of the shows, but judging from the length of the queue, every show seemed to be quite popular.

• Al Sadu (traditional weaving) – also registered as a cultural intangible heritages of humanity, al sadu is one of the oldest surviving traditional crafts of the Bedouin Arabs. Here you can see Emirati women spinning sheep wool into yarn using a loom (called “ghazel”) - each ball of yarn takes approximately 3 days to make. You can also see how the yarn (after being dyed) is weaved and knitted into colourful fabric with intricate designs, many of which are inspired by either the natural elements found around them, the tools they use, or Quranic verses.

• Butter-making – this was not one of the most popular exhibitions, but I personally found it quite interesting. Dairy products made staple foods for many Emiratis in the past, especially in the desert where life is harsh and other sources of food were not always available. Turning fresh milk into butter or yoghurt, therefore, was not just a matter of preference, but of survival (dried yoghurt can last for up to two years without refrigeration).

• Petting Zoo – this is where children (or adults) can get to know animals dear to the heart of the Bedouins, such as camels, horses, saluki dogs, and houbara bustards. Not far from the zoo one can also ride a camel or take pictures with gorgeous falcons.

• Traditional games – depicting the life before iPads, children can learn traditional Emirati games and even buy vintage car toys, dolls, etc, on a purpose-built “school ground”. While I personally did not find this one particularly exciting, I saw quite a few Emirati parents telling their children to go and give these traditional games a try and they actually loved them!

The Cultural Foundation building, located in one of the corners of the palace ground, is also worth a visit if you have time. At the time of visit, there was an exhibition on UAE National Archive and several workshops for kids which, based on the length of the queue, also seemed to be quite popular.

Qasr Al Hosn – the Movie

Apart from the live exhibitions, another attraction that drew a lot of interest was of course the opportunity to step inside the fort’s courtyard, which, as mentioned earlier, is not available at any other time throughout the year.

Now, when I say you can take a look inside, it does not mean roaming around freely for as long as you want. The only way to do this is by partaking in the visual presentation about the history of Bani Yas (that’s the tribe Abu Dhabi royals belong to) and how they eventually settled in this part of the region. Really keen on having a peek inside and not so much on the presentation (this is something you can always easily research on the internet, right?) I joined what was then already a very lengthy queue.

A bit over an hour later (and with several people already dropping out along the way because of the waiting time), our journey started with a visit to the National Consultative Council Chamber, where they used to gather decades ago. The presentation was nicely done - projected on a whole wall - but very short and not as in-depth as I expected it to be. We were then directed to the inner courtyards of the fort, where we watched another two beautifully done - but again, very short - presentations about the history of Bani Yas' relocation to the Abu Dhabi Island. And... that's it! The whole experience took less than 10 minutes and we were not even able to take a close look on the inner walls of the building, much less the chambers. Yes, the presentations were awesome, but it was not quite the experience I expected - especially after an hour of queueing.

Verdict

An afternoon very well spent (apart from the “tour” mentioned above). There are zillions of things to do for both children and adults and you will definitely learn a thing or two about the UAE cultural heritage here (there are even souks selling colourful traditional dresses, accessories, and other knick-knacks for the shopaholics among us). The entrance fee is also very affordable and the weather is very pleasant these days for a family day out. If your to-do list in Abu Dhabi includes a visit to the Heritage Village, scratch it off immediately and go here instead.

LIKE: Almost everything!

DISLIKE: The “tour” of the fort, which offered no opportunity to actually see the real beauty of the structure up-close.

PRICE: AED 10 for 5 years old and above, free for younger children. Entrance fee includes two passes that can be redeemed against activities like camel rides, workshops, Emirati cooking classes, traditional food, etc.

DETAILS: http://qasralhosnfestival.ae

DATE OF EXPERIENCE: February 2016

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