Page 177 - Truncal States to UAE_Neat

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.48 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

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