Page 66 - UAE Truncal States

The Tribal Structure of Society

Hndhramauti beduin tribe, entered Abu Dhabi lerrilory, and some
have settled there in recent years. Some came to Llwa and the
Duraimi oasis in the summer, probably to buy dates as well as to
graze their camels in the vicinity. After his first secret crossing of the
Rub' al Khali from Muqhshin, Thesiger did not enter the Dhafrah
proper, but heard that during that winter (1946) some Manahll had
been there. When he did travel the length of the Llwa in November
1948 he met some of them on their way south coming from the Llwa.53
Some members of the Rashid also visited Abu Dhabi; they are
described by Thesiger as “among the most authentic of the Bedu, the
least affected by the outside world".54 The migration range of this
small tribe (only about 300 strong), whose homeland is between the
Dhufar mountains and the Empty Quarter, extends from the
Hadhramaul to the Gulf and includes al least all the eastern half of
the Rub' al Khali.
Individuals and groups of the beduin tribes visiting the area often
referred their disputes to the Al Bu Falah as the nearest authority
deemed to be neutral in their settling of cases arising from raids and
desert warfare. Since Shaikh Zayid bin Sultan became the wali in the
Buraimi area, most beduin who came to the district went to visit him
because he commanded an unusual degree of respect. They were
hospitably received and in keeping with beduin custom often
obtained gifts. Not infrequently his beduin visitors got into trouble
with the tribes in the vicinity of the oasis and the Al Bu Falah had to |
intervene on behalf of the former. One such example was Thesiger’s
guide, Salim bin Ghabaishah (a Rashldi) who went raiding in 1950
together with some 'Awamir and 'Afar; they were captured by the
Bani Qilab and pul into Sharjah prison. A brother of Shaikh
Shakhbut, Shaikh Hazza', intervened and obtained their release.

Al Murrah Some members of the numerous and powerful beduin
tribe of Al Murrah55 (singl.: Murri) who are based in al Hasa and
Jabrin in Saudi Arabia have frequently visited Abu Dhabi territory.
Earlier this century about 15 of their families owned date gardens in
the Llwa, and according to Shaikh Shakhbut they were asked to pay
the customary tax on their crop although they were otherwise not
considered to be subjects but rather visitors. They nevertheless used
to expect the Ruler or his wali to try cases which involved a Murri
and occurred in Bani Yas territory. In the 1940s one Murri visited
Dhafrah every year with camels which belonged to the ruling family

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