Home UNESCO Lists Intangible Cultural Heritage Intangible Cultural Heritage in UAE Al-Ayyala, a Traditional Performing Art of the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates

Al-Ayyala, a Traditional Performing Art of the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates

Al-Ayyala, a Traditional Performing Art of the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates

Al-Ayyala is a folk art and cultural performance practiced in the United Arab Emirates and in the northwest of the Sultanate of Oman. Al-Ayyala is performed by two rows of about twenty men facing each other, holding thin sticks while music is played on tambourines and large drums.
Al-Ayyala is a heritage and cultural tradition that symbolizes authenticity and ancient history, and it is inclusive of all ages, genders, and social classes. Today, Al-Ayyala is performed in national and social celebrations and at weddings.

Al-Ayyala, a Traditional Performing Art of the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates was inscribed in 2014 on the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in Oman, UAE.
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Al-Ayyala, a Traditional Performing Art of the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates

Date of Inscription

2014