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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →The women tossing their hair as Donald Trump arrived at Abu Dhabi’s Qasr Al Watan on 15 May 2025 were taking part in Al-Ayyala, a traditional performing art of the United Arab Emirates and Oman. In that ceremonial setting, the performance expressed hospitality, heritage and unity—it was not a gesture created specifically for Trump.
What happened when Trump arrived in Abu Dhabi?
During his state visit to the UAE on 15 May 2025, President Donald Trump was accompanied by UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan through a formation of young women tossing their hair in time with drums and chants. A video posted by White House aide Margo Martin spread quickly on X, prompting questions about the striking welcome.
Coverage described it as the first visit to the UAE by a sitting U.S. president in 17 years. The hair performance formed part of a broader ceremonial welcome that also included an honour guard on horseback, camel riders and Emirati folk groups. Trump later received the Order of Zayed, the UAE’s highest civil decoration, and toured the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque.
What is Al-Ayyala?
Al-Ayyala is a traditional performing art practiced in the UAE and Oman. UNESCO describes it as a performance for weddings and other festive occasions, with a men’s mock battle at its centre and women’s hair-tossing as another part of the presentation. Its UNESCO listing is titled “Al-Ayyala, a traditional performing art of the Sultanate of Oman and the United Arab Emirates.”
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- Crafted with a hand engraved aluminum shell, the drum supplies deep low notes as well as ringing highs
- Tunable head: a tunable and replaceable plastic head provides a high, rich sound and resists natural deterioration from weather changes
- Skin: 22 cm | Height: 44 cm | Weight: 2.4KG = 5.29lb (pounds)
- It comes with a soft bag and Tuning Key
The men’s mock battle
Two rows of about twenty men face one another, holding thin bamboo sticks that represent spears or swords. Their movements stage a stylized battle rather than an actual fight.
The women’s hair-tossing
Girls in traditional dresses stand at the front and toss their long hair from side to side in rhythm. UNESCO’s description connects this movement to showing support for the warriors represented in the men’s performance. In the welcome for Trump, Gulf News described the young Emirati performers’ role as expressing heritage, unity and hospitality. A protocol manager cited by the paper called the women’s hair dance “Naa’shaat”; that is the spelling reported in its coverage.
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- White minimalist Arabic Solo Darbuka
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Was the performance a traditional Gulf welcome?
It was a ceremonial welcome built around a traditional performance, not a custom reserved for visiting U.S. presidents. Al-Ayyala is associated with weddings and other festive occasions, and its use at a state visit placed the display within a broader expression of Emirati culture and hospitality. The dancers’ presence should therefore be understood as part of the performance, not as a standalone hair-flipping ritual invented for the occasion.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Was it Al-Ayyala or Khaleegy?
Some online commentary has applied other labels, including Khaleegy, to the hair-tossing. The available reporting from Gulf News identifies the welcome as Al-Ayyala, in keeping with UNESCO’s description of that art form. The competing label appears in less authoritative commentary, so it is best treated as a dispute over naming rather than a settled alternative identification.
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- Mahogany shell: Meinl talking drums are carved from a solid piece of mahogany and offer unmatched tonal range and resonance
- Hand selected goat skin heads: The heads are secured and tuned by spanning nylon ropes, which are squeezed to bend the notes of the drum to offer warm tone for both high and low pitch
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