Page 177 - UAE Truncal States_Neat
P. 177

Chapter Four
                would be considered temporary or a result of force of circumstances
                such as death or absence of other kin while taking their camels
                grazing. The family which shares one compound usually consists of
                three generations: grandparents, father, mother and their children. It
                frequently happens that a widowed or divorced sister of the old
                generation or an unmarried sister of the man in the middle generation
                also live in the same household. Often the male of the middle
                generation has taken over from his father as the effective head of the
                family and bread-winner. It was not very common for two or more
                brothers to remain with their wives and children within the one
                family compound of the father. Usually one of them built his own
                house, which would soon also become the home for other members of
                the family.
                   Domestic servants were also considered to be part of the family.
                They used to be almost exclusively slaves, later liberated slaves and
                 their offspring. Most of them—or their parents—were originally
                 brought during the last century from pagan east and central Africa
                by Omani slave-dealers to Oman, where they were needed to work on
                the land. On the Trucial Coast very few families could afford to have
                domestic slaves as opposed to locally available helpers for work in
                the date gardens.40 During the 20th century slaves were more
                frequently imported from Makran and Baluchistan. Only the grow­
                ing wealth of the families living in the coastal towns, due to the boom
                in the market for pearls, enabled them to purchase and keep several
                slaves.
                  The institution of slavery has existed in Arabia since before
                Islam:49 according to the Koran and other Islamic sources it is in
                principle lawful to have slaves, but the relationship between the
                master and his slaves is clearly defined. The master is responsible for
                the well-being and humane treatment of his slaves: the giving of alms
                to slaves, liberating them or assisting them to buy themselves free are
                praiseworthy actions.50 Within the family of his master the slave had
                a home and all the necessities of life provided for; like other members
                of the family the slave participated in the economic activities of the
                family, and most male slaves in the coastal towns worked on the
                pearling boats during the summer months. Their share of the dive
                was  quite legitimately taken by their masters.
                  The very wealthy pearling entrepreneurs not only owned boats but
                also a considerable number of slaves to work on them, and of course
                the slaves would not earn a share as a free diver or hauler would have
                752
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