'Police used to chase me': Seniors in UAE recount early days in book titled 'story lines'

A boy who helped run Abu Dhabi’s first cinema at age 12. A civil servant who once crossed a desert road with passport control between Dubai and the capital.

A man who’s worked under a single UAE employer for more than 50 years. These are just a few of the voices featured in Story Lines. The new book captures the memories and milestones of 27 senior citizens and long-time residents who helped shape the UAE’s early decades, long before it became the global nation it is today.

Launched last week at an event by AmCham Abu Dhabi in partnership with Uhibbook Publishing, the collection is the result of a two-year community storytelling initiative aimed at combating senior isolation and preserving the nation's oral history. “The idea began as a volunteering programme to engage retired professionals who were facing social isolation, even though many had family and friends,” said Mehnaz Anshah, co-founder of Uhibbook.

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The seniors from UAE, India, Jordan, the UK, and other countries shared their recollections through handwritten notes, voice recordings and in-person interviews. Volunteers, many of them youth recruited via volunteers.ae, helped collect and transcribe their narratives. “There was no template. Some stories arrived as voice notes; others were scribbled in Arabic. It was a mosaic of formats and languages,” said Uhibbook co-founder Sadia Anwar.

Among the storytellers is Dr Ahmed Al Khoori, who recalls a barefoot boyhood in Abu Dhabi in the 1950s, when fresh water was drawn from shallow wells and school involved sharing textbooks between five children. By the age of 12, he was helping run the emirate’s first cinema with his uncle. By 14, he was working in what would become Adnoc. “I used to wear shoes only during class,” he recalled. “During break I’d take them off — the sand was softer.” 

He remembers helping dig wells for water and learning to shoot pigeons with an air rifle; a gift from his father. “The police used to chase me,” he laughed, “but they never caught me. Their guns were too heavy, and I was faster.” Encouraged by Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan to prioritise education, Al Khoori went on to study in the UK, earn a doctorate, and train generations of young Emiratis as an engineer and mentor. At 75, he continues to collect artefacts and has amassed more than 10,000 items, with plans to open a private museum.

For Rashad Bukhash, another featured storyteller and chairman of the UAE Architectural Heritage Society, the book is a call to preserve more than just buildings. “Writing down our stories is very important,” said Bukhash, who began journaling his life as a schoolboy in the 1960s and has since published more than 40 books. “It’s not just about individuals, it’s the story of the country, of the human being, of how far we’ve come.”

He reminisces about playing football with neighbourhood children, collecting stamps from market trash bins, and catching hundreds of bats with istikanas and an air gun in a local abandoned house. “I think that was a Guinness world record,” he joked. One of his most vivid memories dates back to his first visit to Abu Dhabi in 1968: “When we reached Seih Shuaib, the border between Dubai and Abu Dhabi, there was passport control. It was Eid Al Fitr, and the journey felt endless.”

Another contributor, Farooq Musba, 76, left India for Dubai in 1973 before being transferred to Abu Dhabi, where he has remained under the same company ever since. “I’ve been with Abdullah Hussain & Sons for over 50 years,” said Musba. “My children were born and raised here, and now they work here too. Abu Dhabi is my home.” Musba raised nine children in the capital, all of whom completed their studies here. “No one has gone back to India,” he said. “We are settled. My daughters married engineers and accountants. My boys are working in government departments and private companies. One of them even opened his own business.”

Though nearing 80, he still walks to work daily. “In summer, winter — same no problem,” he said. “I don’t feel old. If I go with the children, I still play sports. My hair is grey, but my heart is young.”

The project also underscores how cultural documentation can foster intergenerational understanding. “You read the story of the people, and on another hand, the story of the country,” said Bukhash. “There are lessons to teach your children, your friends.”

For AmCham Abu Dhabi, which helped facilitate connections and amplify the project through its Arts, Culture and Education Committee, the initiative reflects its broader mission of community cohesion. “We are proud to support initiatives that celebrate the diverse voices that contribute to the fabric of our community,” said chair Lina El Labban Lampkin. “The stories reflect the spirit of unity, respect and shared progress that defines Abu Dhabi.”

The publication is available for purchase on Uhibbook’s website for Dh250, with plans to distribute it to local bookstores and institutions in the coming months. Anwar said they’ve already seen interest from corporates seeking meaningful gifts and from educational and cultural institutions.

“This was a huge experiment,” Anshah concluded, “we didn’t know how to do this — no one had. But we need these voices. And we hope this is just the beginning.”

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