'Gazetteer of Arabia Vol. II' [‎990] (27/688)

990
KA'AB
The Dawariqeh, of whom the name occurs more than once in the table above, are
stated to be an aboriginal race distributed among the various branches of the Ka'ab as
herdsmen and almost as serfs. It should be added that of the above only Dns and
Nassar divisions are universally regarded as true Ka'ab ; the Khanafireh and Muqaddam
are frequently described not as Ka'ab but as Tawaif, that is " (dependent) tribes."
There are said to be other adscititious Ka'ab also who are not included among either
the Khanafireh or the Muqaddam. _ , , , . , x ^ ±. ^ t
This is the system of classification of the Ka'ab which seems to be the most worthy of
adoption out of two or three that have been propounded ; but in order to exemplify the
discrepancies of opinion which exist another is now added in brief. It is as follows
I JJris (fighting strength 6,000 men). III. Khanafireh (fighting strength 3,000
1. Dris.
2. Kasir (A1 Bu).
3. Nassar.
II. Muqaddam (fighting strength
1,100 men).
1. Is-haq.
2. Maiyah.
3. Muqaddam.
men).
1. Hamdi (Al Bu).
2. Kawamil.
3. Shawardiyeh.
IV. Hazbeh (fighting strength 3,000
men).
1. Ghuwainim (Al Bu).
2. Hazbeh.
3. La'ateh (Al Bu).
The total strength of the Ka'ab tribe is, and must be, largely a matter of conjecture ;
but, if the first table of sections given above be accepted as correct, the number of fight
ing men arrived at is 15,722 as below:—
r'Asakireh .. .. .. .. 4,750
Dris .. < Ghubaish (Al Bu) .. .. .. 3,042
(.Nassar .. .. .. .. 1,200
Khanafireh .. .. . • . • • • • • 4,680
Muqaddam .. .. . • • • • • .. 2,050
Total .. 15,722
According to the principle on which fighting strength is usually calculated the figures
given would represent a total of about 55,000 souls, — a number which is not patently
either in excess or in defect. These statistics do not include the Ka'ab colonies outside
Southern 'Arabistan nor those of the Hindiyan District; the members of the latter in
number about 1,500, mostly belong to a section called Sha'abani not shown in any classi
fication table of the tribe that has been obtained.
Arms. —It may be added here that a large number of long-barrelled muzzle-loaders
are still seen among the Ka'ab, and that almost every fighting man of the Dris and
Khanafireh divisions is armed either with one of these or with a superior weapon. The
numbers of rifles possessed by the Muqaddam and Hazbeh are indicated above in the
table of sections.
Religion and life. —The Ka'ab, like all the other tribes of Southern 'Arabistan are
Muhammadans of the Shi'ah persuasidn. They cannot except in a few places be de
scribed as altogether settled, nor on the other hand are any considerable proportion of
them truly Bedouin. The bulk of the tribe are now in that stage of development, in
termediate between nomadism and fixity, which is typified by the huts—less removeable
than tents and more easily abandoned than houses—in which they dwell. In out-of-
the-way tracts like Shatut the Ka'ab are still very primitive in their ideas and habits ;
and in some places a tradition as to the iniquity of buying and selling things for money
lingers amongst them. Like the Pathans of the Indo-Afghan frontier they have
a strong objection to being seen in a state of nudity, and this prejudice is even said to give
rise to embarrassment among themselves when rivers have to be crossed by swimming.
Where the Ka'ab possess arable lands they cultivate wheat, barley and rice ; where pasture
exists they own buffaloes, cattle, sheep, goats and even donkeys ; in the marshes they
move about in light canoes, catching fish and snaring or shooting wild fowl; at Fallahiyeh
Town they are otherwise noted as the manufacturers of very fine and light woollen
'aftas for summer wear.
Origin, history and political position. —The Ka'ab claim to be 'Awamir or Bani 'Amir
descended from a certain Ka'ab-bin-Rabi'-bin-'Amir who was himself, they say, the 24th