Blast from Past: How Emiratis beat scorching summer heat

The pre-oil era in the UAE saw little signs of modern life, and unlike today's generation, who mostly escape the scorching heat of the summer by holidaying in relatively cooler European countries or the exotic tropical islands of East Asia, the older generations had their unique ways of defeating the heat.

In the past, life was simple. People had neither air-conditioners, nor refrigerators. Nevertheless, they mastered ways to adapt to the harsh terrains and tough climate, especially when the Mercury shoots too high in the summer.

They were so clever that they transformed the challenges of hot summer season into an opportunity to strengthen social bonds.

At the beginning of the summer season, people of the cities, then arid and barren, except for some scattered patches of trees with little shade, used to go on a traditional journey to the nearby oases like Liwa, Al Ain, Hatta Al Dhaid, Dibba and the coasts of Fujairah.

At that time, people depended entirely on nature to satiate their hunger and to quench their thirst. They had to adapt to their surroundings to feel cool in the summer and warm in the winter.

"Abu Dhabi had very few date palm and vegetable farms," remembered Mohammed Saeed Al Romaithi. "Every day was a challenge for us to overcome the hardship. We used to travel for miles to get fresh drinking water from newly dug wells or from rainwater ponds. Later, the well's water would turn salty," he added.

The famous fresh water spots in Abu Dhabi were Al Futtaisi Island and the small rainwater ponds called Zayed Lake, Bandouq Lake and Yibara Lake.

"Sometimes, we would carry water bags, usually made of waterproofed goat-skin, on our backs or on animals’ backs. At other times, we would get fresh water tanks from Ras Al Khaimah by boats," Al Romaithi said.

Despite the hardship, summer time was rich with cultural activities in Abu Dhabi, as oases and highland areas bustled with families, busy with the date harvest during the day and poetry contests during the evenings.

In the summer, Abu Dhabi also welcomed hundreds of tribesmen who would come to the city, seeking jobs at the anchored pearl diving ships. The markets for agricultural products and traditional handicrafts would witness a boom as demand would rise, thanks to the visiting divers.

The summer season, locally called Al Maqeeth, would see people converging at open air gathering places under the shade of date palms. People used to pass time there, sipping coffee, eating dates and reciting poetry.

Their travels during the summer season would teach them many skills, including knowledge of geography, directions and most importantly, the weather forecast. They knew various types of winds and gave names to the stars. They also knew beforehand whether it would be hot or cold or if it was going to rain.

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