Falconry

Falconry is an essential part of desert life and one of the oldest Emiratis’ traditional sports that has been practiced in the United Arab Emirates for centuries and it is still practiced nowadays.

In the past, falcons were used for hunting and supplying the Bedouin with some meat. Whereas now it is purely practiced as a sport.

Once a falcon is acquired, the falconer trains it. A leather cover is used to protect the falcon’s eyes. In the first few weeks, the falconer remains with the falcon all the time to establish a close relationship with the falcon. The falconer also names the bird and continually calls to it so that it comes to recognize his voice from long distances.

The sport of falconry is highly valued in the UAE and H. H. Sheikh Zayed has shown great concern and support for this important part of the UAE’s cultural. It is one of his favorite activities because it teaches endurance, strength and patience.
Falconry is also the favorite sport of young Emiratis.

Saif Alblooshi, 18-year-old, said that he learned the sport of falconry two years and it became one of his favorite hobbies.

 

-30-

Links

Flickr – Photo Essay

Storify
https://storify.com/shaikhaalb/to-travel-is-to-live

Talli

Some traditions are celebrated openly, such as yola dancing or camel racing. Others continue quietly and without spectacle; talli work is one of them.

Talli is a form of traditional Emirati embroidery. This art of embroidery has been practiced by women in the Emirates for so long, no one can be quite sure when it began. Although, Talli embroidery occurred long time ago but still common, popular and incorporated into the most fashionable designs.

It is used to beautify the collars and cuffs of women’s clothing.

In times before tailors, women needed to learn the skill of talli work to embellish their clothes. Older talli was made of real silver threads or pure gold threads. While nowadays’ talli is mostly made of synthetic materials.

Some traditions are celebrated openly, such as yola dancing or camel racing. Others continue quietly and without spectacle; talli work is one of them.

Talli is a form of traditional Emirati embroidery. This art of embroidery has been practiced by women in the Emirates for so long, no one can be quite sure when it began. Although, Talli embroidery occurred long time ago but still common, popular and incorporated into the most fashionable designs.

It is used to beautify the collars and cuffs of women’s clothing.

In times before tailors, women needed to learn the skill of talli work to embellish their clothes. Older talli was made of real silver threads or pure gold threads. While nowadays’ talli is mostly made of synthetic materials.

Ateeja Ali Al Muhairbi produces talli work, skilfully placing the spools of thread to create intricate designs for the collars and cuffs of dresses and other items of clothing.

The skill has even inspired poetry. One well-known Arabic verse runs:

“The one wearing the talli has captivated my heart,

With her long black hair flowing in the wind”.
 

-30-

Mid-term

1. What is disaggregation of the audience?
Disaggregation of the audience is having different audiences’ segments.

2. Why has journalism’s credibility declined since the 1990s?
The journalism’s credibility declined because of the rise of inaccurate sources.

3. How do journalists use the Internet?
journalists use the weblogs to interact with their audiences.

4. What is transparency as it relates to the profession of journalism, as a way of rebuilding trust with readers?
Journalist can build trust by being unbiased as well as being trustworthy, reliable and accurate.

5. When anthropologists observed primitive cultures, how did such cultures define news and what qualities did they look for in messengers?
In my opinion, most cultures and people share the same definition of what does news mean and they often have same messengers’ qualities.

6. Though you may not subscribe to a newspaper or consistently watch the news on television, do you feel generally aware of what’s going on beyond your direct experience? Are you the first or the last to know important things? Do you have “a hunger for awareness”? When meeting a friend, do you share information, such as “have you heard about…?”
I personally think that nowadays we feel aware of what’s going on without watching the news, and that’s because of our smart phones. Friends and family members send and share the updates through social networks which makes us updated especially in terms of things that are happening locally.

7. Why do we need “the news”? To “protect ourselves, bond with each other, identify friends and enemies,” the authors write. They quote author Thomas Cahill, who said you can tell “the worldview of a people…the invisible fears and desires…in a culture’s stories.” Why do you need “the news,” if you do? What stories do you tell yourselves?
In my opinion, news are important because we need to be aware of what’s going on, what’s new and what are the updates so that we keep up.

8. What are the 10 elements of journalism?
– Journalism’s first obligation is to tell the truth.
– Its first loyalty is to citizen.
– Its essence is a discipline of verification.
– Its practitioners must maintain an independence from those they cover.
– It must serve as an independence monitor of power.
– It must provide a forum for public criticism and compromise.
– It must strive to make the significant interesting and relevant.
– It must keep the news comprehensive and in proportion.
– Its practitioners have an obligation to exercise their personal conscience.
– Citizen, too, have the rights and responsibilities when it comes to the news.

9. Without independently-reported news, what will replace it? a) rumor; b) self-interested commercialism or infotainment, according to the authors. Can you think of examples of this in your own life?
I personally think that independently news can be replaced by rumors.Because rumors spread really fast and reach a lot of people.