by Maha Gargash
Historically, the Emirati culture is an oral one. Our traditions, feelings, and morals were passed on from one generation to the next through storytelling and poetry. Therefore, there is a very real danger of losing the fine details of former lifestyles with the passing away of those who lived it. Today, not enough is recorded about our past, and what is displayed and documented in museums across the country gives facts but no personal accounts.
Luckily, my work as a film director specializing in documentaries gave me access to the societies portrayed in the book. To capture the feel of those years of deprivation before the wealth that came with oil, I conducted rigorous interviews with numerous elders, whose memories make up much of what is described in the book. It was the women who had the most poignant tales. Because I am an Emirati woman myself, they opened their hearts to me and revealed not only the intricate details of their day-to-day lives but also their hopes and desires, their fears and aspirations. Some of the interviewees were my family members, including my parents and aunt. During the process of collecting information, I realized that it was not enough to be able to imagine their lives. I had to be able to see, smell, hear, taste, and touch that world.
To write this book, I spent much time researching architecture and town structure, pearl diving, Arabian dhows, Arabian trading routes, women’s costume, fabrics, jewelry, makeup, and sewing techniques. To describe the settings, I explored the topography of the land and traveled to abandoned homes set high in the mountains as well as the skeletons of homesteads by the sea. I wanted to give the reader a true sense of the surroundings. Through phrasing that was simple and spare, I attempted to reflect the barrenness of the external landscape, where heat was endured, scarcity tolerated, and rain celebrated.
I feel The Sand Fish makes an appealing read in that it is a depiction of a very specific time and lifestyle mixed with universal feelings and understandings of love, jealousy, friendship, and survival. I was interested not in the grand scheme of things in the greater world but rather in a tiny slice of life and how big it looms in my protagonist’s mind. My aim was to provide an emotional setting for the novel by showing what is going on through Noora’s emotional filter. She is a third wife stuck in a household of schemes. I wanted the reader to get caught up in this ride, to get inside Noora’s head and see the world the way she sees it.
The novel is Noora’s journey to self-discovery. Her small world in the house by the sea is dependent on intricacies of conversation: what to say and what not to say, the sweet words that carry ulterior motives, the psychological games that are played even at the most basic level. Her steps toward intimacy with Hamad are all very playful at first, but at the same time very dangerous, with a shadow of impending doom hanging over her every action.
Although beautiful, intelligent, and fiery, Noora is a different kind of heroine. She has little choice and no opportunity, so it would have been unrealistic to give her great ambitions. In her poverty-stricken situation, it is enough that she is able to cope—not a heroic action by Western standards, but by coping she was able to gain the upper hand, winning small battles in the midst of the shifting relationships of the household she becomes part of.
Under an Amber Sun
There was a time when you could see the sand change in color and texture just by traveling short distances. That has all changed now. Dubai has grown to become an exciting city that attracts visitors from all over the world. They come for the lavish resorts, trendy restaurants, and grand shopping malls. Often, there is so much to do that it’s easy to overlook the culture of Dubai—and beyond.
Dubai
DUBAI CREEK
Dubai Creek, an inlet of water, was the main element that established Dubai’s commercial position. Dubai’s pearling industry and trade with India and Africa were based primarily on expeditions in the creek. It divides the city into two parts: Bur Deira and Bur Dubai. People used to use the abra, a small rowing boat, to cross from one side to the other, a practice that continues to this day. Although the boats are now motorized, the abra remains the best way to appreciate the hum and throb of the city.
BASTAKIYA
Bastakiya is one of the most charming historic neighborhoods of Dubai. Linked to each other in rows are some of city’s oldest homes, which go back to the 1890s, built by Dubai’s prosperous residents. The houses are made up of two floors and are designed to combat the hot and humid climate. From every home rise eye-catching wind towers. The wind tower is an ingenious method of fanning. It takes wind from any direction, funnels it through the house, and, according to the tower’s depth and height, accelerates it up to five times over.
SHEIKH SAEED AL-MAKTOUM HOUSE
Dating back to 1896, Sheikh Saeed Al-Maktoum House was not just the residence of the former ruler of Dubai but also the seat of local government and a place of dialogue for political and social issues. Vaulted, high-beamed ceilings, arched doorways, and sculpted window overhangs characterize this historic building. Today, it houses an impressive collection of photographs of old Dubai.
AL-AHMADIYA SCHOOL
Built in 1912, this is Dubai’s first semiformal school. Set deep on all four sides, the rooms are arranged under a covered arcade, and in the middle of the building is a sandy courtyard, which was the arena for morning assemblies as well as a playground for the students. Al-Ahmadiya is located in Deira and remains close to the hearts of all those who studied there.
GOLD SOUK
Thick necklaces, earrings, and bangles hang in shop after shop, all in rich gold. Located in the heart of Deira, the Gold Souk consists of more than three hundred retailers that deal almost exclusively in jewelry. Trade grew in its tight streets during the 1940s due to Dubai’s free trade policies, which encouraged entrepreneurs from India and Iran to set up their stores. Today, by some estimates, more than twenty-five tons of gold are present at any given time in the souk.
THE NATIONAL BANK OF DUBAI PEARL MUSEUM
It is a collection not to be missed. The world’s largest collection of natural pearls sits in heaps under glass at the National Bank headquarters building. The pearls belonged to the late Sultan Al-Owais, a businessman, poet, and philanthropist, who donated them to the people of the Emirates under the custodianship of the bank. He had a wish that the pearls should be available to remind people what life was like before the discovery of oil. Some of the most exquisite pearls, of perfect roundness and luster, can be seen at this museum.
Beyond Dubai
ABU DHABI: SHEIKH ZAYED MOSQUE
The Sheikh Zayed Mosque in Abu Dhabi is the third-largest mosque in the world. It is named after the father of the nation, the late president Sheikh Zayed Bin-Sultan Al-Nahyan, who is buried adjacent to it. The mosque can accommodate 40,000 worshippers and has set some world records. With more than two million knots and weighing forty-five tons, the world’s largest carpet is housed here. It took 1,200 weavers from Iran two years to create it. The mosque is a stunning feat of architecture, with an assembly of soaring minarets and grand domes all in brilliant white marble.
SHARJAH: BAIT AL-NABOODAH
The Bait Al-Naboodah in Sharjah is no ordinary home. Its size and luxurious detail indicate that it belonged to a rich family. There are columns with granite bases from India and wood from Zanzibar. The rooms are typical of Gulf-Arab houses. They are long and rectangular, with high ceilings; their width follows the length of the roof beams. Windows are small to let in just the right amount of light and prevent excess heat. It is a handsome house, stylish in its simplicity and always a pleasure to visit.
LIWA
Located on the edge of the Empty Quarter, Liwa is far but well worth the trip to enjoy the serenity of one of the world’s most beautiful desert landscapes. Here exists a vastness so profound it’s overwhelming. Liwa is called the desert of deserts, where the dunes are as high as mountains. The descents are nearly vertical, and if one slides down in a Jeep, the sight of the hollow below is both nerve-racking and exciting.
SHEES VILLAG
E
The best time to visit the mountains of the Emirates is after a rainfall. That is when the dust is washed away and the earth’s deep hues of red, brown, and purple are at their most vivid. A particularly scenic route of deep ravines and palm groves cuts through Fujairah’s mountains, ending at an enchanting village called Shees. Here is a small community living in isolation on tight, stonewalled terraces that trap runaround breezes. What makes this place so special is its natural setting and the availability of water from natural springs.
About the Author
MAHA GARGASH was born in Dubai. In 1985, she joined Dubai Radio and Television to pursue her interest in documentaries. Through directing television programs, which deal mainly with traditional Arab societies, she became involved in research and scriptwriting, work which evolved into The Sand Fish.
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Copyright
This book is a work of fiction. The characters, incidents, and dialogue are drawn from the author’s imagination and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual events or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
THE SAND FISH. Copyright © 2009 by Maha Gargash. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins e-books.
Adobe Digital Edition September 2009 ISBN 978-0-06-195986-8
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