Volume 7 • Number 14 • December 2015 ISSN 1729-9039 Liwa Journal of the National Archives
Editor-In-Chief Dr. Abdulla El Reyes Director General of the National Archives
Deputy Editor-In-Chief Advisory Board Majid Sultan Al Mehairi H.E. Zaki Anwar Nusseibeh Adviser in the Ministry of Presidential Affairs, Deputy Managing Editor Chairman of Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Dr. L. Usra Soffan Heritage (ADACH) and Board Member of National Archives Editorial Board Prof. Mustafa Aqil al- Khatib Dr. Jayanti Maitra Professor of Modern History-Qatar University Farhan Al Marzooqi Dr. John E. Peterson Saeed Al Suwaidi Historian and Political Analyst Gregory Keith Iverson, Ph.D. Dr. Muhammad Sa’ad al- Muqaddam Editorial Secretary Assistant Professor of Modern History Nouf Salem Al Junaibi Sultan Qaboos University Dr. Sa’ad Abdulla al- Kobaisi Design & Layout Assistant Professor of Anthropology Printing Unit UAE University
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Volume 7 • Number 14 • December 2015 Contents
Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century 3 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri Researcher at Zayed Center for Studies & Research
TARIF & MURBAN No.1, 1954 28 Peter Walmsley, MBE
2 3 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri
Muwaij’ei is a patch of productive land in the extreme west of the Al-Ain Oases and is thus part of Al-Ain City. It was virtually a farming estate owned by the Al-Nahyan Ruling Family and had later developed into their main sphere of influence in the eastern region of the Abu Dhabi Emirate. It was inhabited due to its plentiful water, its beautiful atmosphere, and its central location within the agricultural estates of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed I (1855-1945), eldest son of the Ruler of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Zayed Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan (1855-1909), which extended from Al-Mo’tarid Oasis to Al-Mas’oudi on the northern edge of Al-Ain. Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed made Muwaij’ei a summer resort for himself and his followers.
In 1946 when late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan launched his political debut as the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, he made Muwaij’ei his official residence. Thereafter, Muwaij’ei became the focal point of several developmental projects. He established a court of justice (Shari'a court), a school, a hospital, and other facilities hitherto unknown in Abu Dhabi’s developmental drive. These advancements ensured a decent living for Muwaij’ei citizens and encouraged others to abandon the Bedouin style of life and settle in Muwaij’ei. Thus the population of the Oasis’ steadily increased, and its name began to feature in the contemporary records dealing with the history of the Emirate in that era. These sources describe the status of Muwaij’ei, numbers of houses and names of the dwellers thereof.
However, the questions that may be posed at this juncture are: What did those sources say about Muwaij’ei? Is there any historical evidence that may help save features of the past? What about the population and names of the districts and the economic and social activities? More importantly, Muwaij’ei’s origin goes back to which era?
2 3 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri
Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain, 1946-66. Wilfred Thesiger/Copyright Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford.
4 5 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century
View of a crowd of people standing on a small dune in front of Al Muwai’jei fort in Al Ain. This image was taken between December 20, 1948, and January 27, 1949, when Wilfred Thesiger stayed with Sheikh Zayed in Al Ain. Wilfred Thesiger/Copyright Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford.
Muwai’jei Fort during Sheikh Zayed’s tenure as the Ruler’s Representative in Al Ain.
Settlement and agricultural activity Archaeological excavations undertaken in the area of Qasr (“palace”) Al-Muwaij’ei, prove that the roots of the Muwaij’ei settlement go back to the 17th and 18th centuries. However, Islamic era potteries dating from the 16th to the 18th centuries provide limited evidence of agricultural activities1. Accredited sources indicate that until
4 5 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri the second decade of the 20th century, Muwaij’ei was uninhabited2 and that the credit goes to Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed I for establishing a settlement there after he acquired possession of vast palm tree plantations there, and in the 1920s, built a palace which is now known as Muwaij’ei Fort or Palace. Thus, Muwaij’ei became a permanent residence, not just a summer resort for the Sheikh and his followers3.
Palm tree plantations in Al Muwai’jei.
Agriculture was the main occupation in the Muwaij’ei Oasis; it started long before settlers and owners of arable land began to practice farming and build houses there. Agriculture was simple and nature-oriented; i.e. as much as the climate and the soil permitted. It was divided into two main sections: The permanent farming of date palms; and the seasonal cultivation of certain crops.
Historically, date palm cultivation and nurturing received the greatest attention as this activity constituted the core and crux of the local economy. The palm tree provided not only food, but also building materials. Dates are a rich source of energy. Date varieties, especially in Muwaij’ei, were among the best, thanks to the efforts of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed I who fetched such varieties from Liwa on camelback and introduced them into Muwaij’ei. These varieties included debas, haiyri, barhi, lulu, khaskar and others4. It is estimated that more than 5,351 old palm trees still exist to this day5. A lady who had lived in Muwaij'ei recalls how land was assigned to the Al- Nahyan owners; she recounted that, “Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed I assigned the land south of Amid Falaj Al-Muwaij’ei to the sons of Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and the land north of Amid Al-Falaj to the sons of Sheikh Mohamed Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan. Thus, the Falaj (underground water channel) was divided6.
6 7 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century
Wheat spikelets and Falaj Al-Muwaij’ei The land of Muwaij’ei has also allowed the cultivation of other crops including fruits (such as grapes, figs, pomegranates, lemon and mango), as well as vegetables (such as okra, tomato, beans, onions, eggplants, and cucumber). Clover was next to palms both in importance and space, considering that both the climate and the soil favored its cultivation7. Additionally, grains, such as wheat, were grown in the spring and harvest time was accompanied with a feast. A resident of the area described how “vast areas were cultivated with wheat; as palm trees needed but little irrigation when the weather became mild, Falaj Al-Muwaij'ei canals used to be diverted from the west of the palace to irrigate the wheat-cultivated areas. Those areas extended from the west of the Muwaij’ei Palace southwards to the Muwaij’ei date palm plantations. Such farms were not the sole property of the Al-Nahyan family; they were mostly owned by citizens of Al-Ain’s different oases who used to come over to cultivate wheat in Muwaij’ei. We belong to Al-Mo’tarid Oasis, but our family had its share of land there equal to 15 square meters. For harvesting purposes, a huge platform used to be erected nearby, and when the day came, it was cleaned and prepared to receive the wheat spikelets. Thus the place became a hub and the men gathered around to ceremonially beat the spikelets while some sang and danced in circles to inspire and encourage the harvesters. Then the grains were separated from the straws. It is reported that it was Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed I who ordered the cultivation of wheat in large areas of Muwaij’ei and the distribution of plots to sons of Al-Ain”8.
Muwaij’ei residents considered the aflaj as their life-line.
6 7 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri
Undoubtedly, Muwaij’ei residents considered the aflaj as their very life line; for without these water resources, they would have fallen apart and the green patch of land would have disappeared, rendering the region a barren desert. Opinions differ as to the time of building of the Muwaij’ei falaj. Some suggest that it was Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed I (1855-1909) who ordered the widening of that falaj, that took nearly two years to be accomplished. This indicates that the falaj was already in existence in the 19th century. Others say that it was Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed I (1922-1926) who ordered its drilling in his reign, an endeavor that actually took two years9. It is further reported that the falaj was filled in during his reign due to a war that took place in that area. It is said that when the invaders surrendered, disaster would have spread had it not been for Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan who ordered the dredging of the falaj as a result of which the area was again flourishing with palm trees, figs, lemon and grapes10.
In the 1950s, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, who served as the Abu Dhabi Ruler’s Representative from 1946 to 1966, exerted tremendous efforts to restore a number of aflaj in Al-Ain, including the Muwaij’ei falaj which was maintained and dredged11. This was confirmed by Edward Henderson, a representative of the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC) in his report on Al-Ain, which he visited in 1960. He said, “..part of Al Muwaiqi’s grave could only be watered once every five weeks, and over a third could not be watered at all in October 1955; and therefore the trees were dying. Now the whole can be watered about every three weeks” 12.
Similarly, there are conflicting reports as to the source of the falaj. Some say that it exists in the heart of Al-Ain, in the Kuwaitat area13. Others suggest that although it lies in the center of Al-Ain, it originated in an area named Hemeira14. However, all agree that the falaj has six wells and about 29 openings, and that much use was made of the openings at Mo’taredh and Muwaij’ei oases respectively15. With regard to length, it is reported that the Muwaij'ei falaj runs through channels 3,767 meter-long,16 and that it fed about 5,351 palm trees. However, it dried up due to the constant pumping of water from the wells existing at the source area17. It is also reported that it had dried up in 1979 after having flowed at a rate of 20 liters per second, with a salinity rate of 1170 mm/liter18. It is possible to locate the sharia’ of that falaj today as it lies behind the Diwan (office) of the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region of Abu Dhabi Emirate. By sharia’ is meant the place where water was freely drawn for drinking (by humans and animals). It takes the shape of an open mud-stone basin and is located somewhere away from the spot where the water appears on the surface of the ground. The district in which that sharia’ is located has been named “Shari’at Al-Muwaij’ei.
Residential districts and houses of the Ruling Family The master plan of the Muwaij’ei population groupings depended on almost complete separation between residential areas and the farms. The huge palace at Muwaij’ei at
8 9 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century
once suggests the elevated status of the sheikh of the oasis. Buildings of particular importance were built of stone and palm tree trunks, while houses for the simple people were built of palm tree trunks and fronds. Agricultural areas were bordered by medium height fences (about 1.5 meters) in order to separate property.
Some sources portray the Muwaij’ei of the mid-19th century as consisting of a few recently erected buildings mostly owned by the Al-Nahyan family members, and some scattered barasti houses (built of palm tree trunks and fronds) occupied by their followers and the servants who looked after their palm trees19. A British report written at about that time sets the number of houses at about 63. Sheikh Mohamed Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan owned half of the oasis’ land20, while the other half was owned by sons of Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed I: Shakhbut, Hazza’, Khalid, and Zayed. The barasti houses were occupied by people from various tribes: four for the Mazaree’; two for the Mashagheen; ten for Al Al bu Khail; four for the Sudan; five for Al Bu Muhair; two for the Al Bhumat (a section of the Al Bu Muhair); three for the Janahat; ten for Al-Manaseer; four for Al-Awamir; one for a family from the Mehairi tribe and another for a family from Persia. Also inhabiting Muwaij’ei were individuals from the Dhawahir tribe (from Al-Shiban who had three houses)21.
Such houses were irregularly scattered in a number of districts and suburbs: the Muwaij’ei Fort district, Shareet Al-Muwaij’ei, Ukdat Al-Muwaij’ei, Oud Bin Saqhan, Khalid district, Majloud, Ruweika, and Ukdat Al-Mutawa’22.
Those who visit the oasis will immediately recognize the most outstanding edifice, Qasr Al-Muwaij’ei, and the remains of buildings intercepting the palm orchards. Information gathered from oral history offer an idea about the remnants of the Al- Nahyan buildings from that time. They are:
Qasr Al-Muwaij’ei One of the most imposing palaces in Al-Ain, Qasr Al-Muwaij’ei is an architectural masterpiece. It is reported that it was built in the early 1920s. This square edifice was built of mud, stone, and palm tree trunks and is surrounded by walls. Above it are triangular turrets enabling defenders to shoot at attackers through holes in the upper floors. The palace also has three towers erected angularly: two of them are rectangular, and the third is square-shaped. It is believed that the complex tower in the north- western angle is the strongest section of the palace. The three-story tower consists of several rooms. Two of the other towers are located at the north-eastern angle and the south-eastern angles respectively. The wooden gate of the palace (which is double- locked) opens to the south. Not far from the Palace is a mosque which was built for the villagers. To the left of the gate is a majlis (hall) for guests. On the western side of the court is a well dug to serve occupants. The palace also has a smaller entrance on its western side23. It is significant to note that this palace was not what it looks like
8 9 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri today; certain modifications were introduced at the request of the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, who resided therein from circa 1946 to 196624.
Muwai’jei Fort after renovation.
Muwai’jei Fort – main entrance. Muwai’jei Fort – rear gate.
Qasr Al-Muwaij’ei was originally owned by Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed who chose to erect it on flat, mostly solid terrain in order to avert sand blown by storms. The water level would also be higher than in the agricultural area to guard against torrential rain. It was Sheikh Khalifa’s habit to spend the summer months together with his family,
10 11 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century
brothers, and retainers at a house in Al-Mo’tarida that could hardly accommodate all of them. Therefore, he chose to build a residence at Al-Muwaij’ei which was located centrally within his possessions extending from Al-Mo’tarid village to Al-Mas’oudi on the northern edge of Al-Ain Oasis. With Sheikh Khalifa spending a number of months every year, Qasr Al-Muwaij’ei soon became a multi-faceted/functional palace. Despite his advancing years, according to Lt. Colonel Galloway, then Political Resident in Bahrain, Sheikh Khalifa played an outstanding role in running Abu Dhabi affairs. He was the principal adviser and confidant to the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Shakhbut25. Thus, the palace was used as Diwan (office) where sheikhs and tribal notables would meet their people and consequently, the oasis gained administrative and political weight26. In 1928, the year that came to be known as the Ration Card Year or the Year of Disaster, the palace was used as a center for the distribution of subsidies during the economic crisis, and also in 1939, following the signing of the first oil concession agreement27.
Following the demise of Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed I in 194528, ownership of Qasr Al-Muwaij’ei went to his son, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Khalifa, who in turn gifted it to his cousin Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan. The palace soon became the headquarters and the seat of government when Sheikh Zayed became the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region in 1946. An Emirati lady who grew up at the palace under Sheikh Mohamed, recalls that, “Having married Sheikha Sheilha Bint Suroor Al-Dhahiri, and after the death of his wife Sheikha Mouza, he moved from Al-Muwaij’ei to Al-Mo’tarid oasis”. It is reported that the Palace remained deserted until Sheikh Mohamed asked his daughter Sheikha Hessa to live there with her grandmother. However, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed the First who built she insisted that her husband, Sheikh the fort in Muwai’jei in the 1920s which Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, should became the permanent residence for the first be consulted. Thereupon, Sheikh Sheikh and his followers. Zayed agreed and, together with his wife and her grandmother (mother of Sheikh Mohamed), moved to live in Muwaij’ei29.
10 11 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri
Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan (second from the left) standing with retainers and members of his family in Al Ain. This image was taken during April 6-30, 1948, when Wilfred Thesiger stayed at Al Muwai’jei Fort as a guest of Sheikh Zayed. Wilfred Thesiger/Copyright Pitt Rivers Museum, University of Oxford.
Muwaij’ei Mosque This mosque is located outside Qasr Al-Muwaij’ei on the right side of itsmain entrance. Excavation work has revealed that it had been the site of at least two earlier mosques and that its construction coincided with the building of the palace itself, i.e. in the 1920s30. In light of one of the early pictures of the mosque, it appears that its construction had followed a simple architectural pattern without any decoration due to the use of weaker materials for the walls and ceilings. It consisted of a prayer hall, a liwan and court. The picture shows no minaret. However, a minaret was added in course of the maintenance and restoration operations carried out in recent times which also resulted in some window decorations.
12 13 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century
Masjid in Al Muwai’jei Fort.
Palace of Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Sultan Writing on his visit to Al-Ain oases in the late 1940s, Edward Henderson, representative of the Iraq Petroleum Company (IPC), stated that the Ruler of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Sultan said that he lives in Abu Dhabi, but from time to time he visits his farm at Muwaij’ei31. A few years after the IPC representative’s visit, Sheikh Shakhbut built a palace consisting of a number of buildings and rooms and a gate opening up to the north. The palace was located near the farm which used to be the summer resort of the Sheikh and his family. In 1968, that palace was converted into a hospital which came to be known as the Muwaij’ei Hospital and the Sheikh moved to another place. Remains of the palace and the hospital were kept until the first decade of the second millennium after which they were completely removed.
Palace of Sheikh Said Bin Shakhbut Al-Nahyan Close to the northern side of Sheikh Shakhbut’s Palace, was a palace built for his eldest son, Sheikh Said, at what is now the location of the office of the Ruler’s Representative. Its main gate opened eastward32. It is said that Sheikh Said had moved into it in the 1960s after marrying Sheikha Salama Bint Zayed Bin Sultan who had resided at the Muwaij’ei palace. Details of their wedding are described in a report dated July 6, 1963 by the British Political Agent in Abu Dhabi. He said that it was an occasion that brought together Sheikhs, notables, and other influential individuals together
12 13 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri with Bedouins and well-wishers from all social classes. The British Political Agent was impressed by the celebrations and the joyousness demonstrated, including camel and horse races. He described the ‘feverish joyousness and jubilance’ that worked over all the folk who had poured on Al-Ain from all parts of the country so much so that its roads were crowded as never before. The Political Agent’s report also states that all the sheikhs of the Trucial Coast had dispatched representatives to offer congratulations at Muwaij’ei33. This grand celebration in Muwaij’ei has also been recorded by others34.
Palace of Sheikha Latifa Bint Zayed I Parallel to the palace of Sheikh Shakhbut from the eastern side, is the palace of his aunt, Sheikha Latifa Bint Zayed Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan, the last of Sheikh Zayed the Great’s daughters. She lived there until her death in 197935. It is reported that the palace was built during the period when the sons of Sheikh Sultan Bin Zayed I (1922-1924) lived in that area. The palace consisted of two parallel buildings linked by a liwan (courtyard). A local lady who used to frequent the palace to visit Sheikha Latifa, described it as a rectangular edifice extending from east to west; some of its rooms were assigned to Sheikha Latifa and her retainers, while the other side served as majlis (halls) for receiving guests. In the middle, was a liwan where Sheikha Latifa loved to stay for long periods of time36.
Palace of Sheikh Mubarak Bin Mohamed Sheikh Mubarak Bin Mohamed Al-Nahyan (d. 2010) was the first U.A.E. Minister of the Interior. He founded the Abu Dhabi Police. He resided in Sheikh Shakhbut’s Palace at Muwaij’ei after marrying the daughter of the Sheikh, Sheikha Ousha Bint Shakhbut. He later moved with his family to a new palace which he built in the oasis behind his earlier residence37.
Palace of Daughters of Sheikh Haza'a Bin Sultan The palace of Sheikh Haza'a Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan (d.1958), Representative of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi in the Western Region, who was appointed to that post in 194738, is located beside the Muwaij’ei Palace from the east. It is not known whether or not Sheikh Haza'a resided in it. However, one of his wives, Sheikha Maryam Bint Hamdan Bin Zayed Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan, continues to live there. Earlier, she had another wife of Sheikh Haza'a, Sheikha Maryam Bint Said Bin Zayed Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan, living with her until the latter’s death in the 1980s39.
Palace of Sheikha Salama Bint Butti Oral history informs us that the first house to be built for Sheikha Salama Bint Butti was located in Muwaij’ei oasis, close to the palm tree plantations owned by her family.
14 15 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century
It was built of stone. However, another two-story palace with halls, and annexes for retainers and servants was built for her reportedly in the 1960s where she lived with her daughter, Maryam Bint Sultan40. Anthony Shepherd, an officer in the Trucial Oman Scouts, referred to Sheikha Salama Bint Butti’s stay at Muwaij’ei41. It is worthy of mention that she was buried close to that palace which still stands today42. A lady who used to frequent the palace to visit Sheikha Salama said, “Sheikha Salama and her son Khalid lived between the Muwaij’ei palm tree plantations. Outside the plantations they built palaces for themselves which still stand today. I recall that when they used to come to Al-Ain, they sometimes lived in barasti houses, or in tents which are usually cool in summer and were especially set up close to the palm tree plantations beside which were stores where they kept their provisions. They used to cook varied local meals such as mohalla and harees under palm trees close to the course of Falaj Al-Muwaij’ei in which water flowed heavily”43.
Palace of Sheikha Salama Bint Butti in Muwaij’ei oasis.
Palace of Sheikh Khalid Bin Sultan The palace of Sheikh Khalid Bin Sultan Bin Zayed Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan, a two- story edifice with annexes and surrounded by high walls, still exists to this day but without any restoration44. This palace is also mentioned by Anthony Shepherd in his memoirs45. It is located behind the palace of Sheikha Salama Bint Butti on the eastern side. Sheikh Khalid had built it as a summer resort. Earlier, he used to spend the summer months with his mother, Sheikha Salama, in tents or in stone or barasti houses which are normally cool in summer.
14 15 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri
Summer resort of Sheikh Khaled Bin Sultan Al Nahyan in Muwaij’ei oasis.
Palace of Sheikha Mahra Bint Khalid It is reported that Sheikha Mahra Bint Khalid Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, spouse of Sheikh Said Bin Shakhbut Al-Nahyan, used to spend the summer months with her father at Muwaij’ei. As her children grew older, a palace was built for her at Ruweika, a district of Al-Muwaij’ei, in the 1960s or 1970’s and she is still living there46.
Muwaij’ei Shops Oral history informs us about some scattered buildings at Muwaij’ei, one of which existed on the eastern side of Qasr Al-Muwaij’ei. It was reported by a gentleman who frequented Muwaij’ei that the building was owned by a foreign company functioning in that area. It is not certain whether it was an oil company or something else, but it was built as a depot for oil barrels, relatively far from the residential areas of Muwaij’ei. It consisted of two rooms only. When the company vacated the place, the building was made into a commercial shop owned by Abdul Jalil Al-Faheem, and was run by one of his sons named Abdul Hakim47. In his memoirs, Mr. Mohamed Abdul Jalil Al- Faheem refers to that shop saying, “My father had decided to open a commercial shop in the village where he lived — Muwaij’ei. It was a small shop but he filled it with various foods and textiles. He asked his elder brother (an uncle of mine) to run the shop. Unfortunately, my uncle was illiterate. However, he managed to overcome his illiteracy by selling on credit. He used to identify sums owed by clients by juxtaposing coffee beans to their respective names. When my father came home from travels with Sheikh Zayed, my uncle would inform him of each client’s debt by counting the coffee beans juxtaposed to their respective names. This arrangement ultimately
16 17 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century
proved to be in favor of the clients rather than my father, the shop owner. Thus, my father was forced to close down the shop less than a year after its opening. This was due to his inability to follow-up the clients’ debts as coffee beans accumulated while cash was not always forthcoming. In addition to my uncle’s innovative accounting system, destitution in the area contributed to the failure of my father’s business in Muwaij’ei”48.
After all such suffering, it is appropriate to probe the status of Al Muwaij’ei following the developmental drive led by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan in the best interests of his people. What exactly were the service projects undertaken in Al Muwaij’ei?
After a period of economic downturn, it is appropriate to probe the status of Al Muwaij’ei in light of the developmental drive undertaken by the late Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan in the best interests of his people.
Developmental Strategy at Muwaij’ei After making Muwaij’ei his official headquarter, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan began to implement ambitious developmental projects covering all walks of life. He used to hold his majlis mostly under his favorite tree outside Qasr Al Muwaij’ei where he met his subjects and guests. Discussions centered on the hardships faced by people of the region, the ways and means of solving problems and providing their basic needs. The first reform undertaken by Sheikh Zayed was the development of agriculture, the construction and restoration of aflaj and the digging of channels that carried water from the aflaj to the farms. Many of these were abandoned or in a state of ruin due to the tribal wars that had erupted in earlier times, resulting in emigration and the consequent neglect of farming49.
Having carried out remarkable reforms in the fields of agriculture and irrigation, Sheikh Zayed devoted his attention to education after witnessing the advancement in Sharjah and Dubai. The establishment of schools was a clear indication of the people’s ardent wish to break out of the prolonged isolation from the world. In Abu Dhabi, education had been restricted to religious instruction and some basic knowledge. Therefore, Sheikh Zayed took the initiative and established a school at Muwaij’ei and this was followed by the establishment of a hospital. Thereafter, he launched several projects in other parts of Al-Ain oases. In order to understand the core of the developmental drive, it is necessary to analyze Sheikh Zayed’s strategy in Muwaij’ei.
Shari'a (Islamic Law) Court In spite of lack of funds, and the absence of any sort of assistance from law-enforcing agencies, one of Sheikh Zayed's early administrative endeavors was to enforce laws and establish order in the region. Before the 1950s, there were no courts of justice,
16 17 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri nor any form of an official judicial system in the emirates. People, thus, used to turn to the Ruler to lodge complaints against each other50.
As most, perhaps all, complainants were not familiar with preparing formal documents due to their illiteracy, the poorer citizens were often taken advantage of. Sheikh Zayed being responsible for the enforcement of law in Al-Ain, in agreement with all within his jurisdiction, he established a Shari'a law court in Muwaij’ei, and appointed a person well-versed in Islamic law to assist him in running the judiciary51.
In case Sheikh Zayed had a certain point of view that could be decisive in reaching a verdict, he nevertheless listened carefully to pleadings by the conflicting parties and then summoned the judge to deal with the case, or simply dispatched the opponents to the judge for consultation at his own residence. It is reported that one of the judges was Mr. Thani Al Muhairi, a resident at his diwan (office or court) in Muwaij’ei52, who would meet with all the concerned parties to set forth their views in connection with the case. In fact, the majority of disputes between members of this tribal society did not actually reach the courts or the judges; for they were normally settled at family or tribal level, or on the basis of the body of norms and customs recognized by individuals in such societies. Political issues, local or external, were mostly dealt with by Sheikh Zayed himself.
Muwaij’ei School In late 1956, Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan opened a school in Muweiji to replace the existing schools of Al Ain which were not up to standard. He appointed a qualified teacher, Mr. Mohamed Rashid Al-Tamimi, who took up residence in Hosn Ibn Ayyad in Muwaij’ei. It may be noted in this connection that this fortress could not be located. Sheikh Zayed personally purchased all school supplies- including books, desks, chairs, pencils. The curriculum included Quran recitation and Quran sciences, mathematics, Arabic and English53.
In his report dated April 24, 1957, the Political Agent, Martin Buckmaster remarked that the school which was opened three months earlier under the supervision of an active headmaster who came from Muscat was achieving conspicuous success though it had but 12 pupils. Its curriculum included physical education and appeared to be doing well54.
In an interview given to the newspaper, Tamimi said:55 “I went to Qasr Muwaij’ei and on the same day started my commission for the establishment of the first regular school in the city of Al-Ain. Our primary aim was to teach the rudiments of Arabic, mathematics, and the Quran. I was the sole teacher then. When I asked Sheikh Zayed to provide a classroom, he ordered a man called Gharib Bin Mohamed to build a room for us that could serve as a classroom. Later we requested fittings for
18 19 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century
the classroom and so Sheikh Zayed delegated Hilal Bin Durri Al-Qubaisi to fetch our requirements from Dubai and Abu Dhabi. There were sufficient quantities of pencils, notebooks, books, a board and chalk. I prepared the curriculum on the basis of the Kuwaiti curriculum. I was keen on teaching particular young men and also provided rifle shooting training. Sheikh Zayed also asked me to teach the pupils the basics of farming, especially watermelon farming and ways of irrigation. He also asked me to arrange trips for them to the aflaj area and to the palm tree plantations so that they may recognize those resources. I also established a boy scouts club on the basis of the Boy Scouts Charter and introduced varied sporting activities in addition to camping in the open air. I wrote an anthem for them:
"We are Arab scouts, in the shade of righteousness we walk;
The best corner of the homeland, we take no notice of difficulties".
Sheikh Zayed used to follow up the progress of education through his repeated surprise visits to the school56. However, the enthusiasm of many people soon dampened as they could not grasp the vital importance of education. On this, Buckmaster said in a report dated September 9, 1958: “The School made a conspicuously successful start. However, attendance dropped from 12 to 4 pupils. As I understand, the headmaster was responsible for this decline as he had failed to maintain his initial enthusiasm. Moreover, the Bedouins would not allow their children to stay for longer times at school as their children would earn more looking after their parents’ camels and goats”57. Though education was the last thing many people living in that region thought of, engrossed as they were in securing basic needs, Sheikh Zayed only thought of the future as he was confident that what was being rejected then, would gradually be welcomed in the future when people would recognize the value of education. This may explain why after a short while, he launched a new primary school at Qattara with about 40 pupils attending58.
A man from Muwaij’ei recalls the state of education there before the school was established. He says, “Muwaij’ei was fortunate enough to have a Mutawaa (religious teacher) like Thani Al-Muhairi and later, his son, Ahmad. We paid a certain sum in return for learning the principles laid down in the Holy Quran. That sum was known as khamees, the equivalent of 25 pesas for each student; or we paid a rupee per month to be increased to two upon completing a juz’ (part of the Quran).
The pupils came from different parts of Al-Ain oases and they were of different ages. Among those who were tutored with us were Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, now the country’s President, Sheikh Suroor Bin Mohamed Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan and three ladies: Ghobeisha Bint Jassem, Shamsa Bint Mohamed Bin Shaiban and her aunt Afra’ Bint Shaiban. They were later joined by Sheikha Salama Bint Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan59.
18 19 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri
Muwaij’ei Hospital After the establishment of the school, Sheikh Zayed realized it was time to launch a hospital. However, he could only do so a decade later after becoming the Ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966. The Muwaij’ei Hospital was inaugurated in 1968, and offered modern medical and health services through its qualified medical staff. Earlier, the "Kennedy" Hospital (now known as Al-Waha Hospital), was the only medical facility in Al-Ain, and it used to treat patients as per barwas (orders) issued by the Ruler’s diwan (office or court)60. The inauguration of the Muwaij’ei Hospital was an event no less significant than the launching of regular education in Muwaij’ei. Such events signified the end of an era dominated by hardships, destitution, ignorance and isolation, and transition to a new era of progress and advancement.
The inauguration of the Muwaij’ei Hospital was a landmark in the development of the health services sector under the five-year plan drawn for the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in 196861. The health services budget was 6.5 million dinars, a sum that was used for building a number of hospitals in various districts including Abu Dhabi and Al Ain, in addition to clinics in the villages. The hospitals included specialized units: radiology, dentistry, ophthalmology and public health. The number of doctors and nurses steadily increased following the inauguration of the Muwaij’ei Hospital62 noted that the hospital started with 30 beds and included radiology laboratory units as well as dental, ophthalmology and maternity departments63. In 1969, the Muwaij’ei Hospital was expanded and a new wing with 30 beds was added64. The staff rose to more than 21 doctors, 31 nurses and a large number of paramedics65.
As Sheikh Zayed was in a race against time to inaugurate the Muwaij’ei Hospital, he decided to convert the palace of Sheikh Shakhbut Bin Sultan into a hospital. For a long time, that palace was deserted as the Sheikh had moved to a new palace in another area66. It is reported that part of that palace had been used as a clinic even before Sheikh Shakhbut had moved from it, and eventually, the entire palace was converted into a hospital. Describing the state of medical treatment at that time, it was reported by a local resident: “In spite of the lack of specialized cadres at the Muwaij’ei Hospital, we received good treatment. I recall that its medical staff consisted of doctors of various nationalities, Lebanese and Indian inter alia67.
In 1971, the Hospital was linked to a building with modern equipment and this was located at an area close to Muwaij’ei so that the medical staff would provide better services. The hospital’s staff rose to 24 doctors and the hospital is today known as Al Ain Hospital68.
The old premises remained in use for several years as a geriatric center and some of its departments were converted into quarantine units until these were ultimately moved to the new premises69.
20 21 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century
Muwaij’ei 'eden and the Bin Saqhan Myth The Muwaij’ei oasis was renowned for its abundant ''eden (Ghaf tree clusters: Prosopi Cineria). Local inhabitants normally refer to the Ghaf tree as al-oud (pl. edan). Unless the word is associated with a certain tree, like oud almooz (banana) or oud alsedr (cedar), it is to be taken as ghaf70. It was thus that Muwaij’ei dwellers, and frequenters to the oasis, were associated with the oasis edan. For some, the ghaf tree was an ‘umbrella tree’ under whose shade they would gather. Some residential districts of Muwaij’ei are named after their respective edan: oud Bin Saqhan and edan Al-Ruweika. According to local lore, after rainfall, Ruweika flourished with grass growing in between the ghaf trees, plentifully scattered. Camel grooms would gather for rest under such trees while keeping an eye on their animals. Footprints of goats and the impact of habbara (bustard) birds could be easily observed as the land dried up following rainfalls in winter”71.
Oud Bin Saqhan, the Ghaf tree which is said to be 600 years old and associated with myths drawn from heritage.
20 21 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri
Residents of the area speak of certain 'edan at Muwaij’ei, such as 'edan Ghuzzi or simply Ghuzzi. However, they could not count the 'edan; nor could they explain the significance of the name. They said that the original trees have died, and what remain are their ‘daughters’ (offshoots springing from the roots themselves) which are found in what is now Khalid district. Two or three of these trees have survived; the rest have died due to neglect. Those trees were the victims of either nature (extreme draught) or man (who used to cut the trunks and branches to sell them as fire wood). One teller said, “We, dwellers of Al-Mua'taradh, used to pass by such edan from the west as we went out to Abu Dhabi for grazing or other purposes. They were virtually a cardinal point where we used to rest. Edan Ghuzzi was also our meeting place in our youth. However, it seems that none of the original ghaf trees exist today; what we see are their ‘daughters’ (offshoots) stemming from the roots themselves after the death of the mother trees72. Some refer to Oud hamada (but hamada could not be identified) tree and both were located between Al-Mua'taradh and Muwaij'ei.
And there is the most famous of all: Oud Bin Saqhan which is associated with myths drawn from heritage. So what is Saqhan? Is it a proper name or an epithet? What is the myth that shrouds it and what is its impact today? Oud Bin Saqhan lies to the west of Qasr Al-Muwaij'ei and is said to be 600 years old73. It was virtually a cardinal point where people used to get together. People’s frequent association with the trees has led to the rise and spreading of certain myths, especially as those were times when fear of jinn (spirits) dwelling on trees was widespread. It was believed that animals or birds that die (or are slaughtered) under those trees (such as goats and cocks) would render them dwellings for the jinn74.
Construction programs involving all Abu Dhabi cities in the last decades of the 20th century, changed the face of Muwaij'ei beyond recognition. Muwaij’ei became united with the other oases in a single city that soon took its place on the world map. It is Al Ain city which controls the entire Eastern Region of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi from the official headquarters (diwan) of the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region75.
22 23 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century
Endnotes:
1. Timothy Power and Peter Sheehan, Qasr Al-Muwaij'ei, Al-Nahyan Diwan in Al-Ain, Buraimi Oasis, Liwa magazine, Issue No. V, June 2011:4
2. Lorimer, an employee of the British Government in India, did not refer to the Muwaij’ei settlement in the Geographical Section of his famous Gazetteer of the Gulf which he completed in 1908, nor in the Historical Section (1915). This confirms that Muwaij'ei was not inhabited at that time.
3. For more information on Qasr Al-Muwaij’ei, see Shamsa Al-Dhahiri, Emarat As Sahel Al-Motasaleh (1900-1971), The National Center for Documentation & Research, Abu Dhabi, 2010: 67
4. Interview with Ms. Fakhra Humaid Amhi Al-Mansouri on March 2, 2015. Also see: Fiseeret Sheikh Thani Bin Ahmad Al-Mehairi, Qadi Al-Nahyan at Al-Ain, Aisha Al- Mehairi, Al-Dhafra magazine Issue No. 57, January 2012:20
5. Dawlat Al Emarat Al-Arabiya Al Muttahida: Dirasa Mashiya Shamelah, Arab Scientific, Educational and Cultural Organization, Institute of Arab Research & Studies, Cairo 1978:565
6. Interview with Ms. Fakhra Al-Mansouri
7. See Anthony Shepherd, Arabian Adventures, Collins, 1961:119
8. Interview with Mr. Mohamed Al-Abd Al-Dhahiri on May 6, 2015
9. Abu Dhabi, Dar il Hilal :141
10. op cit:140
11. Primary sources include FO records at the National Archives, KEW and BP/IPC records at Warwick University; Priestland, Buraimi Dispute (Buraimi: The Struggle for Power, Influence and Oil in Arabia, Michael Morton, I. B. Tauris & Co. Ltd, 2013:50)
12. Records of the Emirates 1820-1960. Vol. 12. Archive editions 1992: 516.
13. Interview with Mohamed Al-Abd. See also Al Aflaj Fi Dawlat Al Emarat Al-Arabiya Al Muttahida: An Archaeological Study of Ancient Irrigation Systems, Waleed Al-Tikriti, Al-Ain, 2002:59
14. Interview with Ms. Fakhra Al-Mansouri
15. Interview with Ms. Sheikha Al-Dhahiri and Salem Hashil Al-Dhahiri on September 20, 2015
22 23 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri
16. For more information see the official website of the Diwan of the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region: http://erd.ae/portal/92593C16-772C-4ff8-84B8-OIDF7FfCDC1A.aspx
17. Al Aflaj Fi Dawlat Al Emarat: p59
18. Mohamed Abdulhameed Dawood, Masader Al Meyah wa Ahamiataha fi Al Emarat, Sultan Bin Zayed Center for Culture and Heritage, Abu Dhabi, 2015: 59
19. G.B. Kelly, Eastern Borders of the Arabian Peninsula (translated into Arabic by Khairy Hammad, Dar Maktabat Al-Hayat, Beirut, 2004:p.73
20. On Sheikh Mohamed Bin Khalifa Al-Nahyan see Shamsa Al-Dhahiri, Abu Dhabi: Dirasat Fi Al Tareekh Al Ijtima’ei (1820-1971), Zayed Center for Studies & Research, 2014: 31
21. The Buraimi Dispute: Contemporary Documents 1950-1961, London, Archive Editions, 1992, Vol. I, p.656
22. Names of certain districts are modern
23. 23 Shamsa Al-Dhahiri, Emarat As Sahel Al Motasaleh, p.67
24. On stages of modifications introduced into the Palace, and on Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan’s stay therein, see Qasr Al Muwaij’ei, Diwan Al-Nahyan in Al-Ain, pp. 8 and 10
25. Administrative Report of the Bahrain Agency Including the Trucial States and Qatar for the Year 1945, Reprinted in Persian Gulf Administration Reports, Archive Editions, London, 1989, Vol. X: 25
26. For more information, see Shamsa Al-Dhahiri, Emarat As Sahel Al Motasaleh, p.67
27. Peter Sheehan, Qasr Al Muwaij'ei, Diwan Al-Nahyan in Al-Ain, p.4
28. Administrative Report of the Bahrain Agency, Vol. X: 25
29. Interview with Ms.Azzina on February 10, 2009
30. Peter Sheehan, Qasr Al Muwaij'ei, Diwan Al-Nahyan in Al-Ain, p.6
31. Edward Henderson, Memoirs of the Early Days in the Emirates and the Sultanate of Oman, Motive Eight, Dubai, 1992, p.76
32. Interview with Mr. Al-Bloushi on August 25, 2015
33. FO. 371/168956, PA Abu Dhabi to PA Bahrain, July 6,1963.Records of Emirates Primary Documents 1961-1963, Archive Editions, London, 1922: p.51
24 25 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century
34. Interview with Mr. Salem Hashil Al-Dhahiri on February 12, 2015
35. Interview with Ms. Sheikha Al-Dhahiri on September 20, 2015
36. Interview with Ms. Fakhra Al-Mansouri
37. Interview with Salem Al-Dhahiri on February 2, 2015
38. See Michael Quentin Morton, Buraimi, The Struggle for Power, Influence and Oil in Arabia, KI.B Tauris and Co., London, 2013: 50 For details on Sheikh Hazza Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, see Shamsa Al-Dhahiri, Sheikh Hazza Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (1905-1958)
39. Interview with Mr. Humaid Al-Bloushi
40. Interview with Ms. Fakhra Al-Mansouri
41. See Anthony Shepherd: 118
42. See Shamsa Al-Dhahiri, Qera’a fi Masweeret Um Al-Sheyoukh: Sheikha Salama Bint Butti, Turath Magazine, Issue No. 181, November 2014, p. 17
43. Interview with Shamsa Obaid Atiq Al-Rumaithi on March 3, 2015
44. Interview with Ms. Fakhra Al-Mansouri
45. See Anthony Shepherd, 118
46. Interview with Ms. Shamsa Al-Rumaithi
47. Interview with Mr. Ali Al-Abd Al-Dhahiri on May 8, 2015
48. Mohamed Abdul Jalil Al-Faheem, Men Al Mahel Ela Al Ghena, Qesset Abu Dhabi, London Center for Arab Studies, London, 1996, p.49
49. Awad Al-Ershany, Hayat Zayed Al Fares Al Ladhi Qahar Al-Sahraa,1980.:111
50. The only court in existence was the Diving Court, also known as the Pearl Diving Loan (Salafiyat Al-Ghaws) court which convened when necessary. The Ruler used to appoint a single judge (or more) from among ship captains renowned for their honesty and good knowledge of pearl diving. Contestants abide by the verdicts issued by such courts. Most cases dealt with loans. See also J.G. Lorimer, Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia, Garnet Publishing Limited, England, Vol. I, Historical, part 2, p.2234
51. See Kelly, p. 153
52. Frauke Heard Bey, From Trucial States to the United Arab Emirates- A Society in Transition"; translated into Arabic by Aida Khouri, Motivate Publishing, Dubai, 2010,
24 25 Shamsa Mohamed Al-Dhahiri
p.123. Also see Aisha Al-Mehairi’s biography of Sheikh Thani Bin Ahmad
53. Interview made by Dawood Mohamed with Mr. Mohamed Al-Tamimi, published in Al- Bayan daily on March 14, 2006
54. Records of the Emirates Primary Documents 1820-1960, Archive Editions, London, 1992, Vol. 11: 135
55. Hassan Mohamed, Mohamed Bin Rashid Al-Tamimi, Muassis Awal Madrasa fi Madinat Al-Ain, Al-Dhafra Magazine, Abu Dhabi, Issue No. 24, April 2009, p.25
56. Interview conducted by Dawood Mohamed with Tamimi, published in the AL-Bayan daily on March 14, 2006
57. Records of the Emirates, Vol. 11: 136
58. Op cit
59. Interview with Mr. Ali Bala’abd on May 8, 2015
60. See Sheikha Al-Mehairi, Doctora Latifa Momarreda fi Mostashfa Al Waha, Liwa magazine, Issue No. 8, Center for Documentation and Research, p.40
61. For more information on the 5-year plan see Mana Said Al-Otaiba, Eqtisadiyat Abu Dhabi Qadeeman wa Hadeethan, p.19
62. Abu Dhabi Past and Present, Orient Press, Beirut, 1969: 71
63. Abu Dhabi, Dar Ul Hilal, p.144
64. Abu Dhabi, Past and Present: 71
65. Abu Dhabi fil Eid Al-Joloos as Sades Li Saheb Al Somou’ Al Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan Hakim Al Bilad wa Rais Dawlat el Emarat Al Arabiya Al Muttahida, Center for Documentation and Research, Abu Dhabi , 1972, p.82
66. Interviews with Fakhra Al-Mansouri and Humaid Al-Bloushi
67. Abu Dhabi fil Eid Al-Joloos as Sades Li Saheb Al Somou’ Al Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al- Nahyan Hakim Al Bilad wa Rais Dawlat el Emarat Al Arabiya Al Muttahida,
68. Interview with Humaid Al-Bloushi. See also Emarat Abu Dhabi Da'erat Al-Takhteet, Vol. III, Year Book 1974, p.30
69. Interview with Humaid Al-Bloushi. Also see Abu Dhabi fil Eid Al-Joloos as Sades Li Saheb Al Somou’ Al Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al-Nahyan Hakim Al Bilad wa Rais Dawlat el Emarat Al Arabiya Al Muttahida p.82
26 27 Reflections on the Social History of Al Muwaij’ei Oasis in the Mid-20th Century
70. Ayyash Yahyawi, Al-Shajara, Al-Hodoor wa Al Tasawworat: Dirasa Maydaniya Tawthiqiya fi Turath Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi Culture and Heritage Authority, Abu Dhabi, 2009, p.62
71. Interview with Fakhra Al-Mansouri
72. Interview with Mr. Ali Al-Dhahiri
73. See Al-Dhafra magazine, Issue No. 6, October 2007, p.98
74. See Aisha Al Mehairi, Ostorat Bin Saqhan, Al-Dhafra magazine publication, Abu Dhabi, 2011, p. 97
75. For more information, see the official website of the Diwan of the Ruler’s Representative in the Eastern Region.
76. http://erd.ae/portal/92593C16-772C-4ff8-84B8-OIDF7FfCDC1A.aspx
26 27 Peter Walmsley MBE
TARIF & MURBAN No.1 1954 Peter Walmsley
Introduction In mid-1954 I spent two months in Tarif as relief Resident Geologist on exploration well Murban No.1 while the permanent incumbent was on home leave. Murban No.1 was the third exploration well to be drilled in what was then known as the Trucial Coast by Petroleum Development Trucial Coast Limited ( PDTC ), a subsidiary of the Iraq Petroleum Company ( IPC ).
Owned in four equal parts ( 23.75% each ) by BP, Shell, CFP and a combine of Esso and Mobil plus Mr 5% Calouste Gulbenkian, IPC held concessions covering, amongst others, Iraq, Qatar, the Trucial Coast and Oman. Jebal Ali No.1 and Ras Sadr No.1. the first two exploration wells drilled by PDTC along the Trucial Coast, had both been abandoned as dry holes and the company was therefore very hopeful that Murban No.1 would reverse its fortunes. Alas, it was not to be. The well was also abandoned as a dry hole after the tragic deaths of two petroleum engineers overcome by hydrogen sulphide from a gas escape during the closing stages of drilling. However, that was not the end of the Murban story of which more later in this article.
Life in Tarif Sited on a low hill beside the sea Tarif was the base camp for the drilling of Murban No.1 which was situated some ten miles inland across a wide sabkha to the north of the sand dunes of the Liwa. It was larger than the usual base camp because it also housed a geophysical party that was carrying out a gravity and magnetic survey of the Liwa using helicopters for access to the difficult terrain. Thus, in addition to the twenty or so staff involved with the drilling operation, there were a further dozen geophysicists plus helicopter pilots and engineers etc.
28 29 TARIF & MURBAN No.1, 1954
The three geophysical party helicopters were hangered in the “Bees Nest”
The expatriate staff were housed in an L-shaped line of individual self-contained huts placed around a central large commissariat and mess building. A cement block building also housed a further six expats. Food in the mess was to a high standard being provided by chefs and staff from the Indian sub-continent, principally Goa. The only person to complain was our surveyor, Jimmy Derham, who was contemplating his breakfast one morning when a very dusty cat fell through the ceiling and landed on the table beside his plate. At least, he knew that there would not be many mice in the kitchen!
To the west of the accommodation area were the offices and, behind those, the stores. In the photograph below can be seen two Nissan huts. The one on the left was the office of the Petroleum Engineer and that on the right was that of the Resident Geologist with the wind recorder mast of the weather station in front of it. The Resident Geologist had the additional responsibility of recording the weather information and transmitting it to Dukhan from where it was disseminated to a wider audience. The cement block building to the right served as offices for the Toolpusher ( head of drilling ), who was also the local
28 29 Peter Walmsley MBE
The offices at Tarif with the stores area behind manager, and other members of staff. Amongst others, these included a doctor, a communications engineer, a transport engineer, the camp boss ( commissariat supervisor), a local liaison officer and so on. Behind these buildings was the stores area. The offices looked down on our power station located beside the beach. There were separate areas of accommodation for clerical and artisan staff and local labour.
The overall operation was managed from Dukhan, the headquarters of the Qatar Petroleum Company ( QPC ), another and larger subsidiary of the IPC. The operation at Tarif was essentially run as an offshoot of QPC.
Outside the camp, on the edge of the sabkha, was our airstrip. There were regular weekly flights between Dukhan and Tarif using Dove aircraft operated under contract by Gulf Air bringing light supplies, mail and facilitating staff movements between the two centres. Dakota flights brought heavier items of equipment, food, etc. The really heavy material such as drilling equipment, vehicles and fuel came by sea on landing craft from the small harbour at Zekrit (near Dukhan), or Umm Said south of Doha, where the oil terminal for the Dukhan oilfield was located.
For recreation, there was a small barasti club house near the mess. Here we could relax over a game of darts, dominoes or cards. For those of an athletic frame of mind, there was a straw mat outside the club from which aspiring golfers could drive a ball out into the desert where a mess boy was employed to bring it back. We also had a tennis court which our civil engineer had made from rolled out mud from the sabkha, but it was very hot work playing in mid-summer.
30 31 TARIF & MURBAN No.1, 1954
A Bold Rescue In 1954, there were virtually no maps available, and certainly, no satnav. Navigation in the open desert meant using the vehicle’s tachograph to measure distance, and a sun compass ( a crude sort of sundial ) mounted on the bonnet so that the driver could keep on a fixed compass bearing. Surprisingly, this was a reasonably accurate method of reconnaissance mapping, but more accurate maps were required for plotting geophysical stations and well locations etc.
While I was in Tarif, Jimmy Derham, the surveyor, had started making accurate maps of the area to the south of Murban No.1. Initially, this involved establishing trigonometrical points and calculating their position by means of astrofixes. Using a theodolite set to a specific position, the precise time that a known star passed its cross- wires would be recorded, and, with the aid of astronomical tables, one’s latitude and longitude could be calculated exactly. Jimmy and his assistant spent several weeks carrying out such work, sleeping and eating beside their one Land Rover amongst the giant sand dunes of the Liwa.
Then, one day inTarif, a radio message was received from Jimmy saying that the gear box of his Land Rover had disintegrated and he needed someone to get a replacement out to him. Fortunately, being a surveyor, he was able to give us his location.
After careful consideration, it was decided that the best option would be to make an air drop, rather than attempt a time-consuming and difficult journey across the sand sea. Accordingly, a Dove aircraft was flown in from Dukhan, while three gearboxes were encased in protective packaging ready for the air drop. Quite why I was chosen to help with the drop I would not know. Anyway, two of us, plus the three gearboxes, were loaded aboard the plane and off we set to find Jimmy amongst the sand dunes.
Jimmy Derham found in the Liwa
30 31 Peter Walmsley MBE
Fortunately, he turned out to be where he said he was, and was easily seen as he had lit a smokey fire to mark the spot. He was broken down in a flat area between some 600ft dunes which gave us the idea of dropping the parcels on to the slip face of one of these dunes, rather than risk smashing them on the harder surface near the Land Rover. Before I knew it, I had a rope around my waist, the other end being tied to a passenger seat, and was standing beside an open door ready to throw the gearboxes out.
The pilot made a dummy run, flying round the concave face of a large dune with the port wingtip seemingly only a few feet from the sand face. It was pretty unnerving to say the least! Satisfied with his prowess, the pilot decided to do it for real, my colleague passed me a gear box, and when the pilot yelled “now”, I tossed it out. Circling back, we were gratified to see the package rolling slowly down the face of the dune and coming to rest comfortably near the bottom.
Fired up by our success, we made two more runs dropping the remaining packages which ended up pretty close to the first one. Then, having made a victory swoop which nearly took Jimmy’s head off, we made our return to Tarif.
On landing, we were glad to be told that Jimmy had radioed in to say that all three gearboxes were intact, and that he would replace the broken one next morning. He eventually arrived back in Tarif about a week later as if nothing untoward had happened.
Land Rover versus Austin Champ The Land Rover had only just begun to come off the production line a few years earlier. It was a boon to all those who were involved with desert driving. The first model, with its very short wheel base, was light and would go anywhere, be it a rocky terrain, sabkha or soft sand. Later models, with longer wheel bases, were never quite so good.
Land Rovers refuelling on a reconnaissance to Gezira
32 33 TARIF & MURBAN No.1, 1954
It was also very simply made in that anyone with a modicum of practical knowhow, could pull it apart and make repairs where necessary using basic tools. I very much doubt if Jimmy Derham could have changed a gear box in the field on one of the modern varieties.
The Austin Motor Company became very envious of Rover and decided to compete with its own four-by-four, the Austin Champ. Whilst I was in Tarif, a demonstration model arrived for us to have a look at, complete with a driver from Austin’s Sales Department.
As we were all pretty busy, the demonstration driver found himself stuck in camp and rather bored, and so he decided to drive his Champ out to the rig to see what drilling was all about. Roughly an hour after he left, he staggered back into camp on foot, very hot, exhausted and sheepish. He had only driven a couple of miles before he got hopelessly stuck in the sabkha, and being unable to drive the vehicle out, he had given up and decided to walk home.
Feeling sorry for him, we put him in front of an air conditioner and plied him with water and iced tea. Then, just as he was beginning to recover, to his surprise, a local tribesman drove into camp in the Champ. Having found it abandoned, and bogged down with the keys still in the ignition, he let the tyres down, drove it out, and brought it into Tarif to see if it was one of ours!
It transpired that our demonstration driver had never driven “off-road” before, and certainly not across a sabkha. Moreover, the tyres of the Champ had been set at the pressures recommended for use on tarmac roads in the UK handbook. A somewhat chastened representative of the Austin Motor Company departed with his Champ a few days later, and we never saw one again.
The Austin Champ was never a success. It was too heavy and cumbersome, and could not be taken to bits like a Land Rover. It was not long before Austin phased it out leaving the Land Rover supreme.
The Stores Inferno On the 9th of June, 1954, a refrigerator in the stores caught fire. Fanned by a strong northerly wind, it soon spread through the barasti building that housed it, and very quickly set the tyre store on fire. Thick black smoke blew across the remainder of the stores, and everyone rushed around trying in one way or another, to do something about it.
32 33 Peter Walmsley MBE
The fire spreads to the tyre store
People were milling about in large numbers, some finding hosepipes, some with fire extinguishers, and some simply running in circles wondering what to do when the fire got to the gas cylinder store with spectacular results as can be seen from this photograph of a blazing tractor tyre.
Result of a gas cylinder explosion An exploded gas cylinder
It was a miracle that nobody was hurt! About six cylinders exploded, and such was the power of explosions, that the cap from one cylinder was found embedded in the wall of the main office about seventy five yards away.
34 35 TARIF & MURBAN No.1, 1954
Not far to the south and downwind of the blaze was the fuel store stocking hundreds of forty five gallon drums containing petrol, diesel and aviation spirit. It rapidly became apparent that there was great danger of this catching fire as well. Two intrepid engineers started up a bulldozer and courageously drove it back and forth through the acrid smoke in order to clear a fire break between the blazing store and the fuel dump. Meanwhile, everyone who could be mustered, rushed to roll barrels of fuel away from the path of the flames.
Shifting the drums of fuel
Happily, all these efforts proved successful and the fuel supply was saved. The fire gradually burnt itself out leaving a devastated jumble of charred remains that had once been Tarif stores. How long it took to clear up the mess and replenish the precious supplies I do not know as I was to return to my job as Resident Geologist in Dukhan very soon thereafter.
What I do know, however, is that there was never a dull moment during my two months in Tarif.
34 35 Peter Walmsley MBE
Epilogue
Although Murban No.1 was abandoned as a dry hole, this was not the end of the
Murban story. The rig was moved to drill another hole (also dry) at Gezira, but while this was going on, work had begun in Dukhan to re-examine the drill cuttings (rock chips) and wireline logs from Murban. The Resident Geologist’s log of the well did not seem right in that the Middle Cretaceous Nahr Umr Formation appeared to be a lot thicker than expected, while the underlying Lower Cretaceous Thamama limestone was thinner than expected.
On looking again at the cuttings, it became apparent that friable shales from the Nahr Umr Formation had been collapsing into the hole, and that these cavings, as they are called, had completely masked the much smaller limestone chips from the Thamama below. Moreover, when those limestone chips were extracted from the cavings, it could be seen that they glowed in ultra-violet light; a sure sign of the presence of hydrocarbons. A careful re-look at the wireline logs showed that the top of the Thamama formation was, indeed, much higher than shown in the Resident Geologist’s log. Had something important been missed?
Murban No.1 in the distance
36 37 TARIF & MURBAN No.1, 1954
After drilling two more dry holes at Shuweihat and Juweiza, the company decided that Murban should be explored again in view of the apparent oil shows in the Thamama of Murban No.1. Alas, Murban No.2 only found uncommercial amounts of oil, but it was sufficiently encouraging for a third well to be drilled. Murban No.3 surprised everyone when it found a major oilfield in the Thamama limestone in 1960. The rest is history!
Maybe Murban No.1 had not been a discovery well, but it certainly pointed the way to the major oil province that has led to the prosperity of the United Arab Emirates today. I have always been proud to have played my very small part of this history in Tarif over sixty years ago.
36 37