Page 47 - Arabian Studies (II)

Two South Arabian Tribes: Al-Qara and Al-HarasTs 37

and a slick for threshing {'user). The threshing floor is within the
settlement. Wheat, millet and maize are stored in woven bags
(joniyeh), which are placed in the part of a hut used for storage.
A characteristic feature of their economic life is the breeding of
cattle, corresponding in economic importance to the camels among
bedouins. Therefore, we will not be surprised that the cattle-complex
is a sector for which the men mainly are responsible. Similarly to the
prohibition of the women from milking camels, the Qara women are
prohibited from milking cattle: only the conversion of the milk into
different products comes within the competence of the women.
They produce butter (mashh), clarified butter (kheb) and a kind of
cheese (<qothi). In the division of labour between the sexes men’s
duties in cattle-breeding are: herding, milking, slaughtering, skinning
and preparing of dried meat (miqaddt). For the latter purpose the
meat is cut into small strips which are dried in the sun, and after
three or four days it is stored in a wooden box.
Among the Qara cattle herdsmen the custom of vagina-blowing
(nafkh) is very common. Through this technique the cow is
stimulated to yield milk more quickly into the udder.
The Qara keep the following breeds of cattle: harot (black), afoot
(reddish-brown), Unit (white) and sa'arai (piebald). Goat-breeding is
the domain of women. Spinning (ghazal) and weaving ([hadhmot) are
practised.
One of the most important complementary economic activities in
older days was the collecting of incense. Each family possessed some
incense bushes as private property. In summmer-time the man made
an incision (qeta*) into the trunk and some weeks later collected the
incense (sahaz). The incense was sold at the market-place in
winter-time.
The Qara are independent of the blacksmith’s craft products from
market-places, as some of them carry on this handicraft. These
blacksmiths are in no way considered socially inferior. Besides
weaving the women are generally engaged in plaiting, tanning,
working in leather and some in pottery-making (rninit). One of the
interesting objects they make is the plaited milk-bowl, qa'a'ldh,
which we found also among the camel-breeding tribes in Southern
Arabia.
Dress. Men’s clothes consist of the sarong-like fdtah, which is
widely distributed in Southern Arabia, a wrap (zubairah) and a
leather cord for the hair (makhfif). Women wear trousers (serwel), an
upper garment (thub) and head-cloth (kemkam). They do not usually
veil their faces. Married women paint their faces with green, red and
black colours (tela').