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Home , Archaeological tourism, Dubai, Hatta Heritage Village

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Sand, and Heritage “It is strange to imagine that 20 years ago Heritage and . Sheikh Zayed Road, ’s main thor- Globalization and Shifting Values in oughfare, was mostly ” (“Dubai Expo”). These words, from the official the United Arab website of Dubai , are a proud celebration of the extraordinary and rapid transformation of one of the two main cit- ies of the (UAE). Features from sand to incredible and styl- ish skyscrapers designed by the most- courted star architects in , the site continues, show how Dubai has be- come “one of the world’s most modern urban landscapes.” At the same time, be- yond the obvious and understandably Marxiano Melotti self-celebrative tone, we may notice an interesting concept of the past. The new Cultural heritage was a major factor in the mote recreational and tourist activities. amazing Dubai appears to be built on formation of politics and identity for na- Dubai and are two significant sand—i.e., in the traditional Western view, tion-states. Yet in Europe, a gradual over- cases. Their intangible heritage helps to on nothing. What was there before sky- coming of old nationalism has paved the build local identity and to attract tour- scrapers? Only sand. The site, of course, way for its postmodern iteration, where it ism, together with the ’ luxurious avoids emphasizing this Westernizing im- is interwoven with tourism, the market, and their ultra-modern shopping age and immediately presents a particular leisure, and entertainment. As such, mon- malls. Moreover, administrations idea of heritage which, by mixing past uments, museums, and archaeological have even invited some major Western and present, gives a strong idea of a win- sites have become important elements to museums to open local branches, to in- ning continuity. “From the Persian Royal thematize tourism and consumption. crease tourism and confirm their new Road to the Han Dynasty’s , from Over the past decades, some rich Middle status as global cities. the trading posts of the 19th century to East countries—including the United the hypermodernity of today’s UAE, peo- Arab Emirates—have adopted a similar Keywords: Heritage; Museums; National ple have always converged here” (“Dubai use of heritage: it has been used to build Identity; Postmodern Society; Tourism; Expo”). The strength of the local heritage or reinvent national identity, and to pro- ; United Arab Emirates is related to its immateriality: the abstract

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idea of “crossroads” becomes a concep- tual basis allowing us to interconnect tra- dition and change, history and contempo- raneous life. In such a perspective, hypermodernity—deprived of any possi- bly controversial meaning—appears to be a necessarily historical destiny of this re- gion and a sort of intangible heritage, which presents itself through the material- ity of huge and futuristic buildings. The reference to the Silk Road is quite in- teresting. Under its harmless historical as- pect, it evokes a traditional image of the East, built through centuries of literary and more or less mythical representation, dat- ing back to Marco Polo and arriving direct- ly to colonial and postcolonial Oriental- ism, including some current sophisticated narratives marked by contemporary “po- Figure 1: Between tradition and modernity. Abu Dhabi skyline. litical correctness” (such as, for instance, Source: Abu Dhabi Tourism Culture Authority. the Silk Road Project and ensemble of the tradition has become a celebration of a Not all countries have the spatial opportu- acclaimed French-American cellist Yo-Yo new modernity—one that includes Euro- nity of the , which has built a suc- Ma). But the Emirates’ Silk Road is some- pean and North-American citizens as mere cessful tourist industry by gating interna- thing different, as the “Heritage” section of tourists and consumers. tional tourism in islands, which the same website explains: “A new Silk maintain quite an effective separation be- Road that connects rapidly growing eco- Yet, this relationship with the past is not tween inhabitants and tourists, local val- nomics, such as , China, Brazil and the uncontroversial. Any urban transformation ues and tourist practices, and “traditional” African continent. Safe, inclusive and cos- so deep and rapid refl ects social change, heritage and the new, themed heritage of mopolitan, Dubai is now one of the world’s which necessarily entails cultural change. the (Melotti, “Cultural Heritage”). top ten urban tourist destinations” (“Heri- This “road”—directly open to hyper-mo- Dubai and Abu Dhabi are built upon hy- tage”). (In 2013 it attracted more than ten dernity, global business, and international per-modernity, and this mix of worlds and million visitors, the population of a mega- tourism—may create problems in a society cultures has a constitutive character. The city.) Thus, an image dear to the Western with Islamic values respectful of tradition. site “Dubai for Tourism” exalts this nature,

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which apparently makes Dubai “a unique ization and thematization of local heritage. Of course, the mall is not only a sign of the destination that is both a dynamic busi- Everything is a potential , new local identity; it is also a meaningful ness centre and a tourist paradise, offering and may be sold as a tourist highlight: institution of modern and contemporary more attractions, shopping, fine dining “from rugged mountains and awe-inspir- Western society, where a large part of the and quality hotels” (“Dubai Tourism”). ing sand to sandy beaches and lush history of globalization has been written. If the Maldives, in the tourist imagery, are green parks, from dusty villages to luxuri- Shopping malls, as spaces of hyper-con- a “tropical paradise” where you can live in ous residential districts and from ancient sumption where “we the people” may your luxurious resort as a “new Robinson houses with wind towers to ultra-modern form and affirm our identity as global con- Crusoe” with your personal Mr. Friday, the shopping malls” (“Dubai Tourism”). sumers, are monuments to Western and Emirates present themselves as a “shop- global society. Yet malls have also played per’s paradise.” a fundamental role in the development of Here, according to the mainstream of Malls and Museums UAE tourism. These huge and amazing contemporary consumer society, and to Heritage and business appear indissolu- spaces for consumption have been part of the trends of postmodern experiential bly linked in a typical postmodern rela- a policy aiming at promoting tourism and tourism, it is the shopping (at least in the tionship, which is presented as a histori- increasing the number of its destinations expectation of the local Department of cal connection. The section devoted to by creating and a modern sys- Tourism and Commerce Marketing) that “Heritage” in the Dubai Expo website, tem of amenities and attractions (Hender- defines the core of the tourism experi- after a quick reference to the local history son). In fact, —the “mother ence in Dubai, and hence the tourist im- that “dates back to 5,500 BC,” explains of all malls,” as was ironically but aptly de- age and identity of the country. “From the how “archaeological evidence suggests fined by a well-known tourist guidebook timeless tranquillity of the desert to the those earliest inhabitants engaged in (Walker et al. 294)—forms a brick in the lively bustle of the souk, Dubai offers a ka- trade with their neighbors—a trait that re- new UAE global heritage, bridging the leidoscope of attractions for visitors” mains vital to the country’s identity today” gap between worlds as the ancient Silk (“Dubai Tourism”). With this image shed- (“Heritage”). Road once did. ding some light on the local idea of heri- In other words, the ultra-modern shop- The other huge shopping center in Dubai, tage, wilderness is interestingly defined ping malls would be the endpoint in a the Mall of Emirates, hosts , “the as “timeless”: the past seems to disap- long historical process. It is a sophisticat- city’s most incongruous attraction” (Walker pear—or rather, to become something ed kind of theming: one has not even to et al. 298). With its five ski runs and ice continuous, which helps to tie together use architectural elements to suggest, un- sculptures, the facility satisfies other as- tradition and today’s reality. derline, or reinvent a tie with the past, as pects of tourists’ and consumers’ multi- But, of course, hypermodernity has al- happens elsewhere; one may simply experiential demand. The insertion into a ready arrived: the “lively bustle of the present a modern building as a piece of global system of habits of leisure and con- souk” shows precisely a process of folklor- history. sumption deeply affects the whole envi-

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nations, which were able to collect, con- quer, or buy relics from any part of the world and any culture. The presence of alien pieces in the museums was proof of control exerted over other countries and other cultures. In postmodern society, which has to some degree attempted to overcome colonial and national scenes, spaces of identity and political negotiation have shifted else- where. Malls are some of these new spac- es, deserving of mobility and tourist gaze, which as temples of leisure and consump- tion display through merchandise a sys- tem of values for contemporary society. But this expression has probably already been surpassed. Over the last years, de- spite the global fi nancial crisis that partial- Figure 2: Snow in the desert. Ski Dubai in the , Dubai. ly affected even these rich countries, the Source: Diego Delso, Wikimedia Commons. Emirates have placed a higher bid. ronment and creates a new heritage: in ological remains and masterworks of art this interconnected world, sand can mag- have for centuries been regarded and Abu Dhabi and Dubai have decided to re- ically become ice. But it would be a mis- used as tools for social and political iden- shape themselves not as typical great in- take to ascribe the existence of this space tity, able to display the power of the local ternational cities, but rather as “global cit- to only the madness of the leisure indus- bourgeoisie or even of the nation: private ies” (Sassen). Therefore, they have entered try, or to a will to demonstrate fi nancial and public collections were factors of into competition with some of the most power and technical skill. class and national identity. National muse- complex urban systems such as London ums, such as the British Museum or the or New York. The snow conserved and displayed in the Louvre, were the real temples of moder- This process entails an effort of urban mall of this desert country comprises a lo- nity, where citizens were educated on their planning, beautifi cation, and marketing cal treasure, as do the alien Elgin Marbles collective (often imperial and colonial) his- (Spirou), based on the model of other big jealously preserved in the British Museum. tory, through the collective worshipping of cities. Of course, in a general process of In Europe and in the United States, archae- the past and celebration of their powerful globalization where many centers and

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many peripheries are mutually intercon- nected in a dynamic and transcultural way, many elements of the framework are, at the same time, models and imita- tions. Although the Emirates created their own model, they also absorbed some tra- ditional Western ideas—such as the lead- ing role of museums in urban planning policies, which implies a specifi c concept of heritage. However, since the mid 1980s, the govern- ments of the Emirates—and particularly the —have shown not only an awareness of the leading role of tourism in this process, but also a strong capacity to leading this, especially as con- cerns the relationships between urban beautifi cation and tourism development (Henderson 91, 96). In only two decades, this has made of Dubai and Abu Dhabi a Figure 3: Building a . The new cultural district of . sort of “double global city” and a major Source: Tourism Development & Investment Company, Abu Dhabi. destination. tractive cityscapes too similar to global toric thematization. According to Khalaf, Heritage and culture play a large role in models, and instead supported forms of this heritage revival—though part of the urban renovation; yet, this process may heritage revival (“ihya’ al-turath”) and ur- process of globalization—remained a na- cause problems for conservation of heri- ban renovation and beautifi cation that tional and ideological enterprise with tage. In the Emirates, the encounter of united contemporary design and tradi- symbolic meaning (“Globalization and global and Western models with local and tional style (Henderson). But this process, Heritage Revival”). In any case, Abu Dhabi Arabian traditions has aroused identity is- far from being a form of resistance to and Dubai, thanks to their financial sues (Boussaa; Szuchman; Khalaf, “Global- globalization, is exactly its usual result. Pre- strength, have been able to create a truly ization and Heritage Revival”) and has giv- served and restored heritage, embedded stunning system of new buildings and at- en birth to a conservation lobby. in newly shaped urban spaces, becomes tractions that not only compete with the Government bodies were aware of the a sophisticated form of urban decoration main international models, but have even danger, even for tourism, of shaping unat- and a tourist attraction, as a form of his- become new models.

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In this effort to implement the double- success as the great old European insti- global-city system, Abu Dhabi has as- tutions and even to transform the image sumed the role of cultural district. As and destiny of towns facing the post- buildings that contain history, museums industrial crisis. This is the case of the play a specifi c role, assuring a strong ma- Bilbao branch of Guggenheim, inaugu- terial and conceptual continuity between rated in 1997. This museum was thought tradition and innovation, heritage and not as mere cultural infrastructure, but modernization, local patterns and global as a symbol of a city open to creativity, models. In this specifi c context, they seem luxury, leisure, and fashion, and as a to be able meet both the needs of new powerful actor in urban regeneration urban spaces and calls for stronger atten- (Esteban). Figure 4: Heritage and starchitects. Rendering of tion to the past. Both the Louvre—with its colonial, ency- Jean Nouvel’s Louvre Abu Dhabi. Source: Tourism Development and Investment Abu Dhabi has built a cultural district on clopedic, “universal” collections of ob- Company, Abu Dhabi. Saadiyat Island to host local branches of jects from all ages and countries—and the Louvre and the Guggenheim—two of the Guggenheim, with its collections at- years, to exhibit some of its masterpiec- the most prestigious museums in the tuned to the urban gaze of the new es. The construction of the new museum world, the former in the old Europe and bourgeoisie, are huge, impressive insti- will cost an additional $654 million. the latter in the New World. tutions, impossible to imitate in this day The franchising of great museums is a The Louvre is the prototype of national and age. clear sign of post-modernity. In a society museums which, during the modern age, The Declaration on the Importance and where culture itself is a mere commodity have helped to create and strengthen na- Value of Universal Museums (Abungu; to be consumed, museums can easily be- tional images and to affi rm an idea of mu- Opoku; Melotti “Archaeological Tour- come nothing more than brands. Even seums as tools of “civilization.” Nowadays, ism”), as signifi cantly signed by both more postmodern, if possible, is the idea it is a magnet for new global cultural mo- these museums in 2002, confi rms that in that the container is more important than bility, able to attract many millions of visi- a post-colonial world it is no longer pos- the content: the design of a museum and tors every year, and proof of the power of sible to build similar collections, be- the name of its designer seem to over- the big museums in defending the inter- cause nearly all states now defend their shadow its collections. national position of a country. heritage. But, as Abu Dhabi shows, there Thus, French starchitect Jean Nouvel de- The Guggenheim, which developed far is a device to avoid this diffi culty: mon- signed the Louvre Abu Dhabi and a Cana- away from the royal, revolutionary, and ey. Abu Dhabi in 2007 made an agree- dian starchitect, Franck Gehry—who had Napoleonic allure of the Louvre, repre- ment with France to pay $1.3 billion to already conceived the aforementioned sents the glory of modern private entre- use the Louvre brand for thirty years, Bilbao Guggenheim—designed the Abu preneurship, able to obtain the same and the expertise of its curators for ten Dhabi Guggenheim. That which through a

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long cultural process Western culture has not “models,” but immaterial sources of tionalism. The island, which hosts these defi ned as heritage and art worthy of be- “inspiration.” Thus local identity is para- museums, is thought to be a “world-class ing collected and included in museums doxically enhanced thanks to the process leisure, residential, business and tourist thus arrives in the Emirates and helps to of globalization. centre of global proportions” (“Guggen- create its new heritage. heim Saadiyat”). Culture, business and leisure (namely: museums, beaches, nat- The new branch of Louvre in Abu Dhabi is ural reserves, hotels, residences, architec- expected to play a delicate role in the tural icons, waterfront, and sport facilities) crossroads of worlds and cultures, local are only different aspects of the same and global, Arabian and Western. This has well-coordinated policy of urban plan- been captured by the offi cial website of ning and tourist marketing. the Louvre, which presents the new institu- The Emirates lucidly use both modern and tion as a “universal museum in the Arab postmodern Western ideas of heritage as world” with a “global vision of the history effective tools of marketing—addressed to of the art” (“Louvre Abu Dhabi”). Now the Western imagery and consumers’ behav- design represents the core aspect of the Figure 5: Culture in franchising. Rendering ior—to promote local interests. museum, which is supposed to be an icon- of Franck Gehry’s Guggenheim branch in Abu Dhabi. ic building able to generate tourism by The Heritage Village: Living History Be- Source: Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority. itself and thereby confi rm the position of fore and After the Oil Era Abu Dhabi among the global cities. Its de- The national and local issues connected In such a context, what about EAU heri- sign combines “ and with the ideas of heritage in Europe and tage? Surprisingly, the approach is quite inspiration drawn from the region’s tradi- North America seem to have been com- traditional, though consistent with the tion” (“Louvre Abu Dhabi”). The museum, pletely overcome. The Abu Dhabi Gug- tourist framework. In Abu Dhabi there are which uses elegant effects of light and genheim will devote a section to Middle- several historical monuments and an inter- shadow, “is covered by a white dome 180 Eastern contemporary art, as an obvious esting archaeological museum. Yet, the metres in diameter, which is an emblem- tribute to local interests and values—but tourist highlight is the Heritage Village, an atic feature of Arabian architecture, evok- its American brand suggests its focus. open-air museum with replicas of old ing the mosque, the mausoleum and the The project, as the offi cial Guggenheim buildings and living-history activities, madrasa” (“Louvre Nouvel”). Local heri- website openly confi rms, is “the creation which “gives us an insight of the lifestyle tage and traditions reappear and thema- of a vibrant cultural destination for visi- and traditions of Bedouin and other cul- tize the building in a sophisticated way. tors from around the world” (“Guggen- tures” (“Heritage Village”). We have to Arabian and Islamic traditions, according heim Abu Dhabi”). Tourism, at least for mention that in Western imagery (espe- to a typically post-modern approach, are the moment, has replaced any kind of na- cially if related to and Oriental-

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ism) Bedouins are the object of a romantic ing the “real” traditions from tourist impact create a better and easier product for the gaze which, together with the local pro- by creating special spaces and special market. Furthermore, there are no issues cesses of social marginalization, helped to events reserved for tourists. related to local traditional identity, or at construct “Bedouinness” and a World Her- least they are not signifi cant. The Village itage narrative, in a time when “Bedouin- reenacts for tourists a Bedouin heritage ness in much of the had been that is perceived as archaeological re- or was being elevated to a marketable mains, since the modern Bedouin culture heritage” (Peutz, “Bedouin Abjection” 338; is seen to be among the skyscrapers and Saidel). On the other hand, this staged not in the tents. In the Village, there is no Bedouinness has sanitized some historical local Bedouin community to be exploited problems. Even the old “insecurity outside by the tourist market. The villagers stage a towns, on account of Bedouin raids” nostalgic image of the country corre- (Abdullah) has been transformed into vi- sponding to the typical Western view of brant weapons-dance exhibitions. heritage, affected by a global, de-intellec- In the Village, of course, we are in the fi eld Figure 6: Shopping in the Heritage Village. tualized attitude toward history and local of staged authenticity: traditions are crys- Source: Abu Dhabi Tourism Culture Authority. traditions (a crucial point). tallized in an otherworldly tourist space Western (and also Asiatic) tourists, as for- where, according to many websites, real In this context we can single out some par- eigners, usually do not know local history life becomes “living exhibition” and the ticular local dynamics. The futurist Emir- and generally lack the intellectual tools to past blends with the present of non-urban ates have, to use Bauman’s term, a “liquid” decode local cultures. Coming from a inhabitants. relationship with their past: they proudly post-political (and often post-nationalist) Heritage villages, as expressions of ethnic enhance their history and invest in heri- society, they are ever less educated on his- tourism, are often criticized by scholars for tage (mainly at the level of higher educa- tory and usually possess very little knowl- their lack of authenticity—tourism-orient- tion), but lack a nationalist approach and edge on even their own national history. In ed, politically corrected, sanitized, and fro- are not less (or even more) proud of their such a context, edutainment and living his- zen in time—and for the kinds of relation- present and future. Heritage, in a coherent tory—together with simple experiences of ships among natives, tourists, and local postmodern way, is approached as a re- culture and leisure in heritage villages— authorities that they usually entail (al-Oun source worthy of being used in tourism, may be effective means of spreading his- and al-Homoud; Bos-Seldenthuis; Timo- marketing, and urban policies. There is not torical knowledge (Melotti, “Il ruolo emer- thy; Khalaf “Globalization and Heritage the romantic and nostalgic look at heri- gente”). Revival”). In some cases, as happens in tage as something to be preserved, as Bali, they are even part of a strategy of typically happens in Europe. In the present There is no longer a problem of “staged” heritage management aiming at protect- case, the past is rather frozen in order to authenticity, because under the new aver-

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age level of knowledge about heritage In this ahistorical context, heritage may be The presence of falconry, a traditional ac- and history, an almost general accep- easily rewritten. Even the recent past may tivity which since some years was much tance of new, hybrid forms of authenticity become archaeology, according to a local advertised by the local tourist authorities, and a general preference for edutainment narrative where the division between pre- is particularly interesting (Khalaf, “Perspec- have actually changed the relationship history and history coincides with the dis- tive on Falconry”). UNESCO, in parallel with the past. covery of oil. In the Heritage Village you with new attention to immateriality being A similar discourse may relate to new Chi- may see, as explained in many websites, paid also by tourists and consumers, has nese tourists (so cherished by the website “how people used to live before the oil recognized falconry as a “living human Dubai 2020 and its “Silk Road” narrative). era.” According to Picton, this division of heritage” and has inserted it in the Intan- The Chinese attitude toward heritage and history and culture “before” and “after” the gible Cultural Heritage of Humanity (“Fal- authenticity is different from the Western oil era would reveal a “misleading, elitist conry”). Together with camels and attitude and is, if possible, even more “liq- and immobile” attitude that opposes pots, falconry has become an icon in tour- uid.” Reconstruction is a basic tool in Chi- “past” to “present” and “local” to “global” ist heritage commodifi cation and new nese heritage management, and it is in a nostalgic way. On the contrary, it is a consumerist culture (Szuchman 38). deeply rooted in the Chinese tradition. strong narrative where oil, as a metonymy Furthermore, as coming from quite a sci- for modernity, plays a central role and ev- ence-oriented and China-centered cul- erything becomes heritage in a hyper- ture, the Chinese rarely have strong knowl- compressed view of history. At the same edge of alien cultural systems. Thus, their time this division overcomes the tradition- relationship with tourist-staged or themed al distinction between Islamic and pre-Is- activities tends to be friendly. lamic culture, and imparts historical depth In such a context, why should the Emirates to a rather recent past. create a specifi c heritage narrative for the Any heritage activity is carefully listed: tourist market? And why should they risk “visitors can view” some mud-brick hous- creating domestic and international dis- es, a traditional mosque, a demonstration putes by providing a more “solid” histori- of falconry, they can take a camel ride Figure 7: Between heritage and tourist gaze. cal profi le to their heritage? The global and, of course, they can go “shopping in Falconry in Abu Dhabi. Source: Abu Dhabi Tourism & Culture Authority. language of edutainment and themed a traditional market,” “sample a typical activities, together with the more tradi- Bedouin meal” and “buy original items” tional language of heritage villages, are (“Heritage Village”). Material and immate- In the context of the Village, with its reen- enough. They are also, above all, apt for rial heritage are mixed, in a folkloric con- acted traditional working activities, every- any kind of visitor, regardless of religion text, with shopping and the new experi- one and everything—from humans to ani- or culture. ential culture. mals—appear entrapped in the cage of

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living heritage. This presents an obvious French-Italian style, is a sign of this new the . But it would be a mistake danger. Moreover, the crystallized reality global, atemporal, a-spaced, and cross- to consider these as old-style nationalist of the Heritage Village defines a precise cultural heritage. manifestations. The post-modern, global- system of relationships among heritage, This confirms the strength of the local ap- ized, and consumption-oriented context tourism and urban policies. History and proach to heritage, based on a substantial in which the village is embedded helps traditions are part of a complex system of convergence of tradition and modernity, limit this use of heritage, as also occurs consumption—which, exactly as the two where each element contributes to create elsewhere (Melotti, “Turismo culturale”; world-class museums in Saadiyat Island a solid (but “liquid,” in Bauman’s sense) ur- “Power of Senses”). Indeed, the village is do, concurs in defining cultural and lei- ban system. more a tourist attraction than a political sure aspects. device, as appears in its celebration of the Not by chance, the Heritage Village is built A similar situation may be found in the Dubai Shopping Festival. At least accord- on an , as are the huge ho- Heritage Village that was founded 1996 in ing to its website, this festival, organized tels of Dubai (Palm Island) and the luxury Dubai. Its physical separation from the city by the Dubai government since 1996, has and museum district of Abu Dhabi (Saadi- seems to perpetuate a clear distinction become “world famous […] as a shopper’s yat Island). From an anthropological point between Dubai’s past and present (Shus- paradise” (“Dubai Shopping”). of view, the “island” is an extremely mean- terman). However, a scholar who studied Another website presents the activities ingful reality in itself: it is a functional space it some years ago testified its quick trans- carried out as follows: that gives visual and experiential consis- formation: from “a modest exhibit of ar- Throughout Dubai Shopping Festival, tency to the “liminality” and “otherness” of chaeological and ethnological relics and the Heritage Village hosts a fascinating the tourist and museum experiences— silent replicas of traditional life,” it soon schedule of exhibitions, such as traditi- which, exactly as in ancient passage rites, became a more interesting and interactive onal cookery, shipbuilding and desert must be symbolically isolated from normal museum with re-enactors and living his- living skills showing you how Dubai’s everyday life. tory (Khalaf, “Globalization and Heritage residents lived, while a variety of stall- As many blogs explain, the Village offers Revival” 39). According to him, this village holders offer you the chance to take “a gorgeous view of the skyline—mixing is now a “cultural complex of invented tra- home a of your visit. (“Dubai traditional Arabian architecture and pure dition” (20) and a “monument of national Heritage Village”) modernity—that lines the Riviera-style Cor- nostalgia” (28), designed “to provide a niche” (“Journey”). Through urban plan- sense of identity for the imagined national In this age of global consumption, such a ning, the past and present are attentively community” (20) of the Federation estab- use of heritage is not the same as it was in juxtaposed in a mix where heritage, inven- lished only in 1971. The village performs the old European emperors’ time. tion and theming appear strongly blend- educational activities aimed at strengthen- ed. The elegant waterfront of the town it- ing the national feeling and at glorifying self, which many sites stress as being in the political leadership in the occasion of

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and culture of as a source of pride and inspiration to and to visitors” (“Sharjah Museum”). This clear declaration illustrates a conservative approach: man- nequins replace living history, but tourists can be gratifi ed by the quality of the col- lection and the elegant setting. But the most interesting point is Sharjah’s urban policy, where heritage plays a piv- otal role. A Heritage Area has been estab- lished in the interior of the Heart of Shar- jah, the largest historical preservation and restoration project in the region. This proj- ect, “planned over a fi fteen year period, to be completed by 2025, seeks to revitalize the heritage district as a vibrant cultural destination by unravelling a glorious past: restoring historical buildings, constructing Figure 8: Frozen culture. A mannequin in the . new structures following traditional Shar- Source: Geordie . jah architecture and transforming them This experiential mix is also present in Village protected their neighborhood into hotels, , cafes, art galleries other regions of the Emirates. On the Haj- and learn about the daily dealings of the and markets, where the current genera- jar mountains, Hatta, an old village in a Hatta Village people” (“Hatta Heritage Vil- tions and the future generations can expe- “picturesque setting” (“Hatta Heritage Vil- lage”). This approach is quite traditional: rience Sharjah’s cultural and social fabric” lage”), was converted into a heritage vil- a restored village and fort transformed (“Heart of Sharjah”). The contemporary, lage that, according to local websites, into a monumental area, where the beau- liquid, post-national approach to heritage “provides a fi ne example of traditional ty of the surroundings contributes to the is quite evident. Heritage and market pro- style village architecture” (“Hatta”) with its tourist experience. ceed together. The idea is to transform a mosque, watchtowers, and houses made central part of the town into a cultural and of stone, mud, reeds, and palm tree Particularly interesting is the case of the tourist district through restoration, recon- trunks. “Touring this site, visitors are able . The town hosts a beau- struction and new construction. to see how the structures of the past were tiful Heritage Museum, which “conserves Oliver J. Picton, who carried out an inter- created, how the people of Hatta Heritage and displays the rich traditional customs esting research in the Sharjah heritage

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area in 2004, during the first phase of the ity of contemporary society and the dif- by themed hotels and resorts: history has project, remarks the complex level of in- ferent speeds in globalization processes. become a mere experiential and emotion- terchange between heritage valorization, Yet, such a reading does imply an “Orien- al setting for tourist and leisure activities, reinvention of tradition, educational pur- talist” view. inside a global process of convergence posing, and tourist commodification. Ac- The Souq al-Arsah (Courtyard Souq) is between archaeological sites, historic cording to him, the Sharjah heritage part of this experience. pres- monuments, museums, theme parks, edu- area—like other similar spaces in the Emir- ents this in an interestingly ironic way: cational areas, hotels, and other leisure ates—crystallizes local culture and helps to “one of the oldest souks in the UAE (which places (Melotti, “Archaeological Tourism”). create a national feeling (Picton). However, in this case means about 50 years). […] De- In this context, the inscription of Sharjah whereas in the Dubai Heritage Village spite a thorough facelift, it’s still an atmo- heritage district on UNESCO tentative list (managed by the Department of Tourism, spheric place, even though vendors now appears appropriate. Commerce, and Marketing) history and lo- vie for tourist dirham […] in air-condi- cal culture are increasingly commodified, tioned comfort” (Walker et al. 312). A bal- Heritage Dynamics the Sharjah heritage area (managed by ance between tourism, heritage, and Another point deserves attention: the the Department of Culture and Informa- shopping is not easy to reach. Moreover, heritage proposed to tourists is usually tion) hosts activities less addressed to- despite that souq’s claim of promoting lo- Islamic. Arabian and Islamic elements ward international tourism and more char- cal heritage, most items on sale as well as are even used to thematize tourism, acterized by “educational, political, most vendors there came from outside the though this could be regarded as offen- nostalgic and carnivalesque discourses” Emirates, at least at the time Picton carried sive and in potential conflict with reli- (Picton 72). These activities, which to West- out his research. gion. Some Islamic monuments are in- ern visitors might seem “superficial and In that area is also the humble Sharjah Her- cluded and advertised in tourist inauthentic,” would appear “very real and itage , housed in a restored historic activities, such as the Mosque objective” to the local people and could courtyard building. This is a real relic of in Dubai or Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque effectively contribute to keeping their tra- “normal” tourism in a country whose tour- in Abu Dhabi, which are amazing monu- ditions alive (Picton 79). ist reputation pays dues to expensive ho- ments that attest to the global urban In this view there would be a coexistence tels and where Arabian “authenticity” is completion of the two cities, together of a sophisticated “postmodern” gaze of sold at high prices (as for instance at the with the Yas Marina F1 Circuit, the Fer- the Western tourists, annoyed by the om- One&Only Royal Mirage, with its Arabian rari World Theme Park, and the above- nipresent staged authenticity, with a court and Moorish-style palace). mentioned world-class museums. “modern” (or rather, a pre-postmodern) The Hearth of Sharjah project entails a In contrast, the rich pre-Islamic culture gaze of the local visitors, still interested in process of crystallization and commodifi- of the country is more or less invisible. the staged authenticity. Of course, this is cation of heritage, which can be read to- Despite the tempered character of local not strange, owing to the lively complex- gether with a similar process carried out , here we may find a trace of con-

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flict in relation to some aspects of the rani; Fales; Melotti, “Archaeological Tour- to excite in the local elites an interest in past. ism”). In general, however, the relation- archaeology, regarded as proof of mod- In the Middle East, the relationship be- ship with pre-Islamic archaeology remains ern, sophisticated behavior. Urban devel- tween archaeology and national policies conflicting and—in a turbulent framework opment was respectful of this heritage, has often been conflicted. For a long time of wars, revolutions, and crises—heritage also because halting building activities at archaeology had been read as a Western appears to be deeply embedded in po- the archaeological sites and defending practice, strongly connected with colo- litical debate and turmoil. From Afghani- the archaeological remains despite per- nialism and imperialism: Western archae- stan to the Maldives, from Iraq to Egypt, sonal economic interest was considered a ologists, educated in the cult of the an- this periodically leads to attacks against manifestation of sensitivity that assured cient great civilizations, tended to believe museums, monuments, and archaeologi- prestige (Potts 193). that nothing original would come out of cal sites (Stabile and Dal Maso; Arango; On the other hand, involvement of the oil the Islamic world and reserved their atten- Melotti, “Cultural Heritage”). companies in the local scholarly dynam- tion mainly for the roots of Western civili- The Gulf area, once under the influence of ics in the Gulf region and Saudi Arabia zation (Goode). This caused suspicion the Ottoman Empire, differs in its archaeo- contributed to defining a mainly oil-ori- against archaeology and deepened the logical tradition from other neighboring ented knowledge, which eventually con- gap between the Western idea of heri- states that were more affected by Euro- centrated on investigating tribal politics, tage and local political (and religious) pean colonialism. Therefore, archaeology Islamic politics, and leadership. Wahhabi agendas. does not share this negative image and is Islam “became an object of study only to Post-colonial nationalism renewed inter- not necessarily in opposition to local and provide background about those who est in the past and led to a diffusion of national values. ruled in its name and were ready to be local schools of archaeology. Controver- The birth of scientific archaeology is tied patronized by superpowers” (al-Rasheed, sial but charismatic figures, such as Sad- to the discovery of oil (1938 in Saudi Ara- “Time of Oil”). Archaeology remained a dam Hussein, succeeded in using the bia, 1958 in Abu Dhabi, and 1966 in Dubai), sophisticated elite interest, depending Western image of the ancient great civili- which entailed the arrival of skilled foreign on local dynamics of pride, while ethnog- zations, yet from a regional repertoire, in workers in Saudi Arabia and in the Gulf raphy provided comprehension of local order to strengthen their power and im- countries. Abu Dhabi saw its first excava- equilibria. age. Adopting a well-known European tions in 1959, led by a representative of the The historic and political context of the model, Saddam became the new Ham- British Petroleum, at the site of Umm an- EAU is different from that of the other Mid- murabi, just as Mussolini presented him- Nar Island, which dates back to the third dle East countries. Created in 1971, the fed- self as a new Augustus. At the same time, millennium BC. National and multinational eration is quite young and its member thanks to archaeology, he succeeded in companies contributed to the archaeo- states are rich countries, to which oil has balancing Islamic nationalism founded on logical excavations, in order to better their insured economic independence and in- other historic and cultural models (Bah- image (Potts 193). These activities helped ternational respect. Moreover, the govern-

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ing elites appear solid and stable. Nation- of studies and activities connected with moment, heritage does not appear to alism is not a primary element of this history and archaeology. represent an enticing narrative for the nation-state; thus heritage, though con- Pakistani workers who are building the tributing to national identity (Saeid, Arifin The processes of modernization and ur- new Emirates. and Hasim 2888), is not used in an overt ban renovation, based on wealth, have Szuchman (32) stresses the role played in nationalist way. raised identity issues—which, far from call- these identity processes by the reinven- Oil and heritage are closely tied together: ing into question the socioeconomic sys- tion and continuous display of Bedouin the wealth generated by oil has assured tem, helped increase attention to heritage culture: Emirati citizens, characterized by the strength of the power elite, which has conservation (Boussaa). As a matter of fact, “multiple identities” (Arab, Muslim, tribal, implemented policies oriented toward heritage is used to balance the speed of and national), would be invited to imagine preserving political assets. In this frame- modernization and, at least in the last two an idealized and ahistorical past due to al- work, the defense of tradition and its rein- decades, to enhance tourism and urban leged cultural isolation; and foreign work- vention—along with, more recently, the beautification. ers and resident expatriates (who repre- policies of heritage conservation—effec- sent the 82% of the entire population) tively take on the function of ideological The general attitude toward ancient his- would be reminded of their presence as tools (Picton; Khalaf, “Globalization and tory in the region seems positive. The dis- mere guests in the country. Heritage Revival”). According to Saeid, covery in 1992 of a Nestorian monastery In short, the Emirates—strongly embed- Arifin and Hasim (2888), “preservation of (which proved an ancient Christian pres- ded in a post-national world—have shown cultural heritage inheritance […] repre- ence in the area) was well accepted by a lucid postmodern use of heritage, con- sents a fundamental pillar of the modern Sheikh Zayed. Also archaeological re- ceived as an effective marketing tool in State of the United Arab Emirates.” This mains testifying to ancient relationships their relationships with Western socie­ view is authoritatively confirmed by one of with the Persian kingdom and Iranian cul- ties. This does not mean that the Emir- the most quoted phrases uttered by tures have not provoked problems. The ates do not pay attention to heritage or Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, the only potential cause of conflicts related to are not proud of their ancient history. On founder and first President of the federa- heritage, according to Potts, was the dis- the contrary, archaeology and heritage tion: “History is a continuous chain of covery on the peninsula of some studies are quite present in their univer- events. The present is only an extension of remains tied to Harappa, an ancient civi- sities, and heritage has become an im- the past” (“Sheikh Zayed in quotes”). In lization born in the area of modern Paki- portant instrument for international net- other words, there are no contradictions stan: Indian and Pakistani workers, which working. The Abu Dhabi branch of New between history and development, and in the Gulf area live in difficult conditions, York University (NYU), for instance, offers the present appears solidly built on the could have claimed to be the real found- an important program on museum and past. A subtle view, which in the Emirates ers of the civilization of their exploiters cultural heritage studies, based on “the has favored the spread (and acceptance) (Potts 196). But most likely, at least at the notion of an internationally and cross-

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culturally ‘shared heritage’ of material It would be a mistake to assume that the Many heritage sites in the UAE celebrate culture” (“NYU Abu Dhabi”). Its courses Emirates have completely surrendered to World Heritage Day with educational and deal with issues such as “How do those Western imagery and heritage. The Arab tourism activities. This confirms the inclu- who live in ‘the Middle East’ relate to countries of the area have deeply under- sion of the Emirates in the new globalized their past(s), and what discourses do stood the political (and touristic) value of world, which is increasingly dominated by they draw on to represent and authorize their own heritage, and are utterly atten- supranational agencies, and also shows its it today? How is ’the past’ recovered, tive to heritage policies. Not by chance, in interest in being recognized as a modern commemorated, embodied, erased, 2010 neighboring , under the aus- refined country, able to understand the marketed and consumed in the modern pices of UNESCO, established the Arab significance of the UNESCO World Heri- Middle East?” Regional Centre for World Heritage (ARC- tage List. Thus, beside the traditional po- Precisely in this higher education milieu, WH), an autonomous and independent litical celebrations such as National Day often characterized by a presence of for- regional institution aiming at defending and new tourist events such as the Camel eign (mainly Western) scholars, we find a and promoting Arabian and Islamic heri- Race Festival (Khalaf, “Poetics and Poli- new anthropological and sociological in- tage. Similarly, Saudi Arabia has actively tics”) or the Dubai Shopping Festival, the terest in heritage dynamics. The main promoted its archaeological and historical country celebrates World Heritage Day idea, according to Peutz, is to overcome sites, pre-Islamic ones included, and has with a mixed political and touristic ap- a “secondary orientalism,” which “con- obtained the insertion of many of them in proach, consistent with a contemporary siders the majority of the Arabian Penin- UNESCO World Heritage List. notion of heritage and the “liquid” culture sula without ‘culture’ and without ‘histo- Of course, the Emirates are also interested of the country. ry’ in comparison to the Arab States of in UNESCO’s activities, and actively try to On the Dubai Customs website we may North and the Eastern Mediterra- obtain the inclusion of some sites in the trace the traditional approach: nean” (“Perspectives from the Margins”). World Heritage List (the “cultural sites” of The [2014] WHD celebration sustains Moreover, there is a tendency to revamp were included in 2011, and other Dubai Customs’ efforts to implant and anthropological research to overcome a seven sites and monuments were entered promote national identity, being con- prejudicial approach opposing “kaleido- onto the tentative list between 2012 and scious that nations derive their identity scopic” Yemen, a supposed primitive 2014). This acknowledgement usually con- from the heritage that runs deep in the and colorful space good for ethnograph- tributes to the tourist success of a destina- veins of their citizens and the culture ic research, to the “monochrome” Gulf tion and, even more importantly, helps to that is profoundly rooted in history. area, regarded as a space good only for define its international image and the in- (“Dubai Customs”) business (Carapico; Peutz, “Perspectives ternational role of its State. In other words, from the Margins”), or only due to inter- efforts at international recognition repre- Yet according to the list of planned events, est in the sociocultural dynamics relating sent a tool for forming postmodern na- we may find the usual tourist “festival” ap- to exploited foreign workers. tional identity. proach, as also Picton remarked.

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Nevertheless, according to Szuchman, ar- tion of exhibitions of Italian archaeo- chaeology seems to be in a “precarious logical heritage in Saudi Arabia. situation” (42): the new museum culture In this complex strategy, heritage effec- “sequesters the pre-Islamic past, while cel- tively becomes an instrument of interna- ebrating more recent and familiar notions tional political and economic negotia- of history and heritage” (45): the impor- tion: a sort of common language on tant archaeological area Umm al-Nar, lo- which to build other relationships (even cated on an island together with an oil re- in a Europe impoverished by the current fi nery and a military installation, is off-limits; crisis, heritage remains an important most of the seven Emirates have no laws point on political agendas). Among oth- on traffi cking and commerce in antiqui- er things, heritage means tourism and ties, and UAE has become a hub for the the tourist market. This is accompanied international illicit market in antiquities; by a strong business policy, such as the many citizens are unfamiliar with the an- 2014 purchase by Etihad, the national cient history of the country and, even at a airline of Abu Dhabi, of Alitalia, the main higher-education level, seem to have poor Italian airline. knowledge of local archaeology (42-44). This approach to heritage, with its abil- Also worth mentioning is the attention ity to mix market and culture, business paid by other Arab countries in the re- and archaeology, in a more lucid and ef- gion to European cultural heritage in fective way than many European coun- Europe (versus that “exported” abroad). tries, marked as they are by more con- In 2014, the Kuwaiti Sheikh Ali Khaled servative ideas of the past, also provides al-Sabah announced planned invest- a frame for the new Islamic marketing. Figure 9: New heritage and tradition. Sheikh ments to assist in preservation of Euro- The Global Islamic Economic Summit, Zayed Grand Mosque, Abu Dhabi. Source: Abu Dhabi Tourism and Culture Authority. pean archaeological sites and monu- which took place in Dubai in 2013, un- ments such as Pompeii and the dertook to intercept the economic Another famous phrase by Sheikh Zayed Colosseum; Sultan bin Salman bin growth of Islamic countries and their confi rms the role of heritage in the Emir- Abdul aziz, board president of the Saudi middle class formed by consumers re- ates: “A nation without a past is a nation Commission for Tourism and Antiqui- spectful of Islamic culture. According to without a present or a future. Thanks to ties, has signed an agreement with the Jonathan Wilson, editor of the Journal of God, our nation has a fl ourishing civilisa- Municipality of Rome for the restoration Islamic Marketing, the immaterial heri- tion, deep-rooted in this land for many of museums and archaeological monu- tage of halal culture is becoming a glob- centuries. These roots will always fl ourish ments in the city and for the organiza- al brand (Zecchinelli). and bloom in the glorious present of our

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nation and in its anticipated future” ated an Islamic monument” (“Sheikh (“Sheikh Zayed in quotes”). Beside a genu- Zayed”). ine pride for history, here we may trace a Even his aphorisms have become part of “modern” use of history and heritage: the the country’s heritage. For some years vis- founder of new state appears to build a itors at the Abu Dhabi international airport common history for his new political unit. were welcomed by the two previously The reference to God ensures a transcul- mentioned phrases by the late Sheikh, tural tie between different experiences (in which reveal a new “postmodern” and liq- time and space) and contributes to build- uid approach mixing national identity, in- ing a common heritage. But the construc- frastructure, and tourism. Heritage had tion of a national identity, in a context of already reached a different phase: no lon- quite homogenous cultural and social ger a tool of national identity, rather an in- bases and general acceptance of this new ternational business card for the country asset, do not entail a nationalist approach. and something to be exposed to the for- eign tourist gaze. Upon his death in 2004, Zayed himself immediately became a part of heritage: Building a New Global Heritage as a founding father, he was buried be- This complex and dynamic process also Figure 10: The new heritage. Arabian Court at side the stunning Grand Mosque in Abu involves hotels and resorts. We have al- One&Only Royal Mirage , Dubai. Source: One&Only Royal Mirage, Dubai. Dhabi, which had been erected by him ready mentioned the sophisticated Ara- and named after him. This huge mosque, bian style of One&Only Royal Mirage in (“Royal Mirage”). The real local community considered a “visual pleasure” (Saeid, Dubai. Its website is assertive: “This is disappears, substituted by an abstract, Arifi n and Hasim 2891), was built be- Dubai. Here on the shores of the Gulf, a timeless image built through centuries of tween 1996 and 2007 to become, ac- wonderful place of intricate arches, domes reports and novels. But this local cording to Zayed’s will, a new monu- and towers, infused with rich green court- heritage must be “hospitable” to be ac- ment and a central piece of his heritage yards and vibrantly colourful gardens” cepted by the paternalist gaze of interna- vision, mixing the past and present. (“Royal Mirage”). Nature and themed ar- tional tourism. This is a global internation- Nowadays, it is the main religious center chitecture contribute to creating the Ori- al process, which also plays out elsewhere, and one of the tourist highlights of the ental and Grand Tour atmosphere that for instance in the Maldives or the Baha- country. As explains the website of tourists appreciate. Cultural heritage plays mas. Hotels themselves belong to interna- Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque Center a fundamental role in this process: “Bed- tional groups that use the same marketing “the father of the UAE,” who “aimed to ouin lore tells of a magical place of su- techniques everywhere. Tourists, too, establish a historical Mosque,” “has cre- preme hospitality rising out of the sand” move from one resort to another, search-

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ing for supposed local authenticity, which is accepted only if it conforms to a global model of tourist “otherness” (Melotti, “Ar- chaeological Tourism”; “Cultural Heri- tage”). “This is a wondrous place, composed of three distinctive environ- ments—each fl owing into the next to ignite the senses” (“Royal Mirage”). The center of the tourist experience is constituted by emotions: this sensorial tourism seeks the authenticity of emotions, which assures the authenticity of the experience and, in- directly, contributes to giving authenticity to the themed environments. This is the Figure 11: A postmodern archaeological site. The Lost Chambers at Atlantis Hotel The Palm, Dubai. new heritage. Source: Atlantis Hotel The Palm Dubai.

We face a process of heritage-making, An interesting case of this is the Atlantis vered, thought to have been buried for where models and languages are glob- Palm Hotel, opened in Dubai in 2008 thousands of years by the waters of the al and globally interconnected. This (Melotti, “Underwater Tourism”). It is the Arabian Gulf. Upon further investiga- process appears particularly rapid in “Arabian” version of a hotel previously tion, an ancient street system was Dubai and Abu Dhabi, accompanying built in the Bahamas by the same multina- discovered and the theory came into the rapid growth of these two global tional company, with the same Atlantis being that these were in fact remains cities. It is not a mere surrender to alien theme and the same aquatic attractions. of the Lost City of Atlantis. models. It is, rather, proof of deep and The core of the hotel is the Lost Chambers, creative involvement in a global pro- a huge themed aquarium, where you can Archaeology returns to the Emirates cess. Heritage is a tool for culture-based “live out your own Atlantean adventure” through the front door. If pre-Islamic heri- marketing and, at the same time, a live- and explore the “mysterious ruins of Atlan- tage related to historical great civilizations ly element able to transform and pen- tis, lost for thousands of years deep be- of the past may raise controversies, the etrate the dynamics of the new society. neath the sea” (“Atlantis”). myth of Atlantis—conceived of as the basis The crystallization is only apparent: her- for all world civilizations—does not. The itage is living and transforming, togeth- The website, in a playful way, asserts that idea of Atlantean remains under the artifi - er with society and the urban land- during the construction of the resort, a cial Palm Island inserts the Gulf in the scape. complex series of passages were unco- mainstream of the Western imagery and

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Middle East – Topics & Arguments #03–2014