Page 64 - UAE Truncal States
P. 64

The Tribal Structure of Society

       tioned, but the members of the tribe themselves distinguish many
       more  sections and subsections.44 They all recognise one paramount
       shaikh, who in turn delivered the tribe’s loyally to the A1 BG Falah
       Ruler. After the death of Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hilal in 1936 the
       lomlmcih became Surur bin Sultan, who was succeeded after his
       death later in that year by his son Shaikh Sultan bin Surur;45 and for
       some time Mani’ bin Muhammad of the A1 ‘Ali bin SaTd section
       assisted him.
         The Dhawahir had to pay taxes on the date crop and also paid
       water fees, as did all the other subjects of the A1 Bu Falah who owned
       gardens in the oasis.40 According to Lorimer they also paid a
       subsidy,47 which later must have become symbolic or lapsed, since
       there seems to be now no recollection of this among leading members
       of the tribe.
       Nomadic tribes who frequent Abu Dhabi territory
       The three Abu Dhabi tribes described above lived in general within
       the jurisdiction of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi. Other tribes, or sections
       thereof, could be counted as subjects of the Ruler of Abu Dhabi
       because they accepted his jurisdiction while sharing the desert areas
       with the Bani Yas and the Manaslr. At other times they disappeared
       almost completely from the area. The largest and politically most
       important of these tribes is the 'Awamir.

       'Awamir The ’Awamir is a large tribe which originally inhabited the
       steppe to the north-east and north of the Hadhramaut,48 and spread
       many centuries ago into central Oman, where some sections are now
       settled in many of the major villages and wadis including Muscat
       town.49 Beduin sections in due course moved even further through
       Dhahirah and into Khatam, and into other areas which were the dar
       of the Bani Yas. The presence of some ’Awamir in the areas which
       now form part of the territory of the Stale of Abu Dhabi was well
       known throughout the 18th century, and Captain Taylor even
       identified them in 1818 as a branch of the Bani Yas.50 Those 'Awamir
       who lived in this area for long periods became loyal to the A1 Bu
       Falah Ruler, frequently supported the Bani Yas in time of war, and
       expected the shaikh of the Bani Yas to mediate between them and
       other tribes. In 1889 for example they helped in a counter-attack
       launched from the Liwa on the Ruler of Qatar during the prolonged
       dispute between the latter and the Manaslr.
          In recent decades about 2,000 to 3,000 'Awamir of the two beduin
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