Day #4 – Abu Dhabi's Future

When the means and the opportunity are present, go for it; don't hold back.

Today was a very interesting day, yet I don't know what to make of it. I think in a way, I was very confused. This whole trip has put my mind in a whirlwind in that my perceptions of everything UAE has changed. Today's visit was to Cityscape, Abu Dhabi's arm that showcases development projects and investment potentials. The building was turned into a massive expo center filled with building concepts, designs, and a glance into the future of Abu Dhabi. The intricate detail of planning for this new city development blows my mind. I guess with the smaller populace, a smaller area to work with, and massive amounts of money, this type of project is feasible. But is it what will break the city?

Often on Guam, we hear the older people tell us stories about how life was like when they were younger. Sometimes we (the younger generation) will roll our eyes and say, “stop living in the past”, or we will take a look at our grandparents and wonder what a simple life would be like without the hustling and bustling of the city, the cellphones, the loud music, and the never ending desire to be better than the person next to you so you go on a rampage through conspicuous consumption. I have little faith in the retention of the beautiful culture and traditions of our future of the Chamorro people on Guam. Not because it is not worth saving, but because the younger generation do not appreciate and practice the simple life of a Chamorro. It is interesting because there is a struggle to keep this culture alive, but it is constantly battling with the influence of the western world.

In Abu Dhabi, everyone we met with kept talking about keeping the culture and traditions of an Emirati alive, to make sure the religious values and morals are preserved, yet what confused me was the fact that I did not see one indication of this desire to keep such alive in any of the proposals that were shown to us today by Masdar and the Abu Dhabi Department of Transportation. Maybe my fatigue and tiredness got the best of me and I did not understand or I missed something. Don't get me wrong, I wholeheartedly believe that the plans they have for the future to build up their Emirate and diversify their government is a very ambitious plan that should be commended. They want to build better roads, safer streets, environmentally friendly buildings and houses, put the basic necessities within reach of their people, and make life for Emirates and residents as easy and efficient as possible. Yet, I feel as if there is a contradictory idea in this whole scheme of things somewhere in the mix.

I do not see how the building a large city will preserve the traditions and religious values. I have asked, but no one seems to know the answer, or at least have given me an honest response. The only true answer that I believed I received was from one of our Emirati counterparts who actually agreed with me.

During our networking dinner at the most lavished Shangri-La I have seen with one of the best selections in a buffet I have experience, I had asked one of our guests that we were networking the question of preservation of traditions in relation to their future metropolis, and he did not know. He mentioned that it seemed as if it were the architecture of the buildings and the type of rooms for the men, women, and children. I was struck that he couldn't see that building styles and room positions were not what will keep alive the Emirati culture and traditions, but the preservation of it all through the practice of such by its people.

I don't know exactly what will happen, but I do know that I am no one to put a stop to any of their plans. I am sure the government officials realize the magnitude of the scope of work they are trying to progress onto Abu Dhabi and understand that there could be significant impacts on the lives of Emiratis living in Abu Dhabi. I have raised the question and know others are thinking it as well. It will now be up to those with a stake living on this Emirate to make the hard hitting decisions. Hopefully, their decisions will not be at the expense of the traditions and religious morals that have been practiced for over centuries.

We visited the General Womens Union, a government entity that looks to promoting the advancement of women in Abu Dhabi. Women of all ages can go to the Womens Union and find anything they would like to do such as attain technical skills, learn a little bit of vocational skills, and take what they know and turn it into an entrepreneurial prospect. The women we saw were learning how to use a computer and build websites. The others were older women who found themselves daily in a room making products native to their culture and traditions such as clothing, rugs, and woven baskets.

I have always appreciated the deep traditions and cultural aspects of a people. I was very excited to see the older generation show the process of the handmade products that showcases the rich Emirati traditions. Thinking back, I realize that all the women I saw were the older generation who may only have a few more years on this earth. I did not see a younger person with them trying to learn what the generation before them did. It is always important to keep traditions alive, and this is done by passing on the knowledge. I had asked a few questions about what they were wearing and the pieces of accessories on their clothing, and surprisingly the younger ones did not know.

Anywhere in the world you can safely make a case that the closer you are in a more metropolis place, the farther you are from the traditions and culture that identifies a people.