Al Dhafra

In early 2024, John P. Heyes travelled to the western deserts of the United Arab Emirates to document the annual Al Dhafra Festival — a vast, living expression of Bedouin tradition centred on the Mazayna, the renowned camel beauty contest. Each year, some 25 000 camels are brought from across the Arabian Peninsula for competition, racing, trading, and celebration, forming one of the largest gatherings of its kind.

For over two weeks, Heyes lived within a community camp, fully immersed in daily life. He documented families, herders, elders, and youth; the rituals of care; and the profound relationships between people and their camels — animals regarded not only as companions but as integral members of the family and carriers of heritage.

The resulting body of work conveys the essence of Bedouin life: its traditions, atmospheres, and the enduring relationship between people, land, and animals. Heyes captures both the vibrant public energy of the festival and its quieter, intimate moments — from the mystique of dawn in the desert to the shared rituals that sustain cultural memory.