Language & Landmarks: Liwa Oasis

Márhaba, As-salám alaykum, or Hello! Welcome to the Liwa Oasis, located in the United Arab Emirates in the Arabian Peninsula. This crescent shaped fertile area in the middle of the Rub' al Khali desert contains about 50 villages and is the birthplace of the ruling family of Abu Dhabi, one of the seven and largest of the emirates in the UAE. (An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim Monarch styled emir.) The desert around the oasis or “dwelling place” spans an area greater than the U.S. state of Texas. It is often called the Empty Quarter. Bertram Thomas, the first Westerner to have attempted a crossing, described it as “a vast ocean of billowing sands here tilted into sudden frowning heights and there falling into gentle valleys without a scrap of verdure in view.” The verdure that does exist as Liwa is the result of a natural spring. 

The people here are Bedu, (dwellers of the desert in Arabic). Often called Bedouins, they are a nomadic group who have raised livestock and cultivated dates for centuries. In the past, most of the male inhabitants would travel to the Persian Gulf in the hottest months of the year and work as pearl divers. The rugged life of the desert, honor and the concept of hospitality are much a part of their identity. Traditionally, when a guest was seen approaching a Bedu tent from a great distance in the desert, preparations would begin to welcome him and the host would travel out to meet him. Even today, Arab people in general are noted for their hospitality in social and in business settings. Bedus have many words for desert which are not easily defined in other languages. For example the word sahra refers to a vast open space that is generally level but not settled; a badiya is somewhat open and uncovered, in full view: difficult distinctions for non-Bedu to understand. There are also many words for water, the uncommon resource so valued by desert dwellers. 

It is said that there are two histories of the United Arab Emirates, one which encompasses thousands of years before the discovery of oil, and one that is little more than half a century old, begun in the 1950’s with the oil boom. No other nation has changed more rapidly than the UAE since then, yet the culture and tradition of the people are still very deeply rooted in Islam and in the past. The laws and reverence for this religion are a way of life. In spite of the very modern outlook and the fact that English is widely spoken in the UAE, visitors should not be misled. Learning the nuances of the Arabic language and the basic do’s and taboos of the society are mandatory for creating an oasis of competence and comfort in a sea of cultural differences. 

-  Mary Beauregard, Global LT Intercultural Consultant

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