You Want History

"A nation without a past is a nation without a present or a future."

The late Sheikh Zayed 

I really should have studied history at university.  Though actually, to do that I would have had to take history at Higher level, and before that at Standard Grade, and for that I would have had to enjoy it in my second year at High School, and I suppose that may well have happened had I a different History teacher during that year.  But anyway, I love it now, especially when linked with old photos of the places I live, have lived or am visiting.  Which made the Qasr Al Hosn museum we visited today a real treat.

Actually, we'd have loved to check out the oldest building in Abu Dhabi in the flesh, so to speak, but it's currently undergoing extensive internal and external renovations and so can only be entered during its official festival in February. Until then, these pictures will need to do:

The original corniche

Archeological excavations on Abu Dhabi's islands have proven that human occupation on this stretch of coastline goes back at least 7,000 years.  The people who settled on Abu Dhabi Island in the late 1700s were not, therefore, entering an empty landscape but an area rich in history.

The 200 year old Al Maqta Tower is
still visible in the water separating Abu
Dhabi island from the mainland

The story goes that tribesmen from the Bani Yas saw some gazelles congregating at an area on Abu Dhabi Island.  When they crossed to see why they discovered a fresh water creek - the only one on the island - and quickly built a watchtower to protect it (similar to the Maqta Tower above).    The first establishment which consisted of about twenty houses took place around 1761 but the fact that fresh water had been found quickly spread through the tribe and within two years the place had increased to 400 houses.

Sheikh Shakbut bin Dhiyab (1793-1816) transformed the simple Watchtower into a strong Fortress and while providing protection for the growing settlement on the island it was also an expression of the Ruler's expanding control over the territory of Abu Dhabi.  Early on the centre of power for the tribe remained at the Liwa Oasis, where the ruling Al-Nahyan family was based, but in 1793 the family moved to Abu Dhabi.  At this time it was still a haven for wildlife (Abu Dhabi literally means 'Father of the Gazelle'), but it expanded rapidly during the heyday of the pearl trade in the late 19th century.  The population explosion and shift in the economy slowly altered the codes of law that governed a nomadic desert community to suit a more settled trading economy.

The personal capabilities of the Sheikh were fundamental in leading the change, ensuring unity and creating stability.  Over time, as their role and power developed, the Sheikhs moved from leading a tribe, to ruling a territory and eventually governing a modern state.  In 1892 Abu Dhabi's ruler, Sheikh Zayed bin Mohammed al-Nahyan (known as Zayed the Great), agreed that the emirate would become a protectorate of Britain and it joined the Trucial States.  Zayed the Great died in 1909, and under five subsequent rulers the emirate's power and prosperity declined, largely due to the collapse of the pearling industry.

Everything changed in 1958 when oil was discovered, and it is from this date that the development of modern Abu Dhabi can be said to have commenced.  Under Shakbut bin Sultan (1928-1966) the Fort was expanded dramatically to include a larger residential quarter, using funds gained from the first oil concessions, and became an important social space for the Sheikh's family. 

Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan staged a coup against his brother in 1966 and subsequently used his vast diplomatic skills to be the main player in the creation of the UAE.  Still known as Our Father Zayed or The Father of the Nation, he became its first president, a role he held up until his death in November 2004.  Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, Zayed's oldest son, became ruler of Abu Dhabi and was elected President of the UAE soon after.

Following the Royal Family's move to Al Manhal Palace in 1966, Qasr Al Hosn was repurposed to house Government offices including the National Centre for Documentation and Research, today known as the National Archives.  This provided a repository for historical records and a venue for public education. Since the relocation of the National Archives to its new venue, the building has been undergoing extensive conservation efforts to preserve it as an historical monument.  The whole square it is sitting in is actually being renovated with the aim of becoming the cultural centre of the city.  After all, it is only by understanding the past that we can appreciate the present and move towards the future.

Qasr Al Hosn today

"The Ruler should not have a barrier which separates him from his people."

The late Sheikh Zayed

Actually, one thing we learned which tied in with explanations given at the Falcon Hospital, was the importance of falconry in bringing the various sheikh's of the region together, which then led to desert majlis and the eventual coming together of the different Sheikhdoms to form the UAE.

Majlis, which literally means 'place of sitting', is a formal space for people to exchange news and to debate.  It is a public space for discussion and deliberation between a Ruler and his people as well as a social space for many different people to entertain guests and seek advice from respected individuals.  Qasr Al Hosn, as the official residence of the Sheikh, was once home to the Majlis of the Rulers of Abu Dhabi.  Here they would have differed little from the early gatherings in the desert of Arabia, with the Sheikh's main role being that of arbitrator.  Deliberation and consultation are still familiar aspects of modern Emirati government, and successful rule was, and is still seen as, dependent on the respect and admiration of the people. 

"Our ancestors left us a legacy of traditions we are proud of. Our mission is to maintain and develop them as assests of the nation for future generations."

The late Sheikh Zayed