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Home: Middle East: Oman: Mountains: Aufis of Wadi Bani Auf:

five: being the sheikh

O, de light-bugs glimmer down de lane,/ Merlindy! Merlindy!/ O, de whip’-will callin’ notes ur pain—/ Merlindy, O, Merlindy!/ O, honey lub, my turkle dub,/ Doan’ you hyuh my bawnjer ringin’,/ While de night-dew falls an’ de ho’n owl calls/ By de of ba’n gate Ise singin’./
O, Miss ’Lindy, doan’ you hyuh me, chil’,/ Merlindy! Merlindy!/ My lub fur you des dribe me wil’—/ Merlindy, O, Merlindy!/ I’ll sing dis night twel broad day-light,/ Ur bu’s’ my froat wid tryin’,/ ’Less you come down, Miss ’Lindy Brown,/ An’ stops dis ha’t f’um sighin’!
Negro Serenade, James Edwin Campbell

Inheriting the title handed down from generation to generation, Bashir Hamid Salim Muhsin al Aufi has been sheikh of Wadi Bani Auf since 1968, responsible for all its residents. With it comes the obligation to keep his doors open to any among its people who need a voice for their cause, or a just hand to resolve a dispute. When a conflict arises, the sheikh will visit the area and people concerned and investigate into the matter. To help him he has a circle of advisors and assistants, and is chairman of a committee that aids him with matters that come up.

There was a lot to work for in the old days, and the sheikh can proudly look back at achievements such as getting electricity through the wadi. While GSM coverage, transport and educational facilities have transformed life through Bani Auf, the one glaring hollow left is the absence of a road. What you have is a freeway of rock and pebbles that gets worse after every rain, before being crushed into submission by the next wave of 4WDs. This issue is foremost on the agenda, says the sheikh, who hopes that “the road is finished as soon as possible.”

The 73-year-old sheikh tours the wadi every four days, and will eventually be succeeded by his son Ibrahim. Does he foresee as many problems for his son as he has seen since 1968? “There will be problems, of course, as there have always been between people, but he will follow the way. My son has been taught, and will follow my footsteps. I have told him that when you become corrupt, the whole system becomes so.” Asked what he foresees, next-in-line Ibrahim al Aufi says “the work will be the same.”