Life in the UAE has shifted remarkably, but the values of the Emirati society remain consistent amid life's rapid changes.
Before oil discovery, the UAE depended on a subsistence economy with families relying on natural resources to provide for basic needs, through pearl diving and agriculture.
Dr Fatima Al Sayegh, professor of history at UAE University, said back in the days, Emirati families produced just what they needed.
"In the past, it was simple village life. Palm trees were used to provide dates as food for the family. Palm tree branches were used to build the house roofs. Tree trunks supported tents and flooring of dwellings were made by woven palm leaf strips," said Al Sayegh.
In the past, the small houses of low roofs were close to each other where families got their milk and cheese from cows and goats, and their water from a well.
But the life change in UAE didn't happen overnight. Al Sayegh described UAE progress as a gradual process.
In the early 1960s, oil was discovered in Abu Dhabi, an event that led to quick unification calls made by UAE leaders in 1971. Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan became the ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966, and the British started losing their oil investments and contracts to US oil companies.
Openness to other cultures
Although simple housing was still dominant in the early 1970s and the government started granting houses for low-income families by the 80s, the real changes were only possible through the government actions and openness to change.
Over 300 years ago, Indian communities started migrating to the UAE for trade and life. Asians were then followed by Arabs in a wave of migration that changed the lifestyle of the entire country.
"When UAE families in the past disliked living by the seas due to its unpredictable nature, Westerners introduced the concept of building houses by the beach," said Al Sayegh.
A glimpse of the village life, though, can still be seen in areas like Hatta Heritage Village and Al Ain Museum. The wealth and oil might have changed the Emirati lifestyle, but haven't changed much about the society that's still connected to core values and traditions.
