“Death will not visit a man, even at the time of a famine, if he has a ghaf, a goat and a camel, since the three together will sustain a man even under the most trying conditions.”
The old folk saying is a testament to the remarkable influence that the ghaf has had on Emirati society. The tree was considered a communal landmark, due to the shade offered by its feathery blue-green leaves. Its small yellow blossoms, bark and sap were used in traditional medicines. Its pods were used as food for livestock. The tree also continues to inspire resilience, for the deep root systems that draw from underground water sources and help it withstand droughts.
It is for all these reasons that the ghaf was recognised as the national tree of the UAE in 2008. Yet, there are plenty of other trees and plants that have contributed to local culture and traditions, its poetry and crafts. Zayed National Museum will delve into these in detail, by way of a lush walkway that traverses through oases and deserts, even identifying species that grow in urban settings.
A look at the architecture and galleries of Zayed National Museum
Al Masar Garden is a 600-metre path that stretches from the Saadiyat coast, between Louvre Abu Dhabi and National History Museum Abu Dhabi, up to the entrance of Zayed National Museum.
“It is considered one of the permanent galleries of the museum,” says Moaza Matar, acting director of the museum’s curatorial and collection management department. “Al Masar Garden is the entry point of the museums and because it stretches from the Saadiyat coast up to the entrance of the museum.”
The walk is divided across three zones. It starts in the desert, before venturing into the oasis and urban environments. “Within these three different themes, we talk about sub themes that talks about people, nature, land, and, of course, heritage,” Matar says. “Along that path, while you’re walking, you will encounter different exhibits. You will also get that sensory experience in terms of smell and sound.”
The garden, Matar says, will have about 700 trees, as well as 500 shrubs and plants. Information about the different species, such as their preferred climates and uses will be available on labels.
“Depending on the season, sometimes you’ll see them fruit,” Matar says. “You’ll see the plants in different phases throughout the year. But even if you don’t, the labels will have the full image of that plant or tree. You’ll recognise many of the plants, for instance, if you went camping in the desert, but didn’t necessarily know what they were called or how they were used, whether for food or medicinal purposes. We will explain all these concepts.”
Like with the other galleries at the museum, storytelling is a central component of Al Masar Garden. The path has been curated in a way to reflect upon the life of UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, and the country’s broader history. “It was inspired by his vision for sustainability and the landscapes he either lived in or that inspired him throughout his life,” Matar says.
In fact, one of the highlights of the museum is a ghaf that was once part of Sheikh Zayed’s residence. Visitors will be able to see the ghaf in the desert section, Matar says, while also learning about the significance of the tree and its manifold uses historically. They will also learn about the poetry it inspired. “There is a lot of local poetry about the ghaf,” she says.
As visitors begin venturing outside the desert section, they will hear the babble of a falaj, the ancient irrigation system. The surroundings, meanwhile, will become noticeably greener, reflecting on the environment of an oasis.
“It’s a gradual change,” Matar says. “We have a working falaj, and we talk about what an innovation it was. We exhibit some of the tools that helped built the falaj and boost farming and agriculture. You’ll start hearing more birds. You will feel as if you’re in a real oasis.”
Walking closer to the museum and entering the urban section of the garden, visitors will learn more about Sheikh Zayed’s vision of the UAE and how he wanted the country to be developed along with its natural environments.
“The section will explore how urban life in Abu Dhabi developed through documented floor plans that specify how many houses were built, and so on,” Matar says.
Alongside the vegetation and displays, the garden will also have kinetic sculptures and sound installations that delve into areas ranging from seed preservation to falconry.
“We have commissioned artistic sculptures of native animals and birds, and one of the experiences we have is we have sculptures of falcons, where we would host live performances and workshop related to falconry,” Matar says. “You would sit in a traditional setting, learning more about falconry, interacting with the sculptures around and interacting with real falcons as well.”
Like considerations taken in the museum’s interior, the garden has been designed with accessibility in mind. “One of the experiences that we created in the garden is a walkway that is fully accessible to those with different accessibility needs,” Matar says.
“The exhibits will have tactile images and tactile sculptures that people with different accessibility needs will be able to interact with. We also have quiet and calm corners. It’s a very accessible space for diverse audiences to come together.”
Prop idols
Girls full-contact rugby may be in its infancy in the Middle East, but there are already a number of role models for players to look up to.
Sophie Shams (Dubai Exiles mini, England sevens international)
An Emirati student who is blazing a trail in rugby. She first learnt the game at Dubai Exiles and captained her JESS Primary school team. After going to study geophysics at university in the UK, she scored a sensational try in a cup final at Twickenham. She has played for England sevens, and is now contracted to top Premiership club Saracens.
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Seren Gough-Walters (Sharjah Wanderers mini, Wales rugby league international)
Few players anywhere will have taken a more circuitous route to playing rugby on Sky Sports. Gough-Walters was born in Al Wasl Hospital in Dubai, raised in Sharjah, did not take up rugby seriously till she was 15, has a master’s in global governance and ethics, and once worked as an immigration officer at the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi. In the summer of 2021 she played for Wales against England in rugby league, in a match that was broadcast live on TV.
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Erin King (Dubai Hurricanes mini, Ireland sevens international)
Aged five, Australia-born King went to Dubai Hurricanes training at The Sevens with her brothers. She immediately struck up a deep affection for rugby. She returned to the city at the end of last year to play at the Dubai Rugby Sevens in the colours of Ireland in the Women’s World Series tournament on Pitch 1.
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Infobox
Western Region Asia Cup Qualifier, Al Amerat, Oman
The two finalists advance to the next stage of qualifying, in Malaysia in August
Results
UAE beat Iran by 10 wickets
Kuwait beat Saudi Arabia by eight wickets
Oman beat Bahrain by nine wickets
Qatar beat Maldives by 106 runs
Monday fixtures
UAE v Kuwait, Iran v Saudi Arabia, Oman v Qatar, Maldives v Bahrain
Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
The First Monday in May
Director: Andrew Rossi
Starring: Anna Wintour, Karl Lagerfeld, John Paul Gaultier, Rihanna
Three stars
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Top tips to avoid cyber fraud
Microsoft’s ‘hacker-in-chief’ David Weston, creator of the tech company’s Windows Red Team, advises simple steps to help people avoid falling victim to cyber fraud:
1. Always get the latest operating system on your smartphone or desktop, as it will have the latest innovations. An outdated OS can erode away all investments made in securing your device or system.
2. After installing the latest OS version, keep it patched; this means repairing system vulnerabilities which are discovered after the infrastructure components are released in the market. The vast majority of attacks are based on out of date components – there are missing patches.
3. Multi-factor authentication is required. Move away from passwords as fast as possible, particularly for anything financial. Cybercriminals are targeting money through compromising the users’ identity – his username and password. So, get on the next level of security using fingertips or facial recognition.
4. Move your personal as well as professional data to the cloud, which has advanced threat detection mechanisms and analytics to spot any attempt. Even if you are hit by some ransomware, the chances of restoring the stolen data are higher because everything is backed up.
5. Make the right hardware selection and always refresh it. We are in a time where a number of security improvement processes are reliant on new processors and chip sets that come with embedded security features. Buy a new personal computer with a trusted computing module that has fingerprint or biometric cameras as additional measures of protection.
Padmaavat
Director: Sanjay Leela Bhansali
Starring: Ranveer Singh, Deepika Padukone, Shahid Kapoor, Jim Sarbh
3.5/5
MORE ON TURKEY’S SYRIA OFFENCEMercedes V250 Avantgarde specs
Engine: 2.0-litre in-line four-cylinder turbo
Gearbox: 7-speed automatic
Power: 211hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 6.0 l/100 km
Price: Dh235,000
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pocketsSour%20Grapes
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Match info:
Manchester City 2
Sterling (8′), Walker (52′)
Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30′)
‘Top Gun: Maverick’
Rating: 4/5
Directed by: Joseph Kosinski
Starring: Tom Cruise, Val Kilmer, Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Miles Teller, Glen Powell, Ed Harris
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Bayern Munich v Real Madrid
When: April 25, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Allianz Arena, Munich
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 1, Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogenChromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxideUltramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica contentOphiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on landOlivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
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