Sporting history in the uae Part 1 – Traditional Sports of the UAE

2016 is another exciting Olympic year. Rio de Janeiro will be hosting the huge event this summer and we hope to see some UAE athletes competing as well. The Olympics has changed dramatically over the years with sports being added each games and some taken out. Here we look at some of the traditional sports of the UAE - not all Olympic sports!

Falconry One of UAE's oldest tradition is falconry. It is not known exactly when falconry started but some history mentions that it dates back 2000 years. In the past falconry started as a source for food, and it was to hunt hares and houbara birds. What else do you think they could hunt?

Today, falconry is practiced purely for sport, but the skill of the falconer is still highly esteemed and the power and beauty of the falcon greatly treasured. The training process hasn’t changed over time. A leather hood is used to cover the falcon's eyes and it is deprived of food in order to make it easier to tame. The falconer names his falcon and in the first few weeks of training remains with his falcon at all times.

Eventually the falcon will be permitted to make short flights Eventually the falcon will be permitted to make short flights. The falconer will then stand with the lure and some raw meat a short distance from the bird. When the bird catches the lure the falconer rewards it with a little raw meat. Later, the training will incorporate live prey.

Traditional Boat Racing In the traditional boat races, long boats were used. Today the boats are not quite as long as in the past but they create an impressive sight as their packed crews strain at their oars, propelling their boats through inshore waters under the gaze of spectators.

Traditional sailing races are held at regular intervals from October to April. Large wooden dhows assemble at the start line, reminding everyone of the customs and traditions of a different era. Competition is intense and great attention is paid to the preparation of the boats and their massive rigs.

Camel Racing Camel-racing, a traditional sport, is extremely popular in the Emirates. It was originally staged in an informal setting, at weddings or special festivals, but now customized tracks have been built throughout the country where race meetings are held in the winter months from October to April, with the annual camel race festival at Al Wathba which attracts entrants from all over the world.

During the winter months, camel races take place on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays, with special five day races held in the larger camel racing venues. Usually there is a morning race and an afternoon race, and race distances are from 4 to 10 km. From 15 to 70 camels may participate in a race.

There are two main breeds of racing camel - the Omani and Sudania which differ in colour - the Omani is very light and the Sudania more of a tan colour. Traditionally, a racing camel was fed on dates, honey, alfalfa, milk and seeds. Compared to an ordinary desert camel, a racing camel looks like an enormous over-tall greyhound.

Optional Extension Activities Option 1 - Discussion Points Do you think any of these sports could/should be in the Olympics? Which sport would you like to try? Why? How can the UAE keep their traditional sports from being forgotten? Option 2 - Vocabulary Think of some adjectives to describe the following; a) A falcon b) A racing camel c) Racing a dhow d) A desert camel Option 3 – Description Write a short description of a camel race or a traditional boat race – include sights, sounds, feelings etc.