Dhows have been built on the seafront of Ajman for generations, as shown in this photograph from The National’s sister paper Al Ittihad in the 1970s.
Once common across the Emirates, the craftsmanship shown here is starting to die out.
Ajman, though, is still a place where Emiratis build boats by hand. As The National reported last December, Al Mattar Al Shamsi maintains the skill using simple handheld tools.
Al Shamsi originally made his living as a pearl diver and a fisherman, taking command of his first boat at the age of 16.
At the age of 85 he works with his four sons, helping to keep Ajman’s dhow building heritage alive for future generations.
* James Langton
