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Samoa, Solomon Islands, Seychelles, Maldives and Zanzibar will camp at Dubai Creek Park for 32 days, ready to show off their culture, food and handicraft.
Not able to get out of the city, but longing for some new sights and sounds? Don't worry. Dubai Shopping Festival 2006 will bring five exotic islands to the heart of the city all through the extravaganza scheduled from January 4 to February 4. The event: Islands of the World - Juzar Al Alam. The islands: Samoa, Solomon Islands, Seychelles, Maldives and Zanzibar. The place: Dubai Creek Park waterfront. The time: 4-10pm.
Sponsored by Emirates airline, one of the key DSF sponsors, the event will showcase the islands' cultural practices, traditional food (cooked on the spot), art and craft, music and dance. Here's a quick preview of what you can expect.
Samoa
Culture: Music and dance play a big part in this Pacific island's culture. Siva is the Samoan word for dance. But it also refers to a particular type of dance, in which women usually stand and enact an impromptu story with their hands.
There is also the Ailao Afi or the Samoan Fire Dance, a fierce dance performed by warriors seeking to frighten their enemies. Then there's the Sasa, a dance performed to the beating of a wooden mallet.
And finally, the Toniga dance, showcasing various traditional costumes.
Craft: Enjoy a demonstration of Samoan wood-carving and the beautiful fabric art of Elei. See also the Siapo, a fine cloth made from the bark of the mulberry tree. Learn how the Samoans use Siapo on a day-to-day basis, how clay used to dye Siapo is sometimes left to age for 10 years.
Also on display will be Samoan handicrafts, natural products shaped to make jewellery, bags, fans, mats and bowls.
Food: The Samoa cuisine is both vegetable and meat based. Try the taro cooked in coconut milk, served with corn beef and onion toppings, or try the many fish dishes the island is famous for.
Solomon Islands
Culture: Bamboo pipes in many shapes and sizes form the main musical instrument of these west Pacific islands. Dances, songs and stories depicting the past are common and these usually celebrate war, hunts, the natural world or the harvesting of crops. Hear the pipes and watch the dances.
Craft: Look out for traditional dishes and bowls made with dyed softwood and inlaid with shells and mother of pearls.
Do not also miss woodcarvings, including those of ebony, shell jewellery, buka baskets and coconut frond hats and mats.
Food: Try the breadfruit or Ulu, the Solomon Island way. Also, the tapioca wrapped in banana leaves, maybe with a drizzle of caramel.
Seychelles
Culture: Sway to the Camtole, a country dance with strong African rhythms typical to this Indian Ocean island. Or hear the Mootia, old folk songs sung by slaves once upon a time.
Craft: The focus here is colour. Check out the vibrant batiks (tie-and-dye fabric), bamboo baskets, bags woven out of vacoa leaves or hats and mats shaped out of Coco De Mer leaves. Of course, many of these will be made right in front of you.
Food: Taste the octopus in coconut curry or the octopus gratin with breadfruit. Try some green bananas and fish in coconut milk. Or even some salted fish salad, green pawpaw chattaney, and breadfruit fish balls.
The Maldives
Culture: Watch the Bodu Beru, a quickening dance that follows the beat of the big drum, also called the Bodu Beru. Enjoy the other dances too: the Dhandi, Maafathi, Bandiya, Bila'dhafi Negun and the Fathigandu.
Craft: On show are several varieties of handicrafts. Don't miss the Liyelaa Jehung lacquer work or the Thdukuna, red mats woven from the Haa reed.
Food: Try a range of coconut-based sweets such as Bondi, Fonifolhi and Foni Kaja. Remember, your Fonifolhi will come with dried or fried fish.
Zanzibar
Culture: Watch several dances, including many from the Tanzanian mainland. (This Indian Ocean island is part of Tanzania.) Fifteen artistes from the Zanzibar National Dance Troupe will perform at Dubai Creek Park. Look out particularly for the Gonga, a coming of age dance for young girls.
Craft: Of particular interest will be the intricate wooden doors, windows and chests. Also colourful fabric and dried banana leaf paintings.
Food: The focus here is on Swahili influenced Zanzibar food. The main dishes are the Ndizi Mbichi Za Nazi (green bananas in coconut juice) and Vitumbua, a roundish rice bread made of rice flour, cooking oil, sugar and yeast.
The Dubai Shopping Festival runs from January 4 to February 4. For more information visit www.mydsf.ae or call Ahlan Dubai on 600545555.
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