Page 197 - PERSIAN 2 1879_1883

besidkncy and muscat political agency for 1880-81. 29

APPENDIX A TO PART IL
Note on the Tribes of 'Oman bt Lieutenant-Colonel S. B.
Miles.
The accompanying table includes all tlie more important Arab
tribes in JLlic kingdom, and gives their estimated numbers, distribution,
&c\, but has no pretensious to be exhaustive. Short notes have been
added on some of the larger tribes, and their sub-divisions have been
given where known.
Each of these clans is derivable from one or other of the two great
slocks known to Arab genealogists as Kaktdni and ’Adn£ni. Tlie
former being also kuown as Yemeni, and the latter as Ma'addic and
Nizar. The Yemen tribes are believed to have immigrated iuto 'Otndn
first. They are still the most numerous and have, modernly, furnished
the rulers of the country. In the true Semitic spirit these rival races
have been in open aud continuous antagonism from the time of their first
settlement, and, like the famous Yemen and Modh&r wars in Syria
iu old days, the Yemen and Nizar factions iu 'Oman have ever kept the
country in perpetual turmoil and disruption with their feuds. Since the
early part of the ISth century, the names of Yemen and Nizdr have
been metamorphosed into Hinawi and Ghdffiree, respectively, and every
tribe, large and small, is now comprised in one or other of these poli­
tical factions. Let it be noted, however, that these party names do not
necessarily denote the descent of a tribe. It has suited the interests of
some of them to change sides. The origin of the assumption of the
names Ilinawi and Ghaliirce was first explained by Colonel Ross in his
memorandum of tribes published in 1872, which the present list is
intended to supplement. Theoretically the sub-division of Arab tribes
is very elaborate, extending to ten or more grades, but in practice it is
usually very simple.
In 'Oman the tribes are divided first into Fakbooth*, and then each
Fakhth is sub-divided into beits or
• Pnuj»ry meaning ‘■thijrb*.'* The houses. In the notes the word sept has
d1ir«°u-E.a‘kP“t'CUS‘i“1 been used to represent Fakhth.
In very few. of the 'Omdn tribes is
there a bead Shaikh commanding the obedience of all, but there is con­
siderable diversity in this respect. Generally each Fakhth has its own
Shaikh, who considers himself independent of the others—a system
which effectually preserves the disunion of the tribes, and causes endless
jealousies and quarrels. There are, however, about half a dozen Shaikhs
or " Temeeraebs" in 'Omdn, who possess real power over their subjects
and wield it despotically. The Shaikbship is usually hereditary, and is
assumed by the eldest male-in the family unless he be incapable.
The larger tribes are mostly grouped together in leagues in each
district according to politics for the purpose of supporting each other
when attacked; while the weaker tribes are compelled to place tberoselves
iu cliency to those more powerful. These u clients,99 however, generally
remnants of some ancient tribe, are accustomed to maintain .themselves