UAE is a unique blend of modern technology & rich cultural heritage. While taking big strides in ultra-modern world it has kept its heritage firmly in place. Thus, its? rather natural for UAE to continue using & applying traditional knowledge in environmental conservation.

It has firmly believed that we must replenish the environment God gifted us with to live and enjoy and that is by giving back to the environment through replanting and rehabilitation of all natural resources degraded and extinct from our lands.

An example is The construction and use of the small fishing boat built of bound bundles of palm fronds known as the shasha represents one of these traditional aspects. Normally making a fishing boat uses a lot of wood & other material that is not locally available & is sourced from outside & thus is not sustainable.

Ninety percent of the material necessary for building these boats is obtainable from the locally available date palm tree Phoenix dactylifera. The remaining material is gathered from trees located in the mountains, such as the Zizyphus and Acacia. The long fronds of the date palm are prepared by removing the leaves and soaking the stems which will make them pliable and manageable. These stems are tied together securely with a rope made from the date palm. Today nylon rope is often substituted for the original date palm rope, which is not eco-friendly.

The base layer of stems is bound tightly and is secured by a frame made of wood from the Zizyphus or Acacia tree. This frame contains seven cross beams along the base with corresponding beams on either side of the boat. The large section of the date palm stem which is attached to the trunk (that is, the branch stumps) was originally used to create buoyancy. Today, however, styrofoam is generally used.

These segments are bound together with date palm rope and secured above the base of the stems. Above this are placed another seven cross beams and a layer of tightly bound stems. The sides of the shasha are also constructed with tightly bound date palm stems. All of the cross beams and stems are secured with the date palm rope. The date palm stems were once also used to construct the fishing cages known as gargour, which are now made of metal.

A shasha usually has two oars, one located in the middle and one at the back. These oars are also constructed with wood, again from either Zizyphus or Acacia trees. The shasha usually seats between two and four people, although larger shoosh can also be constructed. These can carry up to five people.

The primary function of the shasha is as a fishing boat and it is, therefore, only designed to travel short distances. The stems used for buoyancy can become heavy due to absorbing of water and thus impede long distance travel. Once a shasha has reached its desired destination, fishing nets or cages can be dropped. The distance travelled is usually no more than 15km. It may also be used for short distance travel, for example from Fujairah to Kalba or Fujairah to Qurayyah.

You must have enjoyed the making of Sasha using traditional knowledge & thus conserving the environment. It is still very popular in the UAE.