OMANwhere time stood still

National Day 18th of November

Today’s Topics

• Arabs • GCC• Oman• Regions • History • Cultural Diversity • Cultural Considerations• Short Video• Questions

Presenter

• Working in private sector with expats since 1993

• Always lived in Oman

• Fully educated in Oman (Western)

• Travelled (a little)

• An Omani Product

Arab World

22 Countries325 Million People Two ContinentsBorders drawn by French & British colonial powers in 19th & 20th century

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)

6 Countries (1981)Similar People Similar Social Structure But still different to each other

Oman – National Emblem

Oman – Flags

Oman - Map

Borders 4 countries

Oman - Regions

9 Region/Governorateformed of Wilayats (totaling 61) further divided into Niyabats.

Fact! (maybe)

• Oman's Sultans are included in the US Constitution as to be received by the President.The rest of the rulers are received by the Secretary of State. This is because The Sultanate of Oman was The First Country to Recognize The formation of the USA & Send an Ambassador to the USA.

Sultan Said bin Taimur with president Roosevelt in 1938

The Facts • Relations with the British

date back to 1798• Relations with France date

back to 1786  • Diplomatic ties with US since

1833 – first Arab nation• U.S. consulate was

maintained in Muscat from 1880

• Close relations with Indian subcontinent

• Close relations with East African Coast

History

• 1507 - Portugese occupy Oman• 1650 - Expulsion of Portugese • 1737 - Persians invade• 1749 - Ahmed Bin Said becomes the first Al-

Busaid imam • 1750 - 1841 Al Busaid Dynasty create an

empire that rules from Parts of Indian subcontinent to the east coast of Africa

• 1842 - Zanzibar is split from Muscat and Oman

History

• 1843 - Sultanate Muscat & Oman created• 1888 - Sultan Faisal bin Turki takes throne• 1915 - Interior tribes ride on Muscat • 1920 - Treaty of Sib is signed • 1932 - Sultan Said bin Taimur assumes throne• 1958 - Sultan Said bin Taimur regains control of

the interior • 1964 - Oil reserves are discovered; extraction

begins in 1967

Al Busaid 1749 to date

1970

• 23rd of July 1970• HM Sultan Qaboos

assumes power and unifies the country under the Sultanate of Oman.

• Oman enters into the world and starts to become a modern state.

Early Oman

Early Oman

Early Oman

Oman Now & Then

Oman Now & Then

Oman Now & Then

Oman Now & Then

Oman Now & Then

Why the history lesson?

• Cultural Diversity • To understand the people and

the culture you must understand the history

• Oman’s diverse society today is a direct result of the history

• �ِArab/ Africa/ Asian/ Persian/ Western influences have shaped the Omani

Cultural Diversity

• Men Dress: – Dishdasha (thoub)

White vs. colored – Wizar – Kumma (different

types) – Musar (different types

and styles)

• Women Dress: – Regional – Abaya – Niqab/ burqa'a

People of the regions

How do you tell them apart? / Accent (speech) Greeting (handshake/ kissing ) / Dress (musar / dishdasha)/

Accessories (khanjar/ sticks)

The People of Muscat

• A mix of cultures (everybody lives in MCT)

• Muscat was the Old Dubai

• Many influences • Non Muslim

communities (Christians/ Hindus)

Islamic Sects and Social Sects

• Ibadhi / Sunni / Shia • Social Structure is

built around the Islamic sects

• Examples: Lawati, Belushi, Ajmi, Bahrani, Swahili etc.

Languages

• As a result, many languages are spoken in Oman

• Arabic is the official language

• Swahili, Katchi, Balushi, Jabali, Shuhi, Ajmi, Hindi etc.

Cultural Considerations (commonalities)

• Greeting/ Communicating – Mukhabara (the

handshake) example of azza

– Greet Man vs Greet Woman

– Small Talk (take the time to ask about the family/ health)

– "Uloom / Akhbar" the concept of gathering one's news

• Behavior– Mu'azamah (the you first,

no you first concept) – Yameen ( on the right hand

side) – The "Inshallah" factor– The "Mashallah" factor– Al Bilad (going back to the

home town)– Watch the feet!– The Standing up!

Speaking Arabic

• Salam Alaikum (Peace Be Upon You)

• Waalikum Alsalam (Reply) • Uloom/ Akhbar (enquiry) • Inshallah (Future) • Mashallah (When Praising)• Shukran (Thank You)• Afwan (Your Welcome) • Yameen (Right)• Fursa Saeeda (Nice to meet you)

Video

Thank You!

Englishman, John Ovington, who was chaplain to King James II.  He visited Muscat in 1633 AD and wrote, 

“These Arabians are very courteous and extremely civil to all strangers; they offer neither violence or affront in any

way; and tho’ they are very tenacious of their own principles, and admirers of their own religion, yet do they never impose it on any; nor are their morals evened with

such furious zeal, as to divert them of humanity and a tender respect…In fine, these are a people naturally temperate and just, and endued with those excellent

qualities which Grecian philosophers and Roman moralists endeavoured to inspire into their subjects, tho’

they missed their aim.”

Back up

1970