‘Al-Ayyala’ Performance, a Traditional Ceremony for Honoring Distinguished Guests
Designated as UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2014
Arab girls dressed in traditional white robes let down their long hair and shook their heads in front of US President Donald Trump. This was a scene from an unusual welcoming ceremony that President Trump received in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) during his Middle East tour.
On May 15 (local time), President Trump visited Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, and held a summit meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan. This was the final stop of his three-country Middle East tour, which began in Saudi Arabia and continued through Qatar.
The United Arab Emirates extended a warm welcome to President Trump, the first US president to visit the country in 17 years since George W. Bush in 2008.
As President Trump appeared, about 20 girls lined up on either side let down their long hair and shook it in perfect unison. Although the scene may seem eerie at first glance, it is actually a traditional UAE ceremony called 'Al-Ayyala,' performed to welcome distinguished guests. Rooted in the desert's culture of chivalry, Al-Ayyala is a performing art that includes poetry recitation, drum performances, and dances reenacting battle scenes. It was inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity in 2014.
Typically, men stand in two lines holding sticks or swords and beat drums, while women shake their hair to the rhythm. The ceremony is believed to bestow spiritual blessings upon honored guests. As a performance that breaks down boundaries of generation, gender, and class, and symbolizes national identity, Al-Ayyala has become widely practiced at national holidays, celebrations, and weddings.
US President Donald Trump is receiving the United Arab Emirates (UAE) traditional ceremony 'Al-Ayyala'. Photo by X
In response to the girls' enthusiastic welcome, President Trump raised his fist before proceeding to the summit venue. After the welcoming ceremony, he told reporters, "It's a beautiful city. I really like it."
The scene of President Trump being welcomed spread across social media. Reactions ranged from "bizarre" and "it looks like a shamanic ritual," to comments expressing surprise at Middle Eastern women appearing without hijabs and with their hair exposed, calling it "unfamiliar."
Meanwhile, during the summit, President Mohammed pledged to make a large-scale investment in the United States. He announced, "The UAE plans to invest $1.4 trillion in the US over the next 10 years," specifying that investments would be made in sectors such as technology, artificial intelligence (AI), and energy.
The White House stated that, on the occasion of this visit, the US and UAE reached a commercial agreement involving $200 billion in investment attraction and related deals.
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