ALKHOBAR, 11 May 2007 — “Kayf al-qu’ud?” “How are your camels?” On leaving their homes last week, this was the first question Al-Khozama district residents put to the shepherd who had quite unexpectedly appeared in their midst. Al-Khozama is a suburb of Alkhobar, about 10 km from the city center. The district is a new residential area, currently witnessing a flurry of construction activity.
To the delight of the area’s residents, for several days the herd of about 40 camels put on quite a show, roaming through the empty lots in Al-Khozama, calling to each other and munching on the desert shrubs that had sprung up after the recent rainy season. Youngsters from nearby homes gathered wherever the camels were grazing in the district, watching in fascination as the herd went about the normal business of being camels. The “hiwaar” or suckling camels were a special crowd pleaser.
To be exact, when asking about the herd, the qu’ud are the bull camels and the bakra are the female camels. Muhammed Assaf Al-Otaibi, the herd’s owner, came to visit with them every afternoon.
“It’s a pity to let all this vegetation go to waste,” he said. Pointing to one shrub with white flowers, he advised that it was a camel favorite and helped the bakra produce excellent milk. “When there isn’t any natural vegetation we feed them on commercially grown grasses, but they aren’t very happy. Part of being camel is roaming the desert, eating whatever plants catch their fancy. When they eat like that, they stay healthy.”
Al-Otaibi stated that no one in Al-Khozama had complained about the herd coming to graze in the area. He added that the camels ate vegetation usually considered to be weeds, helping to reduce the numbers of insect pests that often invaded the landscaped yards of the nearby houses. At sundown, the herd was always taken away from any homes.
“The shepherd is with them all the time and at night he takes them a short distance from the populated area,” Al-Otaibi advised. “To keep them off the roads, two of the oldest females are hobbled. These are the two with the most experience. You might say that they have the most data in their brains. The herd usually follows them. When they stay in one place, the herd stays with them. We don’t want them roaming off onto the roads and causing an accident or making too much noise early in the morning and disturbing the neighborhood.”
It has been a good year for the herd and five hiwaar could be seen with their mothers. All had been born in Ramadan and they were now well into the weaning process. Al-Otaibi took great pleasure in showing off the long necks, large heads and fine teeth of several of the camels, remarking that these were the more valuable ones in his herd. Whenever he has time he comes out and walks with the herd for the entire day.
“I never feel happier then when I am moving among the herd, with their breath on my neck. They are comforting. They give me space to think and yet they are with me all the time. I cannot feel sad or lonely when my camels are around me,” Al-Otaibi said.
There was a time decades ago when Al-Otaibi left his camels to come and make his way in the city. Originally from Dawadmi, in Saudi Arabia’s Central Region, he now lives in Alkhobar and keeps his camels nearby. The camels are a source of milk and meat for his family, as well as a pleasure for himself. Trading in the creatures is also increasingly profitable. In recent years Al-Otaibi has noted a resurgence of interest in the traditional ways. He believes that this is good for the society.
“Even if cars cease to exist, the camel will always be there. You can eat from it and drink from it. It does all your chores. Our grandfathers survived because of their camels,” a broad smile creased his features as stroked the flank of a fine qu’ud. “More and more we understand the ways in which camels were important to our foundation as a people and the more we understand that, the more precious they become.”
