Life of Dubai Creek

Gulf News

Life of Dubai Creek. A look at the Dubai Creek, then and now, as it continues to play an integral part in the development of the United Arab Emirates. See more at: http://gulfnews.com/gntv

Transcript

00:00Known as Khor Dubai in Arabic, the Dubai Creek is a living testimony to the growth of Dubai

00:14and the UAE in general.

00:17Although the city has witnessed a vast amount of growth and has undergone several phases

00:21of dredging and expansion, the creek's shape has not changed in the last thousand years.

00:28It runs through the heart of the city and connects Deira and Bardubar.

00:33From the handful of pearl divers and fishing settlements that dotted its banks prior to

00:38oil being struck, the creek today is a thriving hub of businesses, culture and tradition.

00:52It is currently in the final stages of its bid to becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site

00:57by 2014.

00:58There are three themes that lie at the heart of the creek, telling the story of its life

01:05over the years.

01:06The first is water, the creek itself, dotted with abras and dhavs, ferrying passengers

01:12and goods to and from their various destinations over the years.

01:16The second theme is trade.

01:18The creek has been an integral part of the trade in the region and is still a busy hub

01:22today as dhavs loaded with goods continue to come and go and markets and souks line

01:27the streets along its banks.

01:30The third theme is architecture.

01:32A mix of Arabic, Indian, East African and South Persian influences have come together

01:38over the years to produce the unique structures that offer shelter to the cultural centres,

01:43museums, offices and homes of many people that live, work and play on the Dubai Creek.

01:51A water presence that has been witness to the great spectacle of life in the region

01:55for over thousand years.

01:57The creek is an ever-present force in the lives of the people of UAE, yesterday, today

02:03and will continue to be so in the future.

02:06Sunita Menon, Gulf News.

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