Page 22 - Arabiab Studies (IV)

12 Arabian Studies IV
Indeed, many of the men considered their animals an encum­
brance, simply a hindrance to their new main role—that of migrant
labourer. The men-folk, therefore, began to withdraw their labour
from pastoral activities, leaving their traditional duties increasingly
to the women, the elderly and the very young.
As a result, despite an expanded role of women, the system of
husbandry was rendered much less efficient, wells decayed and
went dry for want of maintenance (Fig. ii), larger numbers of
strays were lost, and the death rate from other causes rose as the
animals* condition deteriorated. Some flocks and herds were
simply ignored; many animals were sold off. As a result, numbers
of head in the Jufrah area fell markedly.
Today, herd and flock numbers in the Wadi Jufrah are small. Of
the fanqs enumerated, only 8% had more than 30 head of small
stock (goats and sheep). The average value was about 14 head per
household.12 Only 16% of households owned camels, and these
owned an average of about two head each. Animals have ceased to
be the basis of life in the Wadi Jufrah; herds and flocks are no
longer kept as economic propositions. Nor, indeed, are they any
longer very important as an indication of status or as a store of
wealth. Each household keeps a few animals simply as a supply of
meat for the festivals which require the ritual slaughtering of an
animal, and in order that they are able to at least offer important
guests meat in the traditional Bedouin fashion. The small supply of
milk is not considered important, as the Iqtabls now prefer to give
guests tinned milk, which is considered superior to milk from their
own animals, especially in tea.
Virtually all the BanI Qitab income is now derived from their
labouring away from home. Their scale of migrant labouring
activities is indicated by the fact that some 73% of males aged over
14 years are absent. Of those at home 6% were only there
temporarily: the remainder were almost all under twenty, and
planning to leave for work, or were over 50 and so too old to work
away.13 The absentees are employed mainly in Abu Dhabi (68%)
followed by al-‘Ayn (12%) and Saudi Arabia (8%).14 Only very few
work within Oman, despite the recent growth of opportunities
within the rapidly developing Sultanate. This is a reflection of the
orientation of the population of the Jufrah towards the Bedouin of
the Empty Quarter, to whom they are related, and with whom they
feel the most affinity, and to the towns of the Gulf rather than
towards the mountains and coast of Oman.
The absentee men have acquired few new skills. Most work as
labourers or as nightwatchmen—the latter is a sinecure towards
which many Bedouin employed in the towns are drawn. About