UAE Society and Culture Before Oil - ES-3 CLO 1 PDF

ES-3 CLO 1 ORIGINALITY OF THE UAE SOCIETY Questions to consider: 1. The Emirates has a wealth of environments. Explain. 2. What type of lifestyle and trade did the UAE environment necessitate? 3. How did the type of business affect the inhabitants’ personalities and personality trai...

ES-3 CLO 1 ORIGINALITY OF THE UAE SOCIETY Questions to consider: 1. The Emirates has a wealth of environments. Explain. 2. What type of lifestyle and trade did the UAE environment necessitate? 3. How did the type of business affect the inhabitants’ personalities and personality traits? 4. What cultural factors (social elements of heritage) must be considered when discussing a society?  Environments, Activities & Characteristics People in any society have their distinct characteristics & behaviours which are shaped by various factors, including their geographical & social environments.The UAE society is no exception. Before the discovery of oil, the Emirati society was a nomadic and maritime society (associated with the desert and the sea) and the two environments affected its inhabitants’ nature, social and cultural character. After the discovery of oil, the industrial environment came into existence.Thus the multiplicity of Emirati environments, each having its own lifestyle. A-The Desert Environment: The desert covers 2/3 of the Emirates.This environment enforces its lifestyle. The inhabitants are torn between nomadic life & the desire to settle down based on availability or lack of resources especially water. The desert area determines peoples’ lifestyle and the trade they practice.For example, in the open desert, people work in grazing their cattle and trading their products. In the oases, the dominant type of trade is farming; and in the coastal areas it’s fishing. Since the discovery of oil,the nomadic phenomenon is becoming extinct as the governments’ policy has moved towards settling them in service residential complexes. The Bedouins of the Emirates The citizens of the UAE in most cases belong to nomadic tribes originally. They can be categorized as: Migrant Bedouins who occupy massive areas & and move from one place to the other. They work with grazing animals. e.g.Awamer & Manseer. Semi-migrant Bedouins who swing between nomadic and settlement lifestyles. Most settle near the oases and water-centered plains. During the dry season, they move to the oases and take on farming & and fishing. e.g. Beni Qatab & Awamer. The Seasonal Migrants move to the top of the mountain in summer and to the plains in winter. e.g Al Shohooh in RAK and Dibba. The Effect of the Desert on the Bedouins Desert inhabitants develop an adaptive personality with their social environment. The migrant lifestyle gives them a sense of independence, love of freedom, bravery(in resisting foreign invasion), high self-esteem, honesty, religiousness & Islamic values. Other values include perseverance (a quality deeply rooted in the fighting spirit), generosity, sacrifice and rejection of injustice, which are set in motion by Islam. B - The Sea Environment The desert land of the Emirates was poor and incapable of providing life’s necessities, so people moved to sea travel as a more generous and more reliable means of travel than caravans. Ships grew larger & faster, and stopped relying on sails. People acquired more active maritime skills with the practice of navigation as indicated by the ruins at Um al- Nar Island and Al Qasis area. The Effect of Sealife on Society The Emirates is strategically situated between the East & West. It had strong trade links with South Asia and Eastern Africa. Ibn Majed, the famous sailor and astrologer, crossed the Gulf to East African coasts. Sea life affected the Emirati society greatly and actively. The two seasons: The travel season (Safar) and the Pearl Diving season (Ghous), indicate active times and busy markets while preparing the ships & raising money for the sailors or buying supplies for the voyage or to sustain their families during their absence. The Effect of Sea Life on Trade The Emirates geographical position and its poor resources urged people to look into sea life as a source of living. Many economic activities and trades flourished such as: o Building ships (teek wood,candles and ropes were brought from India,& other associated industries such as sails & nets. o Diving for pearls (Ghous) as a traditional trade & major source of income.. o Due to scarsity of food, people turned to Fishing for food & animal feed and fertilizer. o Trading & commerce with Africa & Asia. The pearl trade took place in Dubai, Bahrain and Mumbai.The estimated market value of pearls in the UAE in 1905 was about eight million rupees. Common Sea Life Trade The Pearl diving profession represented a major source of income & included different categories of jobs such as: 1. Finance Suppliers who prepare the fishing fleet and support the divers’ families in their absence.They had the upper hand. 2. Working category: includes (a) all workers on the ship besides the captain (Nokhatha) who knew all pearling areas. (b)Divers ( c) Shiyou: who pull the ropes & lift divers (d)Attban or young apprentices. Nowkhadha (captain): The head of the group of divers and others on the ship. He is the navigator and the one with extensive knowledge about pearling. The Effects of Diving on Emirati Society 1. Shopping markets boomed before & after the diving season. 2. Strong mutual relationships developed among people e.g. a word of honour was accepted to complete a business transaction. 3. Family members were many,and they all obeyed and respected the head of the family. The sailors’ society was collaborative in spirit; they stood by each other at all times(a value taken from the great Islamic teachings.) 4. Seafaring & diving were expressed in various forms of art, literature, songs, proverbs, & children’s games. Pearl-diving is one of the traditional occupations of the UAE and Arabian Gulf people before the discovery of oil. For several months in the past, the pearl-divers used to dive underneath the sea (Arabian Gulf) to collect pearls which would then be taken to a country such as India for sale. Many of the pearlers used to die and become ill due from marine-related sickness with little or no proper medical treatment. This practice is no longer in practice today primarily because of the oil exploration in the region which has brought the people with sudden oil wealth that requires less hard work and risk to the local population. C- The Industrial Environment & its Characteristics The discovery of oil in the 30s of the 20th century caused a drastic change in the life and economy of the Emiratis and turned over both the material side of life (like clothes, buildings, streets, amenities, food, etc.) as well as the non-material side (such as habits, customs and social rules.) Some important characteristics of this change were observed such as: 1. The initiation of relatively bigger cities and the movement of Bedouins to urban areas where government offices, jobs, and services were concentrated. The Industrial Environment & its Characteristics(cont’d) 2. Migration from Gulf, Arab, Islamic and foreign countries and the formation of non-Arab minorities increased. 3. The emergence of new markets and work firms. 4. Work, jobs and education began to be shared by women and women’s organizations. 5. The spread of culture and means of society’s development and their effects on formulating individual values, tendencies and awareness. 6. The spread of education in urban & rural areas. 7. The increase of individual income & the improvement of standard of living, health and social services. Cultural Factors Living in a society, an individual acquires the charact- eristics and ways of his society and its heritage. Social heritage can be divided into 2 parts: a. The material side of civilization which includes tangible things we perceive through our senses, such as buildings, clothes, machines & means of transport. b. The non-material side of culture which includes religion, language, customs, and various social values and regulations Culture vs. Civilization Culture Civilization non-material material aspects aspects buildings habits means of transport customs clothes traditions streets religion food language amenities social rules Cultural Factors (continued) Culture and civilization are closely linked, for example, religion as an aspect of culture, requires an aspect of civilization such as the building of mosques, with altars, mosaics etc. Cultural factors comprise many things such as religion, language, tradition, customs, literature and the arts such as music & folk dancing, fine and applied arts, folk literature (poetry, proverbs, sayings, riddles and anecdotes) Religion It is considered an important social system because it provides stability of the individual & the society. The Arab Emirati society is highly influenced by Islam, and all its good social aspects have originated from the religious beliefs of Islam such as: integration, compassion, giving alms in addition to values related to female decency. Other values include enthusiasm & punctuality in praying on time in the mosques. Language Language is the cornerstone of every social and cultural heritage because it is the means of thought and social communication. It reflects peoples’ social thinking. It is the historical record of a society’s culture.The best way to study a society is to study its language & link it with its social, economic & intellectual activities. The Emirati society is originally Arabic; however, the local vernacular contains many foreign words coming from English, Hindi, French, African & other, as a result of overseas communication. Language (continued) Language can affect and be affected by various aspects of culture and civilization, the rules, customs and intellectual beliefs. The desert, the sea and the industrial environments provided plenty of vocabulary items not found in other Arab dialects. In the Emirates, Standard Arabic is considered to be the official language as it is closely connected with Islam and the Holy Quran. The Emirati society is on the verge of further language transformation to reflect the stages of its development. Tradition Is defined as people’s continuous rules, regulations and common thought. It is an essential part of a society’s unwritten constitution. People recognize and abide by traditions because they extract their importance from the society’s culture. Any one deviating from the norm would face proport- ionate force equal to the severity of the case and the degree it affects the group; however, every case is treated with fairness and equality - qualities accredited by Islam & backed by Emirati tradition. Tradition ( continued) Tradition is usually subjected to a slow and very limited process of change. The head of the family still enjoys respect by all the family members. Modern Emirati society has progressed fast enough to develop its judicial system; however, many still shun the idea of settling their disputes at a court of law. Disputing parties prefer to seek decision from a religious, wise and educated person whose rulings are accepted and respected by all parties. Customs Customs are the unwritten laws or ancient habits that developed into inherited behaviour passed on by the forefathers to the next generations. They are actions and manners that have become inherent in people’s hearts & personalities. Individuals respect,cherish and commit to customs because they have become part of their self-being. Examples of customs are dining etiquette, speech manner, good communication with relatives and general behaviour during religious and non-religious occasions. Literature and the Arts A society’s literature and arts are the overflow of emotions of individuals and their direct expression of themselves.They also might be affected by other societies’ culture as a result of social interaction and cultural exchange. They become associated with the homeland, and people’s values affectively & intellectually. Literature and the arts reinforce a nation’s identity. The sea, for example, has played a distinctive role in shaping the social life of people of the UAE society. Literature and the Arts (continued) The most important forms of art in the UAE society are: a. Music, singing and dancing which relate to sealife, the city or Bedouin life b. Fine arts and applied arts include building ships, architecture and different forms of design. c. Popular literature includes poetry, stories,proverbs, etc. As a result of trade exchange with India and Africa,UAE music is affected by their tones and musical instruments  A. Music & Folk dancing Music and dancing in the Emirates are also affected by Arabic rhythms originally derived from the desert.The Arabic metres,for example, are taken from the rhythmic camel and horse movements e.g.the oldest form of “Al hidda” is the topic of many popular songs and is a systematic portrayal of the slow movement of life and the slow flow of the caravan in the desert. Music is also affected by sea life and its beats represent the repeated and harmonic waves of the sea. Folk dancing is deeply rooted in the custom & traditions of society.”Al Arda”,for example, is a rhythmic war & victory dance that shows fighting skills, bravery and chivalry. B. Fine and Applied Arts There’s a high degree of connection between the arts and society. Arts reflect sealife, social, cultural and material heritage of the Emirates, e.g paintings represent daily life activities, such as shopping in the souk, knitting fishing nets, building ships, weddings, buildings, council meetings, fishing and hunting. Ornamentation of jewelry is another form of applied arts, for example, “Al hama”, is a gold piece ornamented with precious stones for the bride to wear on her head, in addition to rings, bracelets, marami for hands and fingers,etc. Fine & Applied Arts Other forms include: Embroidery Adorning baskets Tents Desks & writing tables Colourful painting of doors Parts of the ship and houses. Galleries have been established to display these arts. C. Folk Literature Poetry was affected by the desert environment and sealife. It is influenced by all ethical, cultural and social aspects of life. Proverbs & sayings include a humanistic content, inspite of their simple linguistic structure. Some reflect real life struggle and human experience while others provide useful advice. Riddles and anecdotes are also part of the folk heritage. The Originality of the UAE Heritage Originality is defined by the quality of being different in a good and appealing way.(Merriam Webster Dictionary) “A nation without roots is deficient of the originality factor.(Sheikh Zayed) “ Nations are not judged by their material wealth alone, but rather by the authenticity of its heritage”(Sheikh Zayed) “ A nation without a past has no present or future.” (Sheikh Zayed)” The Originality of The UAE Heritage (cont’d) Originality reassures taking pride in Arab and Islamic authentic tradition and thinking about the past and the lessons extracted from it besides thinking about the present and future aspirations. The Emirati society is proud of its originality, social heritage, customs, social regulations and indispensable values. Like other societies, it has witnessed various structural changes which have affected its social functions, e.g. social regulations related to the family and the tribe. Originality of the UAE Society The UAE society; however, lives a civilization shift & huge cultural challenges. It faces a struggle between appreciating the originality of the forefathers and westernization. This led to a dichotomy of values. The originality of the Emirates society is affected by three factors which have defined the parameters (limits that affect how things can be done) which the society lives by: o The conservative approach o The union o The development Major Characteristics of the UAE Society 1. Language as a unifying factor supports the political unity & reflects social customs & traditions. Inspite of the imperialist efforts to bring in foreign migrants, Arabic survived because it’s the language of the Holy Quran. 2. Religious unity: Unification through Islam ensures coherent unification in customs, traditions and lifestyle. 3. Human Homogeneity: The UAE people hail from the Arabian Peninsula. They were assisted by geographical factors which facilitated communication and mixing. Major Characteristics of the UAE Society 4. Historical and fate unity: People of the Emirates have had flourishing periods as well as some hard times during economic recessions. They were united under the imperialist era and soon determined to unite as soon as the imperialists left. 5. The geographical unity: It is one of the most important characteristics of the society because geographical closeness would lead to more coherence in the future. Characteristics of the UAE Society Building a network of roads to connect the Emirates has achieved ease and speed of communication.(The imperialists realized the importance of integrity so never bothered to build roads.) Geographical unity also includes the abundant wealth and the country’s strategic position which add strength & power to it. Characteristics of the UAE Society 6. Unity of Customs and Traditions represents the social basis of society which are derived from Arab Islamic civilization. Customs are considered the control factor for behaviour and ethics which define individual relations and enable them to work together. Homogeneity and life under similar circumstances have encouraged the UAE people to have a unanimous stance towards ethical values.  Characteristics of the UAE Society 7. Similarity in the Political Structure of the different Emirates forming the Union, strong ties of kinship, and strong ties with the ruling families have led to the success of the Union. Forming a political union was a must, due to security circumstances in the area. Exercise - 10 minutes Choose one section from the article and orally summarize the information. https://www.everyculture.com/To-Z/United- Arab-Emirates.html