Camel culture in the U.A.E
Introduction:
In the past, citizens used camel for traveling and trading as well as their milk. However, local people in the U.A.E mainly use camels just for entertainment in racing or in tourism
These changes happened in the U.A.E because of the demand of life after discovering oil which makes people use cars and trucks instead of camel in trading and traveling. Nevertheless, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan encourages local people to re-care about camels by making camel racing and Al muzayan(1) competitions.
- In the past:
“In 1960s, there was one car which belong to Sheikh Shakhbout Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan , the ruler of Abu Dhabi.”
Mohammed A. Al-Menhali.
That could show us how life was difficult for local people to buy a car these days. However, camels did very well in past in major thing such as trading and traveling.
- Traveling and Trading:
Traveling and trading were the main function camels because they carried more goods and traveled without drinking water for months. So, citizens used camels for trading and traveling goods to all Arab lands such as Oman, Yemen, Qatar and Najd which is located in Saudia Arabia.
Merchants used a system for traveling called Qafila(2) which means a group of people with their camels going together as a train to avoid stealing and loss in the desert. For every Qafila, there a leader who they called Al –Amear(3) and who even knows the direction .Usually, women sat above camel inside a big box called Hawdaj(4) to protect them from sunrays. Qafila also carried goods which included woods, stone, and spices from India to all around Arab lands. Qafila even used an oasis as a station for relaxing and sleeping because it more safer than staying out-of-doors.
B- Camel’s Milk
“My grand mother can hold a camel down by her hands. However, if you ask any girls or even men, they can’t do it because people in the past used to drink camels milks”
Mohammed A. Almenhali
Camel’s milk is so tasty and can give the human strange bones but the problem is how they can clean camel’s milk and what is the old process of cleaning camels?
“You should boil it and wait for bubbles of milk. Afterthat , you should take the bubbles from the milk and untile it is cold then drink it after saying The Name of GOD”
Mohammed A. Almenhali
The process in the past was so easy but no one from foreign people will drink it after this cleaning because they think that it is not enough.
C- The Value of Camel
In the past, the value of camels was diffenet according to ability of carrying goods and their tasty milk. Also, if the female camel can breed more babies , that would rise its value even in the present.
- In the present :
Discovering oil rised the status of people and that means the demands of life are more complicated nowadays. According to that, citizens found the alternative of camel such as cars, trucks, and planes which they are more faster and comfortable than camels. So, the majority of local people changed their camels to cars.
A Compition
A.1 Camel racing
“ A nation without past, is a nation with out present and future.”
Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan.
According to this speech , Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan encourage local people to breed camels by making camel racing which is named “Al Hejen”. The reward of this compition reaches millions of Dhs with a four-wheel cars. So, many people are breeding a strong camels in their farm to sport in this big event.
A.2 Al Muzayna
Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan observed local people were breeding camels just for ‘Al Hejen” and he wanted people to re-care about camel’s milk. Therefore, he did a new competition for a bountiful female camel in milk and without physical damages” Al Muzayna”. The reward of this competition reaches also to millions of Derhams and Sheikh Zayed often buy the winner’s camel which is a huge honour for the seller and his Qabela.
B-The value of camel
The ruler of the U.A.E has a big grace because he keeps camel uses safe from existence in the U.A.E. Unfortunately, these caring from his highness rised the value and the price of camels to millions especially the winner camel at either camel racing or Al_muzayna . .However , Sheikh Zayed ordered camel’s merchants to reduse the price of camel which it for slaying in wedding.
Conclusion:
In the past, local people used camels for traveling or either their milk. However, discovering oil was the turning point in the U.A.E for using camels according to the demands of lifestyle. So, citizens changed their camels into cars because of the speed and luxuriousness of cars.
Fortunately, Sheikh Zayed played the major role to encorage citizens to re-care about camels by making a couple of competitions such as camel racing and Al Muzayna every season.
Glossary
(1)AlMuzayna: A completion of the tasty milk of camels .
(2)Qafila: a group of camels, going together in one direction .
(3)Howdaj: a big box with a comfortable pads for women and children
(4)AL-Amear: a leader of the al Qafila who know the direction of the way.
Works Cited
- AlMenhali, Mohammed A. Personal Interview. 19 September 2003.
