Memories of the past

zoom

A dry cough comes up from the back of his throat.

When talking about Thesiger, these wonderful old men seem to be transformed into young boys. There's fire in their eyes as they talk passionately about the areas they traversed. "He was the best man in the whole world," exclaims Bin Kabina, who's sporting an orange-coloured henna goatee."

Thesiger was the first foreigner to blend into Bedouin society, according to Imma Plana, Strategic Planner of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH).

"His biggest achievement was not to conquer the sands, but to merge with Bedouin society. For five years he was barefoot and dressed exactly like them. The only thing he took from the outside world was his Leica camera."

Ninety black and white photos of Thesiger's are featured in the exhibition. They were taken during his travels and also show how he grew up.

The traveler was born in Ethiopia in 1910, where he developed his passion for exploring wild landscapes and traditional tribes. After his education at Eton and Oxford, he worked for the British colonial administration in Sudan.

During the Second World War he fought for the British in both Africa and the Middle East. At the end of it, he was offered a job collecting information on desert locusts in Arabia. He arrived there in 1945 and made contact with the desert people whose guidance he needed.

Crossing the Empty Quarter with his companions was especially tough. Besides being chased by bandits, he was constantly thirsty, explains Thesiger in a documentary projected against one of the walls of the old fort.

"It took 14 days to reach a well and when we reached it we'd ran out of food. We made bread by grinding some flowers and that was about all we lived on. It was an interesting experience."

After the second crossing, he was briefly thrown in jail in Saudi Arabia and then journeyed for two months to reach Abu Dhabi.

From there he rode to Al Ain and met Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan, late president of the UAE, for the first time. He spent a month hawking with the Sheikh and they developed a lifelong friendship. Thesiger died in 2003.

Sheikh Zayed had resided in Al Jahili Fort until the 1950's. His grandfather Sheikh Zayed the First built the fort in the period between 1891 and 1898.

"Its purpose was to consolidate Sheikh Zayed's role in Al Ain," explains Peter Sheehan, Historic Building Manager of the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (ADACH).

The building could be seen by forces on the other side of Al Ain who were loyal to the Sultan of Oman, according to Sheehan.

"There were a lot of rivalries between the oases ruled by different families and allegiances between Saudi Arabia, the Sultan of Oman and the Bani Yas (a tribe of Southern Arabia). Al Nayhan, Abu Dhabi's royal family, belongs to the Al Falahi branch of the Bani Yas. The latter controlled the seven oases that currently make up Al Ain."

The original fort, however, was not all that big. The round tower is estimated to be the oldest part of it. The fort was expanded when the Oman Trucial Scouts arrived in the 50's. A huge courtyard was added and barracks to house the soldiers were built around it.

"It actually lost its function after the Trucial Oman Scouts left," continues Sheehan. "It became kind of abandoned in the 1980s." ADACH started renovation again a year ago.

Al Jahili Fort will now serve as a visitor information centre, a physical testament to a bygone way of life. His Highness Sheikh Sultan Bin Tahnoon Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Tourism Authority, is present at the inauguration night to formally open it. He rushes over the red carpet and is given a private tour inside.

Meanwhile, the festivities on the stage in the courtyard continue. A group of Emirati poets recites their verses in front of the audience. The guests mingle, sharing stories about their time spent at the fort.

"To come back now and to see the development of the emirates is amazing," David Neild tells me. "There wasn't a single building in this area when I lived here. Obviously the country had to prosper, but I prefer the old days. I'm an old Bedu. I like the sand dunes and the camels."

Next to him, camels and traditionally clad men are holding rifles and posing for pictures. They look a bit fake. No doubt the good old days at Al Jahili Fort were a lot more exciting.

Hopefully, its fascinating tales will continue to be passed on from generation to generation.

Print | Email | Discuss this article

| Share |

READERS' COMMENTS

Click here to post a comment

Add your Comment All posts are sent to the administrator for review and are published only after approval. ArabianBusiness.com reserves the right to remove any comment at any time for any reason. Please keep your responses appropriate and on topic. Arabian Business would like to point out that only comments relevant to the story will be published. Any containing personal insults or inappropriate language will not be approved.
Name *
Remember me on this computer
Email *	(Your email address will not be published)
City
Country
Subject *
Comment *
Notify me of further comments
Enter the words above *
Please click post only once - your comment will not be published immediately.

MORE FROM ARABIANBUSINESS.COM