“Cities of salt” is one of the greatest novels written in the Arabic language. It humanizes and reveals a society in the Arabic peninsula faced by invasion by the Americans. Cities of salt a tale written by Abdul Munif and translated by Peter Theroux into English talks about the changes that oil discovery brings in the Middle East (Munif,1985.pg17). It describes the effects of oil discovery in one idyllic though unnamed Arabian statelet. In his novel, Munif says “oil is our one and only chance to build our future” However, Munif still quotes that”the regimes are running it”
The “regime” refers to the giant western companies carrying out oil exploration and drilling in the Middle East. In his book, Munif insists that the Middle East has no sustainable existence. He satirizes the great cities by referring them to cities of salt. The title forms the emblem of his work and also symbolizes more about the Arabian Peninsula. Just like salt, when waves, storm and water comes in, the cities of salt will dissolve leaving the Arabian Peninsula as dust. Abdul Munif is a Jordanian but born in Saudi. His work is a masterpiece rich in parodies and political revolution and elements in the Middle East. It is important to note that Munif holds a PhD in oil economics from the renowned university of Belgrade.
His vast knowledge in oil exploration gives him a better chance to point out the worrying issues that come with oil exploration (Munif,1985.pg23). He further uses his knowledge to predict the downfall of the cities of salt. Not only does the western company impact negatively on the people’s economic life but also leads to cultural conflict and marginalization of the inhabitants. It is these negative impacts that Munif raises an alarm about. In short, he advocates that his people ought to gain equally or even more from then oil exploration in their territories .It is his radical approach to oil and political matters that saw his Saudi citizenship revoked. In his novel, the residents of Wadi- al-Uyan find themselves in turmoil. New men start arriving in their territories after the oil discovery. It is interesting to note that the strangers are neither Bedouins nor Arabs but Americans!
The strangers choose Wadi since it was rich in oil and also played a significant role in trading activities. The territory played a significant role in the Arabian Peninsula as it provided an important stop off point for caravans (Munif,1985.pg57). Later on, the American pushes the villagers out of their land to pave the way for their machines and companies! As the villages transform into towns a clash between the American and the villagers begin. As new ports and roads are built, the roots of misery and consternation get deeper and deeper. Munif draws modernity and traditionalism as being incompatible. Modernity only seems to benefit the Americans.
In his work he talks about the first gated community-Dharam in Middle East built by Americans. On the other hand, the villages are bulldozed by the Americans and the initial inhabitants left out in the cold without any shelter. Secondly, Munif shows the incompatibility of the two by referring Americans to as aliens. The incompatibility shows a cultural conflict between modernity and traditionalism. This is shown by how he draws the western oil companies, he refers to them as aliens surrounded by a thin barbed wire(Munif,1985.pg145). The barbed wire symbolizes the incompatibility nature of the Americans and the native people. Marginalization and loss of the communal honor are also used to shed more light on modernity and traditionalism. Initially, the emirs are tasked with managing the land and all the resources in it.
However, the mighty and stubborn American bulldozers push the whole community out of their land leaving them marginalized. In the opening pages of the book; Munif says, “all the villagers could see was large amount of water being poured on the sand leaving them with little to quench their children and animals” As the Americans pocket resources, the residents are left suffering and vulnerable though the resources sit in their womb! However, the American also comes with some goodies. Although the fate of the cities is uncertain, the Americans help transform villages into towns, build ports and interconnect the region with good roads.
It is also important to note that the residents also view each stranger as a renewal and exposure to the outside world. How(Munif,1985.pg174)ever, it also true to say that, the western companies fails to meet the people’s expectations leading to a conflict between modernity and traditionalism. In conclusion, as we still refer oil as the most precious and glorious thing to ever happen to humankind; the residents of the unnamed Arabian statelet endures a lot of suffering in the hands of the western oil companies. Without any meaningful gain by the residents, the future of the cities of salt remains uncertain and vulnerable.
References
Munīf, ʻAbd al-Raḥmān, and Peter Theroux. Cities Of Salt. New York: Vintage Books, 1989. Print.
