Simply Abu Dhabi Magazine XIX

3 2 S I M P LY A B U DH A B I Before the UAE became the UAE, it had a rich history rooted in trade and tied to Islam, which came to the region in AD 630. Given its strategically valuable location between Europe and the Far East, merchants from India, China and Europe – in particular the Portuguese, the Dutch and the British – were all drawn to the area. Europeans clamoured for control of the coastal regions, whilst inland, the ancestors of the Bedouin made the sandy deserts ofAbu Dhabi and Dubai their home. The town ofAbu Dhabi became an important centre for trade. In 1820, the British signed agreements with the individual emirates that resulted in the area becoming known as “The Trucial States.” The emirs agreed not to dispose of any territory except to the British, nor to enter into relationships with any other foreign government without Britain’s consent. In return, the British promised to protect the coast from all aggression by sea and to support the emirates in case of land attack. Once the region’s leading industry, pearling thrived in 19th and early 20th centuries, providing income and employment to the people of the Gulf. Many inhabitants were semi-nomadic, pearling in the summer and tending date gardens in the winter. But after the Great Depression of the late 1920s and early 1930s, combined with Japan’s growing domination of the market through the newly developed cultured pearl, this key industry was irreparably damaged. With schools or formal education being scarce as well, the reigning sheikh sought out a teacher to instruct his young son in the fundamentals of Islam. Through his studies as a boy, Sheikh Zayed came to believe that the Holy Quran was not only a holy book, but also a guideline for all aspects of life. From the tender age of seven, he also spent time in his father’s Majlis, or private meeting rooms, where he learned from respected elders about the Arab customs and traditions of chivalry and honour. It was here, too, that he had his first exposure to the political issues of the day and how best to negotiate them. Whilst Sheikh Zayed was certainly very accomplished for his age, it is endearing to learn that he once admitted to sometimes refusing his lessons and even rebelling against his teacher, like any other boy might do. And of course his mother, Sheikha Salama, played a major role in his upbringing, teaching him the importance of good manners and treating others with respect. As the boy matured, his thirst for knowledge flourished. He was eager to learn all he could about the history of Arabia and its way of life, and cherished the opportunity to listen to the elders recall the heroism and leadership of his grandparents. Young Sheikh Zayed also developed an enthusiasm for pursuits both cerebral and sporting: from literature and poetry, to hunting and horse riding. He joined the Desert Knights and went into the vast desert with Bedouin tribesmen, absorbing every aspect of the nomadic culture. It was here that he was introduced to the sport of falconry, which he took to fervently and which became a lifetime passion. And when in the early 1930s the first oil company exploration teams arrived in the region, Sheikh Zayed was the natural choice to act as their guide, and thus he had his first exposure to the industry that would change the future. Throughout his life, Baba Zayed continued to pursue his pastimes avidly. And as his political career began, the cornerstones of his training and education, his ingrained knowledge of the land and climate, as well as his true love for all aspects of Arabic life and custom, all came to bear fruit in the enormous achievements that lay ahead.