Posts 16 Through 20

Coding Key:
! 1. Gender
(1.1 Norms, 1.2 Roles, 1.3 Expectation, 1.4 Inter/Intra Gender Interaction)
@ 2. Religion
(2.1 Islam, 2.2 Ramadhan, 2.3 Eid, 2.4 Mosque, 2.5 Social Gathering/Ceremony,
2.6 Christianity, 2.7 Judaism)
# 3. International Relations
(3.1 American/Arab Relations, 3.2 Israel, 3.3 Iraq, 3.4 American Hegemony, 3.5 Tourism, 3.6 Omani International Politics)
$ 4. Domestic Politics
(4.1 Government Policies, 4.2 Ministries)
% 5. Citizenship
(5.1 National Identity, 5.2 Expatriate Differentiation, 5.3 Sultan Qaboos, 5.4 Race)
^ 6. Foreigner in Oman
(6.1 Outsider/Insider, 6.2 Being American, 6.3 Culture Shock, 6.4 “Social Scientist”)
& 7. Family
(7.1 Sibling Interaction, 7.2 Parent/Child Interaction, 7.3 Husband/Wife Interaction)
* 8. Childhood
(8.1 Discipline, 8.2 Duties, 8.3 Socialization)

Field Study Journal #20: Day at the Salon
Recorded 12.10.07
Context, Location: Sawsan Beauty Parlor, Al-Ghobra, Muscat
Time: 10:00 to 17:30, October 11
Individuals Involved: Annelle, Kristin, Heather, Tumathr, Naila, (Tumathr’s friend, daughter of the salon owner)
Coding:
! 1. Gender
(1.1 Norms,1.4 Inter/Intra Gender Interaction)
@ 2. Religion
(2.1 Islam, 2.2 Ramadhan, 2.3 Eid, 2.5 Social Gathering/Ceremony)
^ 6. Foreigner in Oman
(6.1 Outsider/Insider)
Description:
At 9:30am Naila brought Kristin, Heather, and Heather’s little sisters, Hajl and Nakaf to our house, then took my sisters and me and the other girls to the salon. It was already crowded, so she took the younger girls to get less expensive henna elsewhere, leaving Kristin, Heather and me to wander the streets until the crowd cleared a bit. We soon returned as the heat was already intense. The salon remained crowded; Naila, the daughter of Khadija, the woman who had opened the salon only a month before, sat with us and Tumathr as we waited and talked. Other customers waited for their family-members to finish, keeping the salon more crowded. We were all waiting to get the black Sudani henna, although if we had chosen to do red Omani henna we could have been done faster as the woman who did it was free. The woman who did Sudani henna had come from Tanzania only a few weekes before, where she owned her own salon. She spoke Swahili and some English, and told me that prices for henna in Oman are much better, that her sister is keeping her salon for now but that she might choose to stay in Oman, and that she enjoys doing henna; she did not take a break the entire time, only when we left just before Iftar did the salon owner and Naila go home, and the other women ordered a pizza. We returned home, while Mama Naila and Belquees went after Iftar and did not come home until 2am.
Heather and Kristin and Heather’s family joined us for Iftar (after they had tried to catch a cab to Al-Atheyba only to realize that none would be available so close to Iftar). At one point Kristin asked “Where do the men eat?” I told her that there were none. They stayed for dinner. Afterwards Belquees put red henna on my fingernails to complement the black.

Interpretation:
The salon seemed to provide a public haven for women: inside the coiffurists did not wear abaya or shela, one woman discretely showed off the henna design below her collar bone and upper breast. Both seemed removed from the restraints of an Omani woman’s public wife, with short dyed hair and pants. One told me that I did not have to cover my head and asked me why I did, I answered “My family”. They noticed Kristin’s tattoo of a horse on her lower back and asked her to show them; they seemed to look at it admiringly, although I imagine most Omani women would consider it less attractive. I interpret this as similar to salon culture in the States, where one often finds the most daring hairstyles and individuals willing to push boundaries of appearance; however, when one woman insisted on driving me and Tumathr home, she covered her head; initially I had interpreted her statement that I did not need to cover my head to mean that she did not either, while afterwards I believe that she meant that as a non-Omani and non-Muslim I did not need to cover. Although customers first retained their reserve, they eventually relaxed into the atmosphere; little girls sat on the floor and played hand games, women uncovered, Kristin, Heather and I felt comfortable laughing and removing our shoes. However, I interpreted their behavior as being a bit too free; sometimes it seemed as if the Westerners had taken over and it seemed that the other women felt a bit uncomfortable.
I wondered whether the salon would be able to remain open during the rest of the year, or if it had opened the month before with the expectation that it might not survive past the Eid season, like the four month stay of the Tanzanian lady. I do not know if people also get henna or spend a lot of time at the salon for Eid al-Adha, although I have heard that many weddings happen just before Ramadhan as they are not allowed during the holy month.

Evaluation:
I had told Heather and Kristin that we would be coming to pick them up around 9am and I would text them when we were coming, and so felt annoyed when both of them called to ask when we would come, both that they still did not seem to understand “Omani time” and that they knew that I had no control over when Naila would get them. When Naila told us to wander for a bit until the salon became less crowded, I initially felt a bit miffed that the other SIT students were there, because I knew if it were only me, she could have taken me in the car. I had felt this irritation when Heather spent the weekend with us; having another student there upset the relationships I have with my family. However, I was soon glad of their company as we spent the following six hours sitting in the salon waiting to get henna done, and the final two finally having it. Although I enjoyed the chance to spend more time with them, I also felt conscious of the distance we created between ourselves and the others in the salon. While Tumathr and Naila sat and talked with us, I wanted to make sure that we were not somehow bad for business, (though it is doubtful that three Western girls would have much effect on the pre-Eid rush).

Field Study Journal #19: Molly and Lakshmi
Recorded 12.10.07
Context, Location: Baet Isma, the eldest daughter of Naila’s oldest brother, in Al-Amirat
Time: Evening, Wednesday, October 10
Individuals Involved: Annelle, Molly, a woman from India who travels from family to family giving waxes and facials in preparation for Eid, Tumathr, cousins and aunties and uncles from Naila’s family
Coding:
! 1. Gender
(1.1 Norms, 1.3 Expectation)
@ 2. Religion
(2.1 Islam, 2.2 Ramadhan, 2.3 Eid, 2.5 Social Gathering/Ceremony,
2.6 Christianity)
% 5. Citizenship
(5.2 Expatriate Differentiation, 5.4 Race)
^ 6. Foreigner in Oman
(6.1 Outsider/Insider, 6.2 Being American)

Description:
When I got home after going to City Center on the last day of class before Eid, I found Rayan sitting with Naila, who was getting her arms waxed by an Indian lady. When Tumathr, Rayan, Amran, and I went with Naila to have dinner with her family in Al-Amirat, (Belquees was not ready to go and we left her, something that has had not happened before), we brought Molly, the woman, with us. At the house we had Iftar, then Naila told me that if I wanted my arms waxed I should do it now, because Molly would be staying at one of the relatives’ houses in Al-Amirat. I asked Molly if she would not mind doing it, and asked in which room we could go. The others were praying in all available rooms, so we sat in the kitchen. She heated honey and lemon juice in the microwave and used strips of old sheet powdered with baby powder to strip out the hair. The young girl cousins came to watch and grimace and ask if it hurt, I told them no, as Tumathr would have her arms waxed after me, and I did not want to worry her. Afterwards multiple people told me and Molly to eat; she got her plate and asked me to sit in the kitchen with her, I went to get my food and was told to sit with the others, leaving Molly to eat alone. We left her there for the night, then she was at our home again in the morning. She spent about twenty minutes in the bathroom preparing the necessary implements for her work; when Tumathr asked who was taking so long in the bathroom Belquees hissed “Hada al Hindia.” Molly stayed with us Thursday night doing sandalwood facials, and in the morning Naila and I dropped her at a cousin’s house. She asked that all appointments stop at 11am in order to return to Ruwi. She mentioned something about “medicine” for God, in her reason for needing to be home at that time. I asked her later whether she was Muslim, and she said Christian; that she does not get tired or hungry or sick because she is always “praying nicely” to God.

Interpretation:
When I saw Molly I assumed that she was only at our home for the afternoon; when she came with us in the car I thought that we were dropping her somewhere. At the house I thought that we would have to wait until a more private room became available, as I was not sure whether waxing one’s arms in a space as public as the kitchen was appropriate. I interpreted Molly’s calm acceptance and obsequious “Madam”s to be necessary to an otherwise extrememly trying method of earning a living. When she responded to my repeated questions as to whether she was tired, I interpreted her response that “God takes care of her” as genuine faith and perhaps the source of her ability to handle her life with grace.

Evaluation:
When we brought Molly with us to Al-Amerat, I was not sure if she would be with us later and wanted to be sure that she was able to wax my arms, (as Tumathr has told me this was important for henna). I had been feeling slightly weird about her, this seeming “pass around” individual expected to perform whatever was requested of her at any time, and then dropped off at the next house. And so I was surprised to feel myself thinking about her in the same way, of what she could do for me, rather than considering her as an agent individual with her own agenda. I wanted to show her that I was aware of her as an individual, though I do not know if my efforts to talk to her were genuinely appreciated, (they seemed to be), or patiently tolerated. At the same time, there were also moments when she had taken over the bathroom again and I felt annoyed as well, forgetting that the only reason she was in there was to serve our family. When I paid her for the arm waxing I considered tipping her but miserliness won the day—I still do not know if I should have given her more, or if doing so would only serve to salve my conscience without actually helping her. At the same time, she seemed to be content, and so am not sure if my hyper-awareness of her, even more acute than for Lakshmi, our over-worked and elderly house-keeper. Too many times Lakshmi has vacuumed in my room too early in the morning, or screeched repeatedly at the kids; yet I eat the food that she prepares every day and walk across floors that she has mopped. Although I do my own laundry and dishes, I have noticed that other things I might usually clean up I now leave for her to do.

Field Study Journal #18: Ethics of Tourism Discussion
Recorded 10.10.07
Context, Location: Mama Naila’s house, dining room
Time: 21:45, Tuesday, October 10
Individuals Involved: Annelle, K., Naila’s cousin, unmarried, mid 20’s
Coding:
@ 2. Religion
(2.1 Islam, 2.6 Christianity)
# 3. International Politics
(3.5 Tourism)
^ 6. Foreigner in Oman
(6.1 Outsider/Insider)
Note. For this entry I had to create the sub-category 3.5 Tourism under # International Politics, which I hereafter changed to # International Relations.
Description:
K. came in into the dining room where I was studying alone, typing a summary of my thoughts on the Omani national narrative as compared to other countries, in preparation for ISP. She sat at the table beside me; I offered her the reading we had done for the day on eco-tourism. I explained that the article criticized the effect of tourist spectatorship of so-called “authentic” populations, as well as the ecological and economic impact of the tourism industry in general. I asked what she thought of tourists going to villages in Africa in order to see “authentic village life”. She responded that it can be hard to go to another country where the customs are different. I asked her what she thought about the tourists taking pictures of the villagers as they go about their daily activities; she told me that when taking pictures one must ask permission, and told a story about seeing two Masai men in Kenya. She wanted to take a photograph and asked her friend, who told her to ask. The men told her she would have to pay, which she did. I told her that if someone wanted to watch me “go about my daily life” I would feel suspicious about their motives and demand to know what they wanted. She said that the important thing is to respect the customs of the culture you are visiting, and told me about visiting Burnei, a country near Malaysia I had never heard of. She said that visitors are informed on the plane about the codes of conduct; no finger-pointing, improper sitting, eating in front of anyone during Ramadhan, public interaction between unmarried members of the opposite sex, and drinking alcohol. She explained that in Oman there is alcohol in the hotels, and that some Omanis go there to drink; she told me “There are two kinds of Muslims--some people are good Muslims, some people are just born Muslim and they do not really believe. Just like some Christians are good Christians, others are just raised that way.” She told me that even she would go sometimes to dance at discos. She said that at work she does not cover her hair or wear abaya. She said that she knows that this is wrong and that she did not used to do these things, and that in the future she hopes that she will become better. My mother was ready to go, but before leaving K. re-emphasized the importance of following the local norms. She said that while she can wear what she likes in Muscat, in the interior with her father’s family that has “never been anywhere” she has to follow their customs.

Interpretation:
K.’s initial response probably came as a result of me not articulating myself very clearly; she probably interpreted what I was saying according to her understanding of me, that is, a “stranger in a strange land” dealing with the challenges of life abroad. When I tried to make the argument clearer by using photograpy as an example, I think she related personally to the experience of being a tourist eager for documentation. However I did not have the sense that she connected the violation of picture-taking with the larger implications of tourism upon local populations, therefore I continued asking questions. As we talked and it continued to seem as though she did not understand what I meant about the negative impacts of tourism’s consumption of “native culture”, I tried to find an explanation: I thought that perhaps the examples I used evoked different connotations for her. Yet possibly the guilt complex aroused by the rich oogling the poor as expressed by the article might only be understood by those that had experienced this guilt, i.e. me; perhaps for those who have not internalized it, the impulse to travel and see the world (that K. had expressed to me in the past), does not carry psychological baggage. Nor is K. on the receiving end, the “exploited native”, who might immediately identify with the objectification of performing daily life for foreigners. She is one of the tourists, yet from earlier conversations with her, I know she has close personal ties to Africa and the interior of Oman, both recipients of the touristic gaze. Would she therefore be exempt from either side of the equation, exploitation and guilt? Or is this naïvete potentially more harmful, comparable to Western anthropologists patronizing observation of “savages”. Yet despite today’s enforced political correctness, is the relationship to the “Other” any different? For example, the virtual extinction of “Orientalists” after Edward Said often represents simply a change of terminology.
I do not know which is worse, tourists gawking obliviously or tourists gawking guiltily; the question becomes only more complicated when the gawker is suddenly someone who is not necessarily “Other”, but who considers the gawking as recognizing cultural heritage and therefore an inalienable right. In the USA, we have actors parade in costume around colonial Williamsburg; here, some people wear “Omani dress” daily, others treat it as a product for consumption at the Eid holiday. Is this a “living tradition” or an symptom of capitalism? Probably both.

Evaluation:
I was glad that my computer screen had gone black (screen saver) as I think K. might have felt curious to see, and I felt more comfortable with her reading the article than having to potentially take responsibility for what I had written. I have spoken with her in the past about her travels and I know that she is sharp, will not tolerate b.s., and fairly worldly. Still, I felt a moment of hesitation before handing her the paper, as it had made me feel, in some ways, that my presence in Oman was damaging, damningly frivolous, or at the very least reflective of global inequalities often maintained along racial lines…and I did not want her to read it and feel differently about me. Looking back, this fear did not accord her basic respect as an adult who can come to her own conclusions; feeling that I have to maintain my presence in Oman by keeping others in the dark about the criticisms that it could evoke is hardly a mentality in which I want to exist. Yet the initial impulse to discretely remove my cluttered papers and begin small talk was there.
At first I felt awkward about essentially delegitimizing my own “tourist experience” in Oman, (despite its potential for increasing cultural understanding, yadayada, SIT could be easily construed as extended and immersive tourism), yet simultaneously quite interested in her thoughts; therefore frustrated at K.’s misinterpretation of what I was trying to say, which to me felt a bit condescending. (“I understand that it is hard for you here in this foreign culture; it is hard for everyone.”)
As the conversation shifted to K.’s stories about her travels I was glad to learn more about her; I had listened before to K. speak about jihad, the personal struggle for piety and proper conduct; I had thought of her as a fairly religious person and so felt surprised to learn that she does not cover her head at work.
Although I did not ever get a clear reading of her thoughts on the ethics of tourism, I wondered whether she had thought much about it. I struggled with this, as it seemed also to potentially patronize her, but to do so valorizes my own guilty soul-searching regarding my feelings on tourism over what I interpret as her less complicated understanding. It is likely that her relationship to the issue goes into far deeper territory than mine ever can, constrained as it is by the opposing forces of guilt and the knowledge that guilt will never stop me from traveling, although perhaps it will shape my choices as a traveler. Feeling righteous because I acknowledge the inequalities that allow for my status as a white person with the means to see the world does not change who I am or make such inequalities disappear. If I really felt so torn up about it, I would stay home.

Field Study Journal #17: Ramadhan Talk
Recorded 12.10.07
Context, Location: Post oil lecture, after class
Time: Sunday, October 7, Around 17:00
Individuals Involved: Mohammed Adil Al-Mughairy, SIT students on Khaled’s bus, Khaled, Elizabeth
Coding:
! 1. Gender
(1.1 Norms)
@ 2. Religion
(2.1 Islam, 2.2 Ramadhan, 2.3 Eid)
# 3. International Relations
(3.1 American/Arab Relations)
$ 4. Domestic Politics
(4.1 Government Policies)
^ 6. Foreigner in Oman
(6.2 Being American)
Description:
During his lecture about Omani oil, Mohammed had mentioned that if we had time att he end he could give a short talk on Ramadhan. After the lecture I asked him about it again, and while some of the students left, I asked Khaled if we could stay to hear and he agreed. The “short talk” turned out to be a full power-point presentation lasting almost an hour, divided into “Balanced Life Style”, “Merits of Ramadhan”, “Faith and Action”, and “Diciplined Tradition after Ramadhan”. His themes of emphasis were healthy relationships (to self, others, and Allah), sustainability and piety, as well as the importance of putting one’s faith into actions. He explained Ramadhan as a training period for the rest of the year, a time to focus on becoming the best person/Muslim possible and turning the related behaviors into habits to continue throughout the year. He thus compared a Ramadhan Action Plan to an Annual Action Plan, moving from 1)“Where I Am Now” to 3)“Where I want to Be” via 2)“Steps to Get There”. Examples of 1) Not reading enough Quran, not praying five times a day, not visiting family. 3) Read a few verses of Quran daily and put them into action, pray the Taraweh and Qiyam al-Layl, visit one relative a week. After Ramadhan, other areas to focus on included: not being sincere to my employer, not ensuring that my children receive a modern and creative education, and completing Shaval, the six days of voluntary fasting. He admonished Muslims that spend Ramadhan gorging all night, sleeping all morning, and shopping all afternoon. Under “The Merits of Ramadhan” he explained the holiness of the month, a time when the devils are constrained and angels are closer, people are nicer to each other, and Muslims everywhere feel a sense of solidarity. Ramadhan can also offer preparation for hard times or natural disasters, realizing the needs of the body can be met with very little. At one point Khaled corrected the amount necessary to give in zakat for each fasting dependent. Mohammed accepted the correction. Both Khaled and Elizabeth listened from the foyer, and afterwards Khaled introduced himself. By the time we left the Salat al-Maghreb had almost arrived.


Interpretation:
I was not sure how to interpret his intention, as he indicated his awareness that his audience as not Muslim, and yet the talk was clearly meant for a Muslim audience. Although I found it informative, I was curious as to why he did not address this apparently obvious disparity between his target audience and those present. I interpreted his choice to give the lecture as a subtle effort at evangelism, as well as providing an alternative portrait of Islam to people whom he may have (rightly) assumed are the recipients of mostly negative and frightening characterizations of Islam. He prefaced his talk with a direct mention of terrorists, “the guys with long beards and short dishdasha” that directly contradict his emphasis on balance necessary for a proper relationship with Allah. I imagine that he included this for our benefit; I do not know if radical Islam and terrorism are often discussed or even mentioned. Thus far people seem less than eager to talk about terrorism, or if it comes up they often dismiss it as a perversion, not actually having to do with Islam. Therefore, the fact that he mentioned it to us seems to strengthen the argument that his presentation of the Ramadhan talk was directly meant for us, in stressing the balance and peace of a pious Muslim lifestyle. He also mentioned that the Quran forbids the killing of women and children, which also seemed a direct condemnation of militant Islam.

Evaluation:
Listening to him, I wished that he could give this Ramadhan talk to Americans in order that they could see the similarities both to Christian values of balance and piety, as well as secular self-help strategies. Minus the specific vocabulary of Ramadhan and Islam, the talk felt very familiar, similar to motivational books and group programs that encourage individuals to take responsibility for their goals and change their destructive behaviors. I have often felt an attraction to Islam since coming to Oman, as well as previously, and the talk reaffirmed some of the appealing aspects. However I still feel a barrier when Allah is mentioned directly; while I can relate to the desire for balance, moderation, and peace of mind, for me it remains valid on the level of personal fulfillment rather than a relationship to a greater power. To behave in order to appease a Christian, Muslim, Jewish, or God of any creed seems to weaken the relationship to the deity, creating an interaction of servility rather than conscious choice. Perhaps this has been my conclusion after fasting for a month with no religious obligation; by fasting voluntarily I am affirming myself, my will power, my desire for solidarity with others, rather than ascribing to a set of imposed rules. This seems to be reaffirmed with the practice of Shaval, or voluntary fasting post-Ramadhan. Again, on the whole Islam appears to have found some of the best methods for creating community, yet like any religion, it does so by compulsion. Still, Islam as a lifestyle presents its attractions; I wonder if one could become a “surface Muslim” who does not believe in God/Allah but ascribes to the practices and becomes a member of the community. Not that I am ready to convert, I am still not reconciled to the gender disparities. I still do not see why there have not yet been female imams, or if there have, why they remain so rare.
I found particularly interesting his statement that the Quran forbids destruction of the environment, even cutting a tree during wartime, an indirect but obvious condemnation of the oil industry which he later expanded into a direct reference against the tons of pollution dumped into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels. I wish that he had addressed the stand that supposedly Islamic governments take on this nugget of hypocrisy, (I would be particularly curious to hear how the alleged sharia government of Iran reconciles its oil production with Quranic imperatives towards the environment), although the answer would probably give no more satisfaction than any other situation in which ideology does not match economic objectives and so lies ignored.