Raw'an is a figure associated with fear and awe in Emirati folk heritage. His name derives from raw', meaning terror or fright. The figure emerged around the beginning of the twentieth century, when groups of Africans from East Africa arrived in the UAE, among them Raw'an, who later became a legendary character in folk memory. He is described in two apparently contradictory ways: first as a large, powerful black man, and second as a thin black man. The difference is attributed to two stages of his life—his youth and old age. Raw'an was a skilled sailor experienced in diving and pearl fishing, but he was known for mysterious behaviour at night, when he was said to wander through different places and appear frighteningly to some people without realizing it himself. Local residents believed that his night-time behaviour was supernatural and resulted from jinn controlling him. His figure had a profound psychological effect on the local population, and his name became a symbol of terror and awe used to warn children and young people. Despite his strength and fierceness in youth, his frightening activities ceased as he grew older. He is associated with coastal communities, and folk belief held that the sound of the call to prayer or the appearance of morning light caused him to withdraw from people.