Today's Edition
AMEINAH ALZEYOUDI (ABU DHABI)
Husam Mohammad Jaber’s father once prayed for him to become a “master of bishts” — and he told himself, why not? Today, with a collection of some of the rarest and most valuable bishts and traditional garments, Jaber has more than earned the title.
“I was obsessed with the threads that bind us to our ancestors, not just with history,” said the Emirati historian who has become a go-to consultant for anything related to UAE clothing.
Jaber knew every detail of the bisht by heart. It has become his personal mission to preserve the regal cloak that men in the region have worn for generations.
It was a passion that started when he was a child, when he met the UAE’s Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Jaber told Aletihad.
He saw him face-to-face twice in the ‘80s and since then, he couldn’t help but browse through Sheikh Zayed’s images every chance he got.
“I observed Sheikh Zayed’s hunting trips and photos closely, comparing them with my grandfather’s only picture that was hanging on our wall ... As a kid, my interest was to find the links — obviously in the costumes,” Jaber said.
His father nurtured the fascination. Once, he returned from Bahrain with a unique gift for the young Jaber: a traditional Arab dress made especially for him.
“I felt differently acknowledged after receiving that gift,” he said.
Years later, during his engagement, his father sent a bag full of childhood souvenirs, including old clothes, school certificates, and two tiny bishts.
Jaber then found a way to return his father’s quiet acts of love.
“I asked him to choose a bisht for me, based on what he thought was best from his own experience. He went with me to see several options and I made him choose what he preferred to see me wearing. I gifted that bisht to him. I knew he wouldn’t spend that time and effort to choose his own bisht,” Jaber said.
“He was very touched and prayed that I become the master of bishts and a bisht shop owner.”
Searching for Treasures
The blessing planted a seed for what would later become Al Besht Al Arabi, a brand Jaber founded in 2014.
More than a business, it is a cultural preservation initiative dedicated to reviving traditional craftsmanship and raising public awareness about the significance, history, and the etiquette involved in wearing the Emirati dress.
It wasn’t profitable, Jaber admitted, but it stayed true to its mission. “I used rare materials so I had only a few customers … but I would still give away bishts for free just to spread knowledge,” he said.
With his fascination for traditional garments, Jaber also travelled far and wide, searched high and low for some of the rarest bishts and traditional Arab clothing that stood the test of time. He paid a fortune for them, too.
“It’s extremely rare to find old clothes — add to that is a habit in the past to throw clothes into the sea once a person passes away,” he said.
Another challenge is the fabric. “The clothes don’t stay for long, especially in heat and humidity, and after folding. Any piece would be used until it’s torn apart or damaged. For those woven with golden threads, the threads used to be released and sold again,” he added.
These factors have made his collection all the more rare and invaluable.
Jaber currently owns one of the most distinctive and historically noteworthy collections of traditional Gulf clothing, which includes agals, shawls, and bishts from as far back as the 1880s.
Cloaks worn for more than 150 years by people in the Arab world — from shepherds to rulers — are among his most prized possessions.
“The museum is a national project that is 100% personally funded. It helps authenticate and document our national costumes, and it has become a solid base for any related project that helps in cultural preservation in the UAE,” Jaber said.
‘Proud of My Arab Roots’
His purpose goes beyond curating. Jaber has also advocated for a realistic depiction of Arab identity in the cinema and television industries.
“I am very proud of my Arab roots, and it used to offend me to watch a movie where Arabs don’t look as they should — elegant,” Jaber told Aletihad. He would immediately notice if a film set in the 19th century featured clothing from the 21st century.
He volunteered to create traditional costumes for one production at no expense, but only if he was present on site to make sure they were worn correctly. His insistence on cultural correctness was highly appreciated, and that opportunity led to other collaborations on movies like Desert Warrior, Fast and Furious 8, and North of the 10.
“Our national identity is embodied in our dress, which is more than just fabric,” he said.
To those who wear traditional Emirati clothing, he said: “As long as you are wearing the national costume, you are an ambassador of this country, whether you like it or not — so behave accordingly.”
