'Faces of Hatta': New documentary to capture area's oral history

Launched by Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairperson of Dubai Culture, the project aims to preserve the area's cultural heritage

Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairperson of Dubai Culture and Arts Authority (Dubai Culture), announces new documentary project on Hatta. Dubai Media Office

Faces of Hatta, a new documentary, was launched on Sunday by Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, chairperson of Dubai Culture & Arts Authority (Dubai Culture). The documentary aims to capture Hatta's oral history through stories as told by the residents of the area.

The project, whose launch comes after a recent visit by Sheikha Latifa bint Mohammed to Hatta, will document the area's oral history and cultural heritage, by drawing from the stories of people who have witnessed its change over the years, with the objective of preserving that history for future generations.

Hatta is an exclave of Dubai that sits on the border with Oman and is less than a two-hour drive from the city.

Faces of Hatta will feature both audio and video recordings of residents, whose memories serve as an important reference to document the area's historical events and cultural heritage.

Dubai Culture said that the project will create a detailed picture of Hatta's heritage from accounts of members of the local community as they speak of their daily life and experiences and the area's culture and history. The project covers a wide range of topics including the history of the Hatta Heritage Village, the palm farms in Hatta, the irrigation system or Al Falaj, the role of women in the Hatta community, traditional cuisine, celebrations, adornment and attire of the region and other topics related to the uniqueness of the local community.

"The documentation that will be done in Hatta is an important initiative to demonstrate how stories help create, foster and sustain communities. This will contribute to enriching the documentation of Dubai's culture and spreading awareness about Emirati customs and traditions. This project is aligned with our mission to preserve and celebrate Emirati heritage and preserve it for future generations," said Muna Al Gurg, director of the Museums Department at Dubai Culture, of the project.

“The history of Hatta, its lifestyle and stages of development before and after the establishment of the federation will be documented. We have developed a plan to roll out the project in phases. The first phase, which has already started, features a series of interviews with leading figures in the Hatta community. We believe this oral history project will provide researchers, historians and other users of this content a deep understanding of Hatta’s distinctive cultural heritage and history.”

A release date for the documentary is yet to be announced.