Welcome to

THE 
MUSANDAM 
ASSOCIATION
We are a not for profit organisation, based in London to promote the interests of the peoples within a region north of the United Arab Emirates, known as Musandam, which is an exclave of the Sultanate of Oman. 
 

Our initial brief is to collate an online library of information to be held about the region, its history, culture and customs. 

We will be offering membership to those whose ancestry is from the indigenous tribes in Musandam or who have a strong, evidenced positive interest in Musandam and are resident in London, United Arab Emirates or Musandam itself. 

To register your interest, please make contact here and we will be in touch at the appropriate time.

This is a BETA site, so more soon…

MUSANDAM

A remote peninsula with its ancient people, jagged mountains and hidden towns, bays and fishing villages, Musandam may be best known for its strategic position overlooking the Hormuz Strait through which an oil tanker is said to pass every ten minutes. On the tip of the Arabian Peninsula and now named the ‘Musandam Governate’, it is today an enclaved part of Oman to the south but lies physically separated from Oman by the United Arab Emirates. 

Though Musandam is less-known than some of its close glitzier neighbours, the tiny region is attracting the attention of increasing numbers of people – these include tourists eager to appreciate its natural beauty and diving opportunities and those keen to defend the survival and rights of its ancient people.

WHERE IS MUSANDAM ?

The Musandam occupies a peninsula which is the northeastern point of the Arabian Peninsula. It is like a finger of land jutting upwards from the northern border of the United Arab Emirates pointing towards Iran. Covering an area of about 1,800 square kilometers (or 700 square miles), the Musandam peninsula is surrounded by water on three sides; bordered by the Indian Ocean to the east, and the Persian Gulf to the north and northwest. 

Located at the entrance of the Persian Gulf, the territory sits on the southern edge of one of the world's most dynamic waterways, the strategic Strait of Hormuz. It is 100km from the Sultanate of Oman by road and 80km from the Republic of Iran by sea.

WHERE DOES THE NAME ‘MUSANDAM’ ORIGINATE?

Foreigners are said to have named Musandam after the island called Musandam Island, which lies to the north of the mainland and covers an area of 5 square kms. In 1971, the Omani government named it the ‘Northern Region’, and then in 1979 the name was changed to the Musandam Governorate.

The exact meaning of the word Musandam itself is unknown although the 19th century traveller William Gifford Palgrave called the region “the blacksmith's anvil” because of the similarity of its shape which may have led to people later claiming that Musandam meant anvil in Arabic. 

MUSANDAM’S TERRAIN AND POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY

The Oil Highway: Strait of Hormuz
The best-known geographical fact about Musandam is that its coastline looks over the southern shores of the Strait of Hormuz. On the north coast of the Strait lies Iran while on the south coast lies the UAE and Musandam. The contested stretch of water provides the only sea passage from the Arabian Gulf to the open water of the Indian Ocean. As such it is one of the world’s most important choke points for sea trade - it’s about 90 nautical miles (167 km) long, with a width varying from about 52 nautical miles (96 km) to 21 nautical miles (39 km). 

It’s said that 90 percent of oil exported from the Gulf, about 20 percent of the world’s supply, passes through Hormuz. A cut in this supply is feared by oil-hungry countries and regular calls are heard for increased and guaranteed security of the ‘world’s most important chokepoint’ in the face of frequent skirmishes between users, for example between Iran and Iraq.

Going ‘Round the Bend’
The second best known fact about Musandam is that it is the believed origin of the colloquial phrase ‘going round the bend’, now used to describe a feeling of exasperation. It’s said to reflect the feeling of desperation of the early British telegraph workers stationed on ‘Telegraph Island’ (Maqlab Island) to service the new Telegraph line opened in 1865. The ‘bend’ in question is thought to be the Musandam’s jutting peninsula around which sailors would need to navigate to cross from Arabian Gulf into the Indian Ocean.

In 1867 the British Colonel Stewart wrote: “In a purely sanitary point of view, it would be desirable to move the establishment to a less confined locality. The heat… the high encircling rocks and limited view to seaward must have a depressing effect upon Europeans, especially during the hot season.” The station was duly abandoned the following year and a new line laid elsewhere.

The Mountains of Musandam
Mountainous terrain dominates the land and lives of its people. The Western Hajar Mountains, sometimes referred to as the Ruʾūs al-Jibāl (or Heads of the Mountains) which is the ancient name of the region, form steep and dramatic sweeps down into the coastline creating rocky cliffs, narrow sandy beaches, small islands and fjord-like inlets called khors. The brown and grey looming rocks vary in height from 2,000 to 8,000 feet (609 to 2,438m).

Musandam’s share of the region’s Hajar mountains extends for some 600km from Bukha (in the north-west) on the Arabian Gulf to Dibba (south-east) on the Indian Ocean before the range continues into UAE and Oman. The mountains include the famous ‘Stairway to Heaven’ described as “in parts only a one-foot wide ledge at a 45 to 60 degree angle up a near-vertical cliff face, with gaps covered by handmade bridges of intricate stonework held in place solely by gravity.” The writer David Millar, a former Head of Oman’s Department of Antiquities, points out ominously that “It is described by one guidebook as “a very, very serious eight to 12 hour hike that should not be attempted by novices”.
Towns, Boats and Planes
While a lot of the region is covered by a barren rocky landscape, villages and towns have developed in its valleys and along its coastlines. The local capital of the Musandam Governate is Khasab (meaning ‘fertile’ in Arabic) and has frequently been dubbed the "Norway of Arabia" because of its extensive fjord-like craggy inlets and its mountain scapes. Now, the harbor city is popular for vacationing and has its own airport connecting to Muscat in Oman, as well as a ferry service launched in 2008. Otherwise, Musandam is accessible by land only by crossing the United Arab Emirates which separates the Governate from its rulers, Oman.

Musandam is divided into four provinces:
• Khasab - towards the north-west tip, and the local capital
• Bukha - on the north-west tip and home to Bukha Castle c.16-17th century.
• Dibba Al-Baya – on the east coast of the peninsula
• Madha, itself an exclave, located half-way between the rest of Musandam and Oman proper, became part of Musandam in 1979.

There are now roads linking Musandam’s main towns though locals claim it is easier to travel by boat. Many areas are protected by steep cliffs, which led the Shihuh to build some extraordinary cliff stairways to reach their villages.

OUR PEOPLE

Population was around 236000 but now reduced to approximately 31,400 living on the remote peninsula having dwindled over the years because of the political situation. Populated mainly by the resourceful Shihuh people who are well-used to eeking out a living, Musandam’s numbers nowadays increase during tourist season when the Khasab hotels fill with weekend-vacationers for diving and dhow trips across the waters.
The Al Shihuh Tribe
Musandam is associated with the indigenous Al Shihuh Tribe (the original inhabitants and the majority) along with the Al Dhuhuriyun and Al Kumazarah Tribes. Al Shihuh is an Arab tribe originating from Harith bin Malik bin Fahem Al Azdi. Shihuh (and the alternative spellings Shuhuh, Shehhi, Shihu, or Al-Shihuh) means ‘nationality’. The name was given after a battle that took place at Ruʾūs al-Jibāl in Dibba - a battle with Laqit Ibn Malik Dhu at-Taj, as named by the caliphate Umar bin Al Khattab at the dawn of Islam. 
Unlike their Arab neighbours who are mostly descended from the wandering Bedouin, the Shihuh are not nomadic desert wanderers but farmers.

The Shihuh live among the mountains and also in towns and villages on the coast. A fiercely independent people, they are reputed to be great brave fighters when defending their land, refusing surrender and defeat. Among the notable English writers who wrote about these characteristics of the Shihuh were Bertram Thomas and John Gordon Lorimer. 

The unique history and cultural of the Shihuh people has led historians to ask whether these reclusive people of Musandam are in fact the ‘original Arabians’. In a 2015, David Millar, also suggested that the Shihuh are a mystery. “They are a most extraordinary people… Ethnically, we don't know who they are. There is speculation that they are the original inhabitants of Arabia.”

OUR HISTORY

Despite its remoteness and rocky landscape, Musandam has often attracted the attention of foreign powers keen to secure their interests in this strategic spot in the Middle East. The last major move on Musandam was Oman being imposed to supervise the territory in 1970 and later naming it the ‘Musandam Governate’, still reflecting its current status today.
However, in earlier times Musandam has seen other powers come and go. Here are some key events in Musandam’s political history:
  • 4th century BC: Alexander the Great - Musandam was visited by Alexander the Great’s fleet as they sailed up the Gulf and around Musandam Island - he wrote about the town ‘Khasab’ as ‘Kasebo’.
  • 450AD: Shihuh history - the history of Shihuh in Musandam started after the Great Marib Dam of Yemen (one of the grandest engineering marvels of the ancient world) began collapsing over a period of time and Arab tribes arrived further up the Arabian Peninsula.
  • Dibba bayah in the south-east a becomes popular international souq (market)before islam. 
  • King Luckayet Bin Malek becomes king in Dibba
  • 623 AD - Musandam becomes part of islamic country in Makkah - two person from Dibba ,one of them becomes judge in basra (iraq) and one wali in khorasan and transoxiana. And part of the umayyad and abbasid states  
  • 1214-1507 - Musandam became a part of Sultanate of Hormuz 
  • 1500-1640 - Musandam, along with neighbouring areas, was occupied by Portuguese. Bukha Fort was built by the Portuguese as a strategic point to supply their sailors with water and fruits as they passed through the Hormuz Strait.
  • 1640-1819 - the Arabian Gulf was controlled by the Dutch and British.
  • 1819-1970 – Musandam was controlled by the British as other Arab countries.
  •  1865 - New Telegraph line opened by the British on ‘Telegraph Island’ (Maqlab Island; it was abandoned in 1868 due to inhospitable conditions and set up elsewhere 
  • 1930 - the British diplomat and explorer Bertram Thomas, at the time Chief Advisor to the Sultan of Muscat, made use of the British Royal Navy bombarding Khasab, to secure British authority in the region, corresponding about the fierce independence of the Musandam (then called Rus Al Jabal) people.
  • 16 December 1970 - the British ‘Operation Intradon’ sees Musandam handed over by the U.K. to be supervised by Oman and then becoming one of its Governates.New paragraph

OUR LIFESTYLE

There’s intense curiosity about the Shihuh people due to their long existence on the peninsula and the remoteness of their lives. They are considered reclusive, and some have thought them hostile to strangers in the past (no surprise when threatened by potential invaders!) though this is no longer true.

How did they manage to survive in such a barren and rocky landscape? How do they differ from their Arabic neighbours? Thankfully, many friendlier outsiders now want to learn more about the Shihuh lifestyle and cultural practices – for example, how they live, what they wear and the languages spoken.
How do the Al Shihuh people live?
The Shihuh people travel according to the seasons and to temperature, as the winter and summer journeys have been described in the Holy Qur'an. Most of them travel over three seasons: winter, summer, and “Al Qaith” - which is a very hot summer season.

They move between settled houses that date back centuries, unlike nomads who travel from one location to another in search of water and pasture. The Shihuh have permanent houses in both coastal and mountain locations and move in between according to the season.
What is the livelihood of the Shihuh people?
Mountain inhabitants:
The livelihood of the inhabitants of the mountains depends on the cultivation of wheat in flat lands, called “Wa’ab”, that have been well prepared for such purpose. They also live on livestock. From these two sources they fulfill their need for bread, dairy products and meat. They sell their surplus or barter it for other products.

While the challenging mountain environment would deter the average person, the Shihuh have built impressive high-altitude terraced fields following the shape of the land to grow their crops. They have also designed and put in place sophisticated water collection and storage systems.

Coastal inhabitants:
Fishing is a major source of the coastal inhabitants’ income. They dry fish, keep it in salt, export it or barter it for other items. They also undertake palm cultivation and some seasonal agriculture. Dates, fish and bread, with coffee is the main meal for all the inhabitants of Musandam, in addition to honey, goat cheese and meat. No Shihuh house is without dates - it is their most important meal.

A RECENT TYPICAL DAY IN THE LIFE OF A SHIHIH INHABITANT:
Mountain-dwelling:
  • After Fajir pray before sunrise, men start making Arabic coffee while women make bread (special big bread called tanoor or sfaa bread made from village wheat).
  • When the food is ready the tribe’s people meet in a place called al barzah; the breakfast includes bread, coffee, dates, goat’s milk, cheese, honey and other kinds of local food.
  • After breakfast, men go to the waab (land on the mountain in use for agriculture) to look after their wheat; women take the goats out of the village.
  • When finished around 10am families would meet again in their houses to share coffee and dates until Dhohor pray, meeting again for afternoon coffee. 
  • After this people may do some work, some target shooting or take time out until Assar pray; women may then bring the goats back to the goat coop and start to prepare dinner. This may be rice with meat or salt fish or with youghurt depending on the family.
  • After sunset and Maghrep pray families have dinner in their homes and then pray for Issha before going to sleep. 
A typical day in the life of a costal-dwelling Shihuh in the summer would be similar expect perhaps for the following differences:
  • The men would go fishing (rather than do agricultural work) bringing back fresh fish two times in the day, morning and afternoon.
  • Women would go to fetch water and then tend to chickens (rather than goats when in mountains)
  • Mountain people have two daily meals, breakfast and dinner, while coastal people have three meals 
However, now people can't keep their goats as before as much of the land is now utilised by the Omani military. There are even restrictions of movement, with people not even allowed to visit some villages.

Coastal people still go fishing but there has been a huge reduction of fish due to pollution from the high volume of oil tankers through the Hormuz Straits , foreign commercial fishing fleets under Omani Government permit and the installation of commercial stone crushers. These crush rocks detonated from the mountains into the sea to make cement and building materials for export with profits going to Omani Government.  

OUR HOMES

There are two styles in building houses in Musandam – those built with the rocks in the mountainous areas and those built using palm fronds, “Arish” houses, on the sandy coasts close to the sea. “Arish”or Barasti houses are mostly used as summer dwelling.

Rock houses are built of solid mountain rocks on the summits and foothills of mountains as well as in the valleys. The houses are divided into three types: “Al Qafl”, “Al Aqa” and “Al Saffa”. Each type has its own shape and way of building:
“Al Qafl”: This is a house built of solid mountain rocks of different sizes and weights, most of which date back to ancient times and need more than four men to do the carrying. These rocks are aligned to each other by plaster or mountain clay, which is currently replaced with cement in modern buildings. An “Al Qafl” house is generally made up of one bedroom, where all family members sleep. The room must be dug about one meter into the ground, to help protect them against extreme cold, mountain storms and cold air on winter days.

“Al Aqa”: This house is also built in mountainous areas and differs from “Al Qafl” in that it is not dug in the ground. The builders use smaller size stones and rocks. The smaller rocks are used to facilitate the process of ventilation. This style of house is common in less cold areas. “Al Aqa” houses contain a kitchen.

“Al Saffa”: This is a summer building that is located near “Al Qafl” or joined with it to be used in the summer. “Al Saffa” is usually a place for the family gathering during summer; the family usually makes food in “Al Saffa”.
The height of the house is about 2 metres high, single storey. Its ceiling is made of strong Ziziphus wood rods closely connected together. A mix of red mud, hay and sticks from Al Sakhbar trees are used to fill all the gaps and cracks. The roof is then covered with a foot or two of high mountain mud to make it strong enough to withstand rain water and prevent water leakage into the house.

The houses built from palm fronds are called “Arish” ("Irshan" is the plural). The house is also known as “Dahriz” (“Dahariz” is the plural plural). These types of houses were used by most of the people of the UAE previously. They are made of palm fronds attached by rope, and the roof is made of palm trunks and may take multiple shapes such as the shape of a tent.
Some items typically found in and around Shihuh houses include: 
  • Sammah: A mat made of palm wicker spread on the floor of the house.
  • Maghdan: A rope or a piece of wood where clothes are hung.
  • Sarrai: A lamp used for lighting.
  • Khars: A pot made of clay to preserve food or water.
  • Yahla: A small pot of clay to keep water.
  • Bisat (Mat): A type of carpet made of sheep or goat wool used as a cover.
  • Mandus: A wooden box reinforced by nails in which precious items are kept.
  • Tafif: A round bag made of palm leaves to keep women's personal items.
  • Sadd: An oval-shaped bag of palm leaves to keep men’s personal items.
  • Sarud: A round carpet made of palm wicker placed on the ground on which the food tray is placed.
  • Dallah: A coffee pot used to brew and serve coffee (made of clay or copper).
  • Makaba: A cover made of palm wicker placed over food to keep away flies and dirt.
  • Al Tannur: A clay oven dug into the ground; it is where bread is baked and also used to grill meat and fish.
Drinking Water
Residents of the region have access to drinking water from only three sources:
  • Water wells: They dig for water at a depth of 3 to 10 meters.
  • Pond Water: Residents reserve rainwater in deep pits in the form of a clean underground reservoir made in the valley bed. The reservoir is cleaned well and covered to avoid dirt and insects.
  • Mountain springs: Water springs are found in some mountains and are natural water springs, which emerge from the rocks.

OUR CULTURE

Traditional Men’s Clothing of Musandam Inhabitants
The Shihuh men wear white kanduras, which are similar to the people of the UAE in particular and the Gulf in general. Under the kandura, Al Shihhi (singular form of Shihuh) wears the Azar (lungi). Al Shihhi of the mountains wears a turban on his head and wraps a thin strand around it called Al Khuzam. He may also put on the Igal (bond) and kufiyyah. On occasions and celebrations, Al Shihhi wears Aba over the kandura, called Al Bisht. He wears thick shoes made of ​ leather or tyres (due to the roughness of the area).

Their rough and strong bodies, as well as their ability to climb mountains, gave them agility and speed in walking. Therefore, when a Shihuh man walked, he would stomp the ground under his feet and rush quickly. Even the elderly of the Shihuh are full of energy and agility, a result of the good climate and clean environment.

A legacy Al Shihhi man could not have walked on the road or go out of his house unless he is armed with a weapon that he can use to defend himself if he is confronted with danger, maybe in the form of smugglers. He would always be always seen with a belt of bullets, ‘Al Mahzam’, around his waist.

The Bishk, a delicate steel knife with a sharp blade, would have been a weapon for close engagement that never leaves the Al Shihhi’s Mahzam. They also use the dagger as adornment for occasions and put the Bishk next to it in Al Mahzam.

Traditionally, The Jurz is always in their hands, it is a strong stick with an axe-like metal at its head. In fact the comparison of the Jurz with Stone Age axes has led to a theory that the Shihuh may be a prehistoric people.
Some Cultural Practices
Al Nudbah
This is considered a manifestation of pride and self-respect. It is a special expression of zealotry, enthusiasm and joy for happy occasions. It is a way Al Shihuh express their thanks and gratitude. It can also be the call of war and fighting.

A man with a strong voice (and able to raise and lower the tone of his voice as needed) is selected to perform Al Nudbah. This man is surrounded by ten to twenty men called “kabkub”.

Al Nadib (the one who performs Al Nudbah) covers his mouth with his left hand and raises his right forearm, his hand in a fist. He then starts Al Nudbah, shouting proudly and repeatedly, while the men around him also repeat: “hu, hu, hu”. The sound is a reference to the All Mighty Allah.

Al Nudbah is performed in wars before and during an attack, and when occupying enemy positions and forts, as well as in defense. It is also performed at weddings, circumcision ceremonies and during celebrations for the arrival of a dear guest. It is also performed when they visit another tribe on invitation to attend a wedding, on national and public occasions and when they finish eating their food at banquets held for certain occasions.


Blood Saving
The tribal ruling in killing cases in Musandam is different from the rest of the Arab tribes in that other tribes accept “diyyah” (financial compensation payable to the victim or the victim's next of kin). In the rest of the Arab tribes, this “diyyah”, or blood money, is given for reconciliation and seeking pardon for a crime committed.

However this method of reconciliation does not exist in the norms of Al Shihuh. In the place of blood money, there is a cultural practice of blood saving, which means if a member of a tribe of Al Shihuh is killed by another tribe, the chieftain registers the case as “blood saving” for the offender’s tribe (related to avenging the death). The victim’s tribe will not avenge the death for an agreed period of time (a year, for example). This period is then extended if wise people intervene to hold a truce between the two families or tribes until the subject is forgotten and the issue is closed.

OUR LANGUAGE

There are two main languages spoken by the Shihuh people:
1. Shihuh dialect (also known as Shehhi, Shihu, Shihuh, or Al-Shihuh):  
A pure and eloquent Arabic dialect that maintained its purity due to geographical reasons and the Shihuh people’s strong adherence to their cultural heritage. A variety of ‘Peninsular Arabic’, the Shihuh dialect belongs to the Afro-Asiatic language family.   

On the Al Shihuh dialect, Charles Belgrave (advisor to the rulers of Bahrain from 1926 to 1957) once wrote, “They speak a very vernacular local Arabic language, but because of their isolation, their dialect became strange".
2. Kumzari dialect:  
 This is a minority dialect and a mixture of several languages related to Southwestern Iranian languages, and as such part of the Indo-European language family. It is spoken in and around the Kumzar coast in the north of Musandam and its speakers are the descendants of fishermen in the area. 

The diplomat and traveller Bertram Thomas wrote in 1930 of the Kumzari dialect that, “Kumzari is largely a compound of Arabic and Persian, but distinct from them both. As spoken it is comprehensible neither to the Arab nor to the Persian visitor of usual literacy.”

In fact, the Kumzari dialect is listed by UNESCO as endangered and due to its isolation and its small number of speakers – estimated at 4,000 - it is in danger of disappearing altogether.

Other prominent people who have studied the languages and dialects of the inhabitants of Musandam include Lieutenant Colonel Baker: In 1902, Baker wrote an article on the dialect of Al Shihuh in Journal Bombay, after which C J Edmonds conducted a comparative study between the languages of the people of Kumazarah and the Persian and Kurdish languages.

HUMAN RIGHTS

Threats to the way of life of the Shihuh People
The time-honoured way of life of the ancient Shihuh people is in jeopardy. Restrictions as a result of the loss of their independence to Oman mean that the traditional existence, customs and culture of the Shihuh is under threat and their livelihoods are disappearing.

There are strong differences between the Shuhuh and their Omani caretaker Governors;
  • Their practice of Islam differs from the Ibadi sect that predominates in Oman,
  • They have their own tribal dialect of Arabic, said to be unintelligible to other tribes in the UAE region, 
  • Traditional dress also differs which includes coloured head gear instead of the white ghutra headgear worn by Gulf Arabs,
  • Their homes are also distinct from other parts of the Arab world with their stone built structures built to survive a wetter climate,
  • Agricultural and husbandry practices also differ. 
Human Rights
The treatment of the Shihuh people by the Omani Government has been highlighted by international organisations. Six Shihuh people have been sentenced to life imprisonment in an unfair trial following waves of arbitrary arrests of known active supporters of Shuhuh rights. The Omani court has not disclosed the full legal basis for the detention. This shocking violation of international rights in 2018 has also attracted the attention of Amnesty International who have, unsuccessfully so far, been pressing the Omani authorities for further clarification of the charges.

The human rights abuse is part of a number of culturally and environmentally oppressive acts to which the Shuhuh people believe they have been repeatedly subject some of which include:
  • Contamination of their water – no action has been taken in response to scientific testing of water from wells in Musandam which have shown elevated toxins (e.g. e-coli)
  • Contamination of Shihuh fishing areas - due to stone grinding in marine areas, destroying their way of life
  • Demolition of historic relics, forts and castles
  • Demolition of centuries-old homes
  • Eradication of the Shihuh national identity by criminalising their customs and traditions
  • No Further Education Colleges or Specialist Hospitals in the Region

          www.freetheshuhuh6.org

          Brendan O’Hara MP ( Argyll and Bute, Scottish National Party )

          Questioning Foreign Minister in the House of Commons, Tuesday 14th May 2019.
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