Camels Galore

 Before the age of Petroleum, the United Arab Emirates thrived off of two things: the pearl diving industry and its relationship with camels. Camels were essential in the Arab world for transportation and carrying cargo. Camels were also dependent on their Arab owners for a stable food and water supply. Today, the camels that are scattered throughout the UAE stand as emblems of a much simpler past, and are antiques of an era that knew no SUV’s or pickup trucks.

Last weekend, I got a little taste of what the UAE looked like before the mechanical age. An hour and a half away from Abu Dhabi, in the desert of Sweiha, stands a festival devoted to the remembrance of the camel’s value. When we first arrived, we were introduced to an Emirati who explained some of the different customs of his country. While he spoke, another gentleman handed out porcelain cups of saffron coffee, traditionally drank throughout the Gulf region. We were then escorted to a tent, and this is where I pause.

One would presume that a tent in the middle of the desert would be comprised of some shabby cloth and sticks, clumsily pitched together and filled with sand, flies and dirt. But no, not in the UAE, and especially not when the King’s son is about to join us for lunch. The tent we entered was magnificent and was perhaps three times as large as any wedding reception hall I’ve ever entered. In the main room of the tent ornate couches and armchairs trimmed with red and gold fabric were lined up and facing a dais of throne-like chairs, where as you can assume, were reserved for the Sheikh’s son. After waiting about an hour for his arrival, we were led to another room, about twice as large as the previous where golden platters lined each table and dozens of waiters walked back and forth serving and preparing what seemed like an endless amount of food. Our group walked back to one of the further tables where we found a large circular tray in the center filled with a traditional Emirati dish that consisted of rice, raisins, goat meat, and a mix of spices. On the side, waiters were distributing heaps of camel meat and lamb. Everything tasted incredible!

After lunch, we drove out to a small arena to watch the camel races. As we lined into the stadium, a traditional Emirati dance began in which women lined up in a row and literally “whipped their hair back and forth,” it was the most dizzying thing to watch! Behind them a band of Emirati men played their drums and sang aloud with their thick Gulf Arabic accent. In the background, the camel racers lined up and prepared themselves for a twelve lap race around the track. It also didn’t take too long to realize that there were no other women in the crowd aside from the ones in our group. It was explained to us that this was usually an all-male event, and not regularly attended by women.

After watching some of the camel races, we walked back out into a miniature heritage village where tents (of the typical kind) were lined up and filled with little souvenirs of camels and traditional Emirati dress. A man with two camels was also circling around and offering camel rides to anyone interested. Of course, the Egyptian within me sprung to life and jumped on the first camel that lowered its back.

Today, when we think of the United Arab Emirates, one of the first places that may come to mind is Dubai, and we think of all of its innovations and grandiose buildings and towers and malls. Not too long ago, however, those buildings and towers were simply tents and malls were an anomaly of the west. This experience in Sweiha allowed me a slight chance to step back into time and see the country through the lens of the past.