Then and now

Dubai has come a long way in a short space of time. The futuristic cityscapes springing up all over the UAE are a far cry from the small ports and desert oasis towns of yesteryear. . Up until 1956, when the first concrete building was constructed, the population lived in ‘barastri’ homes made from palm fronds. There is a wealth of literature dealing with the history of the so-called “Trucial States”, but it’s worth checking out James Onley and Sulayman Khalaf’s article “Shaikhly Authority in the Pre-oil Gulf” for an account of traditional life in the UAE.

In the age of mobile phones, broadband, 6 star hotels and theme parks, it’s easy to forget that for centuries, the primary industry of the area was pearling.


Pearling fleets were composed of Dhows such as this one.

Just as the ruler relied upon his merchants economically, he depended upon complex tribal allegiances to guarantee the territorial integrity of the shaikhdom. Not much has changed really; the pearlers have been replaced by bankers, hoteliers and construction magnates, but tribal politics still plays an important role.

Perhaps controversially, Onley and Khalaf portray the British presence in the pre-oil Gulf as far more constructive than exploitative; “the Pax Britannica benefited the Gulf shaikhdoms as much as it did the British”. This was of course out of sync with popular opinion in other areas of the Middle East (think Egypt, Sudan, Iraq), which was vehemently against British colonial rule. It shows how through effective diplomacy, antagonistic political and cultural interests can create mutually beneficial international relations. Well worth a read.