'Hewi': Arabic word for front garden, and Sheikh Hamdan's latest initiative, uncovers a special place

An integral part of Emirati life, it's also a place in which to enjoy an afternoon tea or welcome guests

'Hewi' is the Emirati word for front garden. The National

This week, Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, launched an Emirati neighbourhood initiative called Hewi Dubai.

Through the scheme, Sheikh Hamdan said he hoped to “bring people together, strengthen social ties and create safe, welcoming environments for community life".

Hewi is our Arabic word of the week. Most common in the UAE and other parts of the Gulf, it is used to mean the front garden of a home. The word comes from the Arabic "yahtawi", which means to contain. Hewi is then a place in the home that can contain a family’s gatherings and activities.

Before there were lavish homes in the UAE, the hewi of a house was the area between the outer door and the inside of the home. It would have a seating area on the ground, a modest garden space and soft lights hung above for the evenings.

The hewi is a very important part of the Emirati home. It used to be the place where families sat, had afternoon tea and enjoyed fruit after lunch. Most homes did not have a majlis to host guests, so the hewi was the area in which guests were welcomed with a cup of coffee.

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  Hewi is the Emirati word for front garden

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Other countries in the Gulf have their own versions of the word. For example, in Kuwait, a hewi is called a hoosh. Some countries use the word for garden, "hadeeqa", to refer to the area. This would be especially true if there were many plants and flowers present.

A hewi is also an integral part of children’s lives, as it was the first place they would play in the home before venturing outside. Kids would set up makeshift goalposts and play football with their siblings or build a track for their remote-controlled cars.

The hewi of a home truly came alive during the winter months, when families would congregate for a barbecue or sit under the stars to tell stories. As Ramadan begins to head into the winter months over the next few years, more iftars and suhoors can be expected in the hewi.