I had an interesting and pleasant discussion with the counselor of a European country who claimed to be an expert in Middle Eastern and North African affairs. We were discussing education, arts, the economy of our countries and suggesting ways of strengthening the friendship between East and West. Suddenly this question was thrown at me: "So I would like to know how much a camel costs in Saudi Arabia because when I report to my minister, he will ask me for this information." The question was asked with an expression of amusement, with complete ease and seemingly totally oblivious to its negative connotations in the West.
How would I know how much a camel costs? I have never bought one and why should I be expected to know? Although the camel once played a very important role in our culture, comparable to the role horses played in the US or cows played in Switzerland, does anyone ever ask an American the cost of horse or a Swiss about the cost of a cow?
Evidently, the camel is still considered the symbol of our culture in the West and surprisingly, even to high ranking officials who comfortably apply this symbol to the Middle East. Many have little knowledge about the Middle East and some are plainly ignorant, even though they are given titles such "expert" before they even visit the region. All Saudis are seen as desert dwellers who are accustomed to camel riding and living in tents. While some may indeed possess this as part of their heritage and should be proud of it, many others do not. The Kingdom is nearly as large as Europe with a similar wide variety in terms of climate, natural environment and lifestyles of the inhabitants.
The counselor seemed puzzled when I did not take warmly to the "camel question." She apparently assumed this was something all Arabs know about — but it was the importance she attached to the question rather than the question itself which was not welcome.
Many Westerners are unable to understand — or refuse for one reason or another to understand — that the majority of Saudis live in cities. The West too often regards Arab culture as inferior to its own and not worth studying. I replied to the counselor as clearly as a I could that I regarded the question as reflecting a "knowledge gap" that needed to be filled: "Many Saudis have never ridden on a camel or even seen one up close, at least the younger generation. We are very much an Internet, malls and mobile phone society. Yes, the camel was once important but the same people who once kept camels and rode them now drive cars, shop in supermarkets, have satellite televisions and live normally among skyscrapers and motorways. Camels are hardly the symbol of the Kingdom for Saudis, so why should they be featured on the covers of books on the Middle East by Westerners and misguide them?"
I told the counselor the following story: "I was once visiting a school in the UK when one of the teachers was giving a lesson about Arab culture. I was in a classroom with about 25 students who were looking at the board on which was written ‘Arabs live in tents’. I was introduced to the teacher and very politely and tactfully tried to correct that idea. I am happy to say that for all of us — teacher as well as students — the result was a positive and accurate discussion about the Middle East. The students expressed their interest and they admitted to their prejudices about us. They were eager to ask me questions and listened to my answers with genuine interest." I simply wonder how many lessons such as "Arabs live in tents" are taught every year in Western schools?
The counselor immediately understood that such questions were not the way to build meaningful relationships between our peoples and cultures. Unless of course, she was taken to the desert to experience part of our heritage in which camels played an important part.
Arab News Review article 28 November 2002