Frequently when on Dubai holidays, or indeed any other, you may miss out on the fabulous local culture. Mythology and folklore are integral in most cultures’ histories, entertaining and educating since antiquity. Here follow a few of the more interesting ones from some of the world’s most popular holiday destinations.
Dubai
The striped hyena is a native of Dubai’s deserts, mythologically infamous across the world. Usually symbolising stupidity, treachery and evil, hyenas have been given the traits of demons, werewolves and even vampires (sucking blood is apparently a particular favourite of theirs). The Baluch and the inhabitants of northern India said that they are used at night as mounts by witches or magicians. However, striped hyenas are also linked with love and fertility, resulting in parts of their bodies being used in traditional love medicines.
Antigua
Antigua holidays may reveal quite a different kind of folklore. An interesting custom is the antlion charm. Known as “jampeepee” (or “John-pee-pee”) by the locals, the insect is summoned by reciting a chant (“Jam-pee-pee! Jam-pee-pee! Mammy call you for funjee and saltfish”) and gently trailing a stick around the edge of its pit. Apparently this is in order to announcing the sharing the national dish with the antlion, recalling its noble history feeding Antigua’s ancestors.
The Maldives
Most Maldivian mythology and folktales revolve around the islands’ origins, particularly the introduction of the all important coconut tree and tuna fish. The latter was allegedly made when a mighty sorcerer made coconut trees grows out of the skulls of the corpses of the first Maldivian settlers, while the tuna fish was said to have been brought to local waters by a brave mythical seafarer named Bodu Niyami Kalefanu. These certainly make Maldives holidays more interesting!
