Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

> Careful with  the romanticism.  A lot of people actually believe this 
nonsense.
> Maryanne

Admittedly I'm a naive-babe-in-the-desert (not even being a horse guy and 
only having been exposed to the history of the region through a visit to 
the national museum in Dubai. :)

The only first hand account of the area culture I could find was a book 
called "Desert Sands" (and the accompanying "Visions of the Nomad") by 
Thesiger (see below).

All the rest I've found on-line seems to be cast through a lens of possibly 
biased perspective (eg. http://www.monalisastyle.com/newsletter.shtml :).

I think I'll get the two Thesiger pieces (and possibly the "Marsh Arabs" 
b/c of the current stuff happening up north.)

But just from the cursory look, it sounds like the Bani Las tribe (of 
Bedouins centered around the Liwa Oasis) provide the thread of cultural 
evolution related to the current collection of Emirates. They were camel 
guys (with all the horses owned by the head dude it seems). Basically, as 
that tribe grew, it spread out to overrun the coastal perl diver/pirate 
guys (and were then treatified (tucal states) -> protectorized (by the 
Brits) -> Emrized.)

It's also interesting to look at the Oman (eastern Saba empire) and Bahrain 
(never taken over by Bani Las) areas (as they are geo-close, but seem to 
have much different cultural threads - Both heavily horsey it seems.)

Anyone out there with a background in southern arabian history??

It seems Thesiger's book(s) are likely the only place where current 
opinions might be contrasted by first hand account as there seems to be no 
other writings available.

johnt
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The Bani Las moved in to Abu Dabi from the Liwa area.
http://www.enhg.org/b/b02/02_11.ht";
"The Liwa is the historical home of the Bani Yas ? a confederation of 
Bedouin tribes who constitute the majority of the native population of Abu 
Dhabi ..

http://www.uaeinteract.com/history/e_walk/con_2/con2_12.asp
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2003/660/bo4.htm
http://www.eapgroup.com/thesiger.htm

British explorer Sir Wilfred Thesiger, 90 in June 2000, is best known for 
his crossings of the Empty Quarter of Arabia, from southern Oman across 
Saudi Arabia to the Liwa Oasis in Abu Dhabi, made in the late 1940s with 
the assistance of local Bedu companions. He is the first foreigner known to 
have visited the Liwa. He made several journeys in south-eastern Arabia 
between 1946 and 1950 in the area,....

http://www.uaeinteract.com/uaeint_misc/pdf/English/History_&_Traditions.pdf

http://www.royalarabianstud.com/arabhorse.htm

http://www.uaeinteract.com/culture/l.asp

http://www.uaeinteract.com/uaeint_misc/pdf/English/Preliminaries.pdf

http://nabataea.net/sarabia.html

http://www.yemenweb.com/info/_disc/0000002c.htm

http://www.yemenweb.com/info/_disc/0000002c.htm


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The whole ride experience can be very hard, and at times you question why
you put yourself through such abuse. But then you remember all those
moments when you pop up over a hill and are suddenly surrounded by the most
stunning views.  It's just you and your horse and for a moment time stops
and you can hear the angels sing.  Therein lies the addiction, at least for
me. 
~  Leslie Beyers

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