Dubai Culture Beyond the Malls, From Heritage Crafts to Art House Cinemas

Welcome to the fourth and final episode of a four-part *Unpacked* series on Dubai travel, this time focused on Dubai culture. People love to say the city is all shopping malls and construction cranes, so guest host Nicola Chilton sets out to prove that wrong with two guests who are keeping its heritage alive in very different ways. First, Nicola talks with Dr. Azra Khamissa, a Canadian-South African chiropractor, designer, and henna artist who moved to Dubai in 2001. Azra explains why henna matters at weddings, Eid, and Ramadan, and how it led her to research and practice heritage crafts: talli, a hand-woven trim of silver and gold thread that can take weeks to months to make for one dress, and al sadu, the loom weaving used for tents and camel bags. She also shares how Talli Circle, her community workshop series with Dubai Culture, began after hundreds of younger Emirati women told her they wanted to learn, and where to go to experience Dubai culture as a visitor. In the second half, Nicola is joined by Butheina Kazim, the Emirati founder of Cinema Akil, the region’s first independent art house cinema, in Alserkal Avenue. Butheina traces its path from a nomadic pop-up to its current iteration, explains why she thinks of Dubai’s audience as a “five-hour flight radius” of cultures, and describes building a majlis-style cinema with seats salvaged from a demolished Bur Dubai theater. Missed the series? Start with Nicola’s story in episode one, then hear about hospitality in episode two and food in episode three. Every episode is filmed in the same Dubai studio, so you can watch as well as listen on YouTube. **THIS WEEK’S GUESTS** Dr. Azra Khamissa is a chiropractor, designer, and the artist behind Azra Henna. Raised in Canada and South Africa, she has lived in Dubai since 2001 and now researches and teaches traditional Emirati crafts, including through Talli Circle. Butheina Kazim is the Emirati founder of Cinema Akil, the region’s first independent art house cinema, which opened in Alserkal Avenue in 2018. Cinema Akil hosts festivals including Reel Palestine and Arab Cinema Week, and a second screen operates at 25hours Hotel. **PLAN YOUR OWN DUBAI TRIP** Start with these Afar travel guides to Dubai culture and travel experiences: how to spend four days in Dubai, according to locals and a local’s guide to thrift, vintage, and antiques shops. **Where to go and what to see from this episode:** - Cinema Akil — Butheina’s art house cinema, with a second screen at 25hours Hotel Dubai One Central. - Alserkal Avenue — the Al Quoz arts district both guests recommend. - Al Shindagha Museum — Azra’s first stop for craft heritage, along Dubai Creek. - Sikka Art & Design Platform — Azra’s favorite, held at Al Shindagha in the cooler months. - Hatta and the Hajar Mountains — a mountain exclave about an hour from the city. - Al Mamzar Beach — Azra’s underrated pick for a nature fix, inside a public park. **CHAPTERS** 00:00:00 Welcome to Dubai Culture 00:03:00 Henna, Talli, and Al Sadu 00:12:50 Hatta, Shindagha, and Al Mamzar 00:19:30 Inside Cinema Akil 00:24:50 Alserkal Avenue and the Majlis 00:35:20 Lead With Curiosity **STAY CONNECTED** Be sure to subscribe to the show and sign up for our podcast newsletter, Behind the Mic, where we share upcoming news and behind-the-scenes details of each episode. And explore our second podcast, Travel Tales, which celebrates first-person narratives about the way travel changes us, and View From Afar, where we spotlight the people and ideas shaping the future of travel. *Unpacked by Afar* is part of Airwave Media’s podcast network. Please contact advertising@airwavemedia.com if you would like to advertise on our podcast. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices