A new museum in Khor Fakkan highlights the Sharjah enclave's fight against Portuguese colonial forces in the 16th century, utilising augmented reality to bring the historic resistance to life.
The museum, which opened on Tuesday, is a permanent highlight at the Resistance Monument. With antiques, dioramas, models of old ships and AR technology, it tells the story of how Khor Fakkan made a stand against the Portuguese invasion in 1507.
The port city was captured and became part of a series of fortified cities that the Portuguese used to control access to the Arabian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman. However, the local resistance against the colonising army has become an esteemed pocket of Khor Fakkan’s history.
The Resistance Monument itself honours the local tribes’ efforts in rallying against the Portuguese troops led by Commander Afonso de Albuquerque, an indomitable enemy who participated in the North African crusades and whose career ambition was to divert the course of the Nile in order to leave Egypt barren.
The museum within the monument starts off with a 1:250 scale model of Khor Fakkan as it looked in the early 16th century. Holding up one of the in-house iPads reveals the town’s people walking across the narrow alleys and going about their day-to-day lives. Soon, the AR app guides viewers to one of the windows of the space, where a boy by the name of Ali stands, claiming to spot a fleet of approaching ships.
Walking to the model of an old Portuguese ship, guests suddenly catch a glimpse of armoured soldiers standing on deck. The AR app then heads back to town as its population begins to prepare to withstand the Portuguese onslaught. The next part of the story features Ali as an adult, armed and ready to fight the occupying army.
The character of Ali was inspired from the 2020 film Khorfakkan, which in itself was adapted from the 2004 historical novel Deep-Seated Malice by Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi, Ruler of Sharjah. Both the film as well as the original book were key resources for Fifth Wall Immersive Media Lab in Sharjah as they tailored the AR experience.
“We referenced the book,” Sohail Dahdal, founder and creative director of Fifth Wall Immersive Media Lab, says.
“Everything within the AR is backed by historical fact. After all, we’re in a museum and we have to respect that authenticity. The AR experience is a very good addition, because you can go through the museum without the AR experience. So you’re not losing the sanctuary of the museum, we’re just adding to it.”
While the AR can only be viewed through one of the museum’s in-house devices, Dahdal says there are plans to update the experience as AR technology becomes more widely available.
“At the moment, there’s a barrier and people don’t want to download apps [to access the AR],” Dahdal says. He adds that there are plans by Apple to embed AR kits into the iPhone iOS, and when that happens, it will be much easier to access the experience without having to download proprietary software.
Dahdal also points out the complexities of tailoring an uninterrupted and cohesive AR experience within a museum space. Nothing quite of this magnitude had been developed before, he added.
“The fact that you can have a big space like this and understand the targets of the space, making sure that the software puts something accurately metres away on a ship, it's never done before,” he says. “People have already done things where they put augmented reality objects in a museum but never with this accuracy. Even when speaking with the manufacturers of the software in Germany, they said no one has pushed the technology to that level.”
Also a filmmaker, Dahdal says it was important to present the AR not merely as a novelty feature but as an immersive tool of storytelling, which can help visitors engage with Khor Fakkan’s history.
“Technology has to be for the service of the story,” he says. “Not the other way around. We crafted the script and built the character of Ali from the movie Khorfakkan. In a way, it is also an AR teaser for the film, which visitors can watch in the theatre space.”
Manal Ataya, director-general of the Sharjah Museums Authority, says the AR aspect of the museum also helps instil a deeper understanding of how grave and impactful the Portuguese invasion was for the local population.
“It helps grasp the seriousness of it, but also the emotions and historical context of a moment that was very significant in the history of Sharjah,” she says. “The movie was the first window into it, seeing the characters, hearing the sounds and seeing what happened based on the research by His Highness into Portuguese documents and other resources.”
The museum and its AR component aim to provide an additional layer of engagement for those interested in learning more about the emirate’s history and colonial struggle.
“When you’re here, you begin to imagine those characters as real people who can tell you about what happened that day. Cannons were being fired and the Portuguese started fires in the village,” she says.
The implementation of AR into the museum at the Resistance Monument is only the first step of how Sharjah Museums could utilise the technology, especially in sites that touch upon local heritage.
“The technology is just the beginning of something we can expand on, experiment and play with. We have a lot of other heritage-related museums that, because they were built [to depict life] 100 or 200 years ago, it’s hard to imagine where people had been sitting or what they would have been doing.
“We can create experiences of just people having coffee, talking politics or reciting poetry, and imagine what their daily life would have looked like.”
Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Kamindu Mendis bio
Full name: Pasqual Handi Kamindu Dilanka Mendis
Born: September 30, 1998
Age: 20 years and 26 days
Nationality: Sri Lankan
Major teams Sri Lanka's Under 19 team
Batting style: Left-hander
Bowling style: Right-arm off-spin and slow left-arm orthodox (that's right!)
Recipe: Spirulina Coconut Brothie
Ingredients
1 tbsp Spirulina powder
1 banana
1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (full fat preferable)
1 tbsp fresh turmeric or turmeric powder
½ cup fresh spinach leaves
½ cup vegan broth
2 crushed ice cubes (optional)
Method
Blend all the ingredients together on high in a high-speed blender until smooth and creamy.
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
Specs
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Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Sarfira
Director: Sudha Kongara Prasad
Starring: Akshay Kumar, Radhika Madan, Paresh Rawal
Rating: 2/5
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Skewed figures
In the village of Mevagissey in southwest England the housing stock has doubled in the last century while the number of residents is half the historic high. The village's Neighbourhood Development Plan states that 26% of homes are holiday retreats. Prices are high, averaging around £300,000, £50,000 more than the Cornish average of £250,000. The local average wage is £15,458.
Blonde
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Diriyah%20project%20at%20a%20glance
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ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
PRO BASH
Thursday’s fixtures
6pm: Hyderabad Nawabs v Pakhtoon Warriors
10pm: Lahore Sikandars v Pakhtoon Blasters
Teams
Chennai Knights, Lahore Sikandars, Pakhtoon Blasters, Abu Dhabi Stars, Abu Dhabi Dragons, Pakhtoon Warriors and Hyderabad Nawabs.
Squad rules
All teams consist of 15-player squads that include those contracted in the diamond (3), platinum (2) and gold (2) categories, plus eight free to sign team members.
Tournament rules
The matches are of 25 over-a-side with an 8-over power play in which only two fielders allowed outside the 30-yard circle. Teams play in a single round robin league followed by the semi-finals and final. The league toppers will feature in the semi-final eliminator.
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How to invest in gold
Investors can tap into the gold price by purchasing physical jewellery, coins and even gold bars, but these need to be stored safely and possibly insured.
A cheaper and more straightforward way to benefit from gold price growth is to buy an exchange-traded fund (ETF).
Most advisers suggest sticking to “physical” ETFs. These hold actual gold bullion, bars and coins in a vault on investors’ behalf. Others do not hold gold but use derivatives to track the price instead, adding an extra layer of risk. The two biggest physical gold ETFs are SPDR Gold Trust and iShares Gold Trust.
Another way to invest in gold’s success is to buy gold mining stocks, but Mr Gravier says this brings added risks and can be more volatile. “They have a serious downside potential should the price consolidate.”
Mr Kyprianou says gold and gold miners are two different asset classes. “One is a commodity and the other is a company stock, which means they behave differently.”
Mining companies are a business, susceptible to other market forces, such as worker availability, health and safety, strikes, debt levels, and so on. “These have nothing to do with gold at all. It means that some companies will survive, others won’t.”
By contrast, when gold is mined, it just sits in a vault. “It doesn’t even rust, which means it retains its value,” Mr Kyprianou says.
You may already have exposure to gold miners in your portfolio, say, through an international ETF or actively managed mutual fund.
You could spread this risk with an actively managed fund that invests in a spread of gold miners, with the best known being BlackRock Gold & General. It is up an incredible 55 per cent over the past year, and 240 per cent over five years. As always, past performance is no guide to the future.
Dates for the diary
To mark Bodytree’s 10th anniversary, the coming season will be filled with celebratory activities:
- September 21 Anyone interested in becoming a certified yoga instructor can sign up for a 250-hour course in Yoga Teacher Training with Jacquelene Sadek. It begins on September 21 and will take place over the course of six weekends.
- October 18 to 21 International yoga instructor, Yogi Nora, will be visiting Bodytree and offering classes.
- October 26 to November 4 International pilates instructor Courtney Miller will be on hand at the studio, offering classes.
- November 9 Bodytree is hosting a party to celebrate turning 10, and everyone is invited. Expect a day full of free classes on the grounds of the studio.
- December 11 Yogeswari, an advanced certified Jivamukti teacher, will be visiting the studio.
- February 2, 2018 Bodytree will host its 4th annual yoga market.
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
