Exploring Abu Dhabi

In February, 2009, I posted an article entitled Bye Bye, Dubai?. In the course of researching it, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE), I learned about a region of our world that I, as well as most in the Western world, knew virtually nothing about. Nothing, except for stereotypes promulgated by TV, radio, newspapers, and magazines. Screaming headlines designed to sell airtime and advertising space.

Therefore, once a month, I intend to explore this region further, in an effort to understand the area that includes what we often refer to as the Cradle of Civilization. These posts will not serve as traditional history lessons. Just my own personal impressions based on reading as much as I can. However, I will include brief modern histories as background information.

Since I began with Dubai, one of the seven Emirates that comprise the UAE, I will continue with the remaining Emirates, in alphabetical order.

The Emirate of Abu Dhabi

Abu Dhabi is the capital of the United Arab Emirates. Loosely translated, "Abu Dhabi" means "Father of the Gazelles." Gazelles and oryx roamed the desert. What's an 'oryx'? I had to look it up myself. An oryx is a species of large antelope that prefers an arid environment and lives with virtually no water for long periods of time. If you happen to come across an oryx in your travels, you better stay on good terms with him. His horns are lethal weapons. Oryx have killed lions with them.

The @llo' Expat website has a short history of Abu Dhabi. These are a few excerpts:

"The Portuguese were to remain in the region until 1633. By then, the British began to make their presence felt, exercising their naval superiority and prowess in the Gulf. However, at that point in time too, a local power, the Qawasim also decided to make their presence felt, much to the consternation of the British, and by the 19 th century, had built up a fleet of 60 large vessels. Sensing a serious threat to their influence in the Gulf, the British launched 'corrective' raids against the Qawasim. In 1820, the British consolidated their influence in the Gulf by destroying and capturing Qawasim vessels. Based on devious claims that the Qawasim were involved in piracy, the British imposed a General Treaty of Peace on nine Arab sheikh doms, resulted in the area being called 'The Trucial States'."

"Abu Dhabi began exporting crude oil in 1962 and with revenues growing steadily as oil production increased, became the richest emirate from being the poorest. With its new found wealth, Sheikh Zayed (Zayed the Great's grandson, not to be confused with the great man himself!), who was chosen Ruler of Abu Dhabi in 1966, continued to increase contributions to the less fortunate emirates through the Trucial States Development Fund, which was established a few years earlier by the British."

"In 1968, the British announced that it has had enough and intended to leave the region in 1971. The announcement came as a shock to most of the ruling sheikhs. However, having recovered from the initial shock, Sheikh Zayed, along with Sheikh Rashid, took on the initiative of calling for a federation that would not only include the seven emirates which made up the Trucial States, but also Bahrain and Qatar. However, following a period of negotiation, agreement was reached between the rulers of six of the emirates (Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Umm al-Qaiwain, Fujairah and Ajman). Thus on 2 December 1971, the Federation, to be known as the United Arab Emirates was formally established. The seventh emirate, Ra's al-Khaimah, formally acceded to the Federation on 10 February 1972."


I found that combining research with my own emotional responses and personal memories of similar surroundings and events, resulted in an almost exhilarating experience. These are a few:

Abu Dhabi has a portion of the Al Hajar Mountain range of which to point with pride. My reaction to reading of this mountain range was not only a memory of seeing the Rocky Mountains in the United States and Canada, but also visiting Mt. Charleston near Las vegas. Initial impressions of my trips rushed back, and warmed me. I learned that the Al Hajar Mountains are made up mostly of Cretaceous limestone. This triggered memories of certain buildings in my hometown of Chicago, built mainly in the late 1890s and early 1900s, of limestone quarried from an area just southwest of the city. I wonder if there are similar limestone block buildings in Abu Dhabi?

Sand skiing, anyone? I read that the Abu Dhabi sand dunes are a major tourist attraction. My first reaction was a memory of visiting the lovely Indiana Dunes State Park in Indiana, and marveling at the dunes. How peaceful they were. Nature had sculpted flowing works of art from uncounted particles of sand. This memory not only connected part of my childhood to that of what children in Abu Dhabi must experience, but tugged at me to visit there - to compare the dunes of Abu Dhabi to the dunes of Indiana. Feel yet another common bond between countries and peoples so seemingly unlike, but sharing experiences and emotions as a result of something as basic to this planet as sand.

I learned that from March 17-22, 2009, the 19th Abu Dhabi International Book Fair (ADIBF) is being held. The promo included:

"Now in 2009 with over 500 exhibitors from 51 countries, growth in space, new venues for events and a large range of services to exhibitors, visitors and the press, the ADIBF continues on its path of growth. Organised by KITAB, a joint venture between the Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage and the Frankfurt Book Fair, the Abu Dhabi International Book Fair has made one more considerable step towards becoming the hub for the Arab book markets and for worldwide business."

Reading is a passion of mine. The ADIBF brought back a very fond memory, formed in the 1970s when I lived in a cramped studio apartment near the University of Chicago (No - I was not a student). A street that cut through the center of the University, 57th street, contained three used book stores. They were each housed in old, large, delightfully rambling buildings. Just thinking about them brings back the scent of millions of aged pages and leather covers. You could sit there and read for hours with no pressure to purchase anything. I wonder if there are people like me in Abu Dhabi who have had similar experiences with books? If so, I'll bet they'll be at the ADIBF this year.

This post could go on and on. But I will conclude it with another concern that all citizens on this planet will face: pensions. Gulfnews.com published an article on June 19,2008 entitled, "Pensioners in Abu Dhabi to get faster and more efficient service":

"Abu Dhabi: Pensioners in Abu Dhabi will receive faster and more efficient services as a result of a progressive Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed on Wednesday.

The MoU was initiated by the Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund and signed by Lieutenant General Shaikh Saif Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Minister of Interior and Commander of Abu Dhabi Police, and Shaikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Chairman of the Abu Dhabi Retirement Pensions and Benefits Fund.

Both government entities agreed this was a positive step forward for pensioners and for cross-Government collaboration. They hoped it would be the first stage in a close and on-going relationship, which will see a significant improvement in services to the people of Abu Dhabi.

Shaikh Mohammad Bin Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan said: "The MoU’s aim is to develop and facilitate procedures to increase performance and improve services for pensioners. Two key elements are reducing the time it takes to process payments and minimising the costs involved."

"It also aims to improve the protection of confidentiality and privacy of information and documents, especially when information is shared via the internet and other media." Click here to read more

Before reading of this initiative to better serve older Abu Dhabi citizens, I had no idea how, or even if, the people and government interacted on the issue of pensions. It was good to read that pension concerns are being opening dealt with, and reported. Yet I wonder if the citizens there feel as insecure about their upcoming retirement years as I do, given the current recession and collapse of stock markets in so many countries. I hope, for their sake, that they are secure and without worry. Are people there who are over age 60 treated with respect? If so, we in the United States could take notes and move more in that direction.

I want to know more about all these things. Imagine visiting Abu Dhabi and sharing experiences with an Abu Dhabi family. Person to person - building bridges of understanding. Learning and sharing replacing misunderstandings and false divisiveness. Maybe that's what it will take for the ultimate goal of world peace. Not nations battling nations. Individuals talking with, and respecting, other individuals. Butterfly wings flapping here impacting cultural climates there, and vice versa. But not chaos theory - compassionate reality.