Interview with Sara Al Mheiri: Exploring Emirati culture Under the Ghaf Tree

The Ghaf tree, the national tree of the UAE, is deeply rooted in Emirati culture. Historically, it was where people would gather to rest, share stories and hold meetings. Author Sara Al Mheiri of Under the Ghaf Tree wanted the book to capture that same spirit, the feeling of sitting with members of the Emirati community asking questions about culture and receiving answers shaped by shared knowledge.

In a chat with Art in the Middle, Sara takes a moment to reflect on the stories shared in her book. Each paragraph is drawn from real conversations and interviews with people across the community, presented in short, clear entries that highlight authentic voices and lived experiences. 

In what ways did exploring hidden corners of the UAE inspire the stories or themes in your book?

The UAE is often viewed through a very polished, modern lens but behind that are layers of lived histories. Exploring lesser-known areas, from coastal villages to mountain farms helped give me more answers than I could find in museums and books. Sometimes it’s the tailor who has lived in the UAE his entire life and is able to answer questions about the history of the fabric, family of friends who kindly took the time to listen to my endless questions and explain parts of our history they lived through. 

People have a deep love for the UAE and once they heard what I was working on, they became excited and offered more places to explore, books to read and people to interview.

Your creative work spans film, visual art and writing. How do these different mediums help you express Emirati culture in unique ways?

This all started from living abroad and explaining to my friends who genuinely have never heard of the UAE, let alone understand the culture so I started filming my everyday life whenever I would come back home. But then I realised each medium gives me a different way to explain and portray the culture. 

Writing allows me to take my time, be able to ask multiple sources and rewrite if needed. Film captures the presence and authenticity of the culture in a way I could never achieve through writing. Visual art, specifically exhibitions, helps me bring together artists who have been expressing the culture through multiple forms and it allows me to build an immersive world for the visitor to experience. 

Were there any moments during your travels or research that surprised you and made their way into the book?

Too many! When I first started on the book, I had a much shorter version and, in my mind, I thought that was everything someone needed to know if they wanted to learn about the Emirati culture. 

Whenever I would verify the information through museums and people, someone would always mention an aspect of the culture I had not only left out but didn’t know much about myself. Which is why the book took four years, instead of three months like I originally thought it would. 

A good example here is the Kandora. I wrote what at the time I thought was everything yet when I asked my expat friends, their only question was ‘how do Emiratis always know when someone is from the UAE just through the Kandora?’ This is why I had to include a section about each GCC kandora and the differences. 

For someone visiting the UAE for the first time, which three places would you recommend to better understand Emirati culture?

Whilst each of the emirates has something beautiful to offer, I would begin with Al Ain. It’s one of the oldest inhabited areas in the country and visiting the oasis and forts is incredibly beautiful, the photographs do not do it justice. 

Khor Fakkan is the perfect place for a day trip as it’s a mix of the mountains and sea. Lastly, I’d recommend Sharjah city. It’s often overlooked but has some of the most consistent cultural programming, with museums, heritage areas, and initiatives that focus on preserving and sharing Emirati traditions in a thoughtful way.

Visit for more information and to purchase: underghaftree.com