Origin of Name :-
The name refers to a 19th-century nine-stranded
elaborate festoon pearl necklace, designed in the best Indian traditions
of jewelry crafting, similar in style to the famed Satlada necklaces of
India, that once belonged to Umm Kulthum (pronounced-Kulsum), the greatest Arab female
singer of the 20th-century, of Egyptian nationality, who was fondly
referred to as "Kawkab-el-Sharq," meaning, the "shining star of the
Middle East." The necklace that has attained international fame because
of its historic provenance, particularly its ownership by the legendary
singer of international repute, was actually a gift by one of her most
ardent and devoted fans, who was none other than His Royal Highness, the
Late Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, the former ruler of the United
Arab Emirates. The necklace was presented to Umm Kulthum by Sheik Zayed,
somewhere between 1967 and 1971, in appreciation of her long singing
career that mesmerized the Arab world for nearly five decades.
Characteristics of
the pearl necklace
© Christie's
The "Satlada type" nine-stranded festoon pearl
necklace was designed in India around 1880, and consists of
approximately 1,888 pearls. Each of the nine strands in the necklace, is
composed of white spherical natural pearls, with the larger pearls
occupying the curvature of the festoons, and the size of the pearls
progressively decreasing towards the ends of the strands. In keeping
with the design of antique necklaces, there is no clasp joining the
strands together as modern necklaces. Instead, the ends of the nine
strands converge on either side towards a triangular-shaped cap-like
device made of enameled gold or silver, to which the ends of the pearl
strands are attached. A tough silk rope arising from each of these
cap-like devices, facilitates the necklace to be secured around the
neck. This arrangement is advantageous in a way compared to modern
necklaces with clasps, as all pearls in the necklace are displayed on
the chest in front, and no pearls are hidden behind the neck.
Another special feature of this festoon necklace is
that each of the strands are interspersed at regular intervals of four
pearls with enameled pendants carrying three pearls each, except for the
main pendant at the curvature of the festoon in the longest strand which
carries five large pearls. All nine strands have a main pendant at the
curvature of the festoon, and all these pendants lie along a perfect
vertical line, which is also the median line of the necklace. For
description purposes of this article let us number the strands serially
from top to bottom, the shortest strand at the top becoming strand no. 1
and the longest strand at the bottom, strand no. 9. In strand no. 9,
which is the lowest and main strand in the necklace, there are 13
smaller pendants on either side of the main pendant. Moving upwards from
the lowest strand, in strand no. 8, there are 11 smaller pendants on
either side of the main pendant. Following this pattern we see that in
strand nos. 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1, there are respectively, 10, 9, 8, 7,
6, 5, and 4 smaller pendants on either side of the main pendants. In
other words the number of smaller pendants progressively decrease as we
go up from the lower strand to the upper strand.
We are now in a position to compute the number of
pendants in each of the strands in the necklace. The lowest strand,
which is strand no. 9, has (13 x 2) + 1 = 27 pendants. Repeating the
calculation for the other strands, there are 23, 21, 19, 17, 15, 13, 11
and 9 pendants respectively in strand nos. 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2 and 1.
Thus altogether there are 155 pendants in the nine-stranded necklace of
which nine are main pendants and the remaining 146 are smaller pendants.
The presence of the smaller pendants between the strands each carrying
three pearls, has a spectacular and dramatic effect on the necklace,
that cannot be achieved if the necklace was composed of pearl strands
only. Overall the features incorporated in this unique necklace is a
living testimony to the extraordinary skills of the Indian jewelry
craftsmen who designed this necklace in the late 19th century.
History of the pearl
necklace
The source of the
pearls in the necklace
The Umm Kulthum's pearl necklace is believed to have
been designed around the year 1880 in Bombay (Mumbai), India, the main
center of the pearl trade in Asia at that time. The hub of the
international pearl industry at that time was still the Persian Gulf,
the Red Sea and the Gulf of Mannar, and was based mainly on the pearl
oyster species Pinctada radiata. The pearls produced were mainly medium,
small, and the smallest sizes known as seed pearls, and appeared in
several colors such as white, cream, yellow and golden. The pearls in
the Umm Kulthum's pearl necklace are medium and small sized, and may
well have originated from the Pinctada radiata oysters. During this
period, pearls produced in the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the Gulf of
Mannar, mainly reached the Bombay pearl markets, where the dealers got
better prices for the pearls, than elsewhere in the world, such as
London. This was because the Maharajahs of the princely states of India,
were prepared to pay better prices for such pearls and jewelry made out
of these pearls. This resulted in the establishment in Bombay of a
jewelry manufacturing industry based on pearls. Most of the pearls were
graded according to quality, color and sizes, and then beaded ad strung
into necklaces, bracelets, and other types of jewelry, for which the
Maharajahs paid attractive prices. The Nizams of Hyderabad and the
maharajahs of Baroda were some of the more prominent customers of the
Bombay pearl markets. The pearl carpet of Baroda, the most extravagant
carpet ever made in the history of mankind, incorporates over a million
seed pearls originating from the Persian Gulf, the Red Sea and the
Gulf of Mannar, purchased at Bombay by the agents of Gaekwar Khande Rao
of Baroda, who commissioned the carpet in 1860, with a view of
fulfilling a vow to cover the tomb of the Holy Prophet of Islam, Prophet
Muhammad, at the Holy City of Medina.
Some of the middle eastern rulers were also customers
of the pearl jewelry produced in Bombay at that time, even though oil
had not been discovered in the middle east, and these
kingdoms did not possess the riches that they own today. Thus, the Umm Kulthum's pearl necklace appears to have been executed by the jewelry
craftsmen of Bombay, on a special order placed by one of the royal
families based in the Gulf region, and perhaps the royal family might
have also supplied the pearls necessary for the execution of this order.
The original owners
of the pearl necklace - the ruling family of the sheikdom of Abu Dhabi
The Umm Khultum
Pearl Necklace was designed during the period of rule of Sheik Zayed bin
Khalifa al-Nahyan from 1855 to 1909
The nine-stranded Umm Kulthum festoon pearl necklace
was originally part of the crown jewels of the ruling family of the
sheikdom of Abu Dhabi, the largest of the seven "Trucial Sheikdoms"
which together with Bahrain and Qatar became British Protectorates by
the treaty of 1892, and remained so until the expiry of the treaty on
December 1, 1971. At the time the Umm Khultum Pearl Necklace was
designed in 1880 in Bombay, probably at the request of the ruling family
of Abu Dhabi, the sheikdom was ruled by Sheik Zayed bin Khalifa al-Nahyan,
whose reign extended from 1855 to 1909. Sheik Zayed bin Khalifa
al-Nahyan was the grandfather of Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, the
ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1966 and the architect and first president of the United
Arab Emirates from 1971 to 2004.
The pearling
industry, fishing and agriculture were the mainstay of the economy
of Abu Dhabi and other Trucial States before the discovery of oil
Prior to discovery of oil in the Trucial States, and
the sheikdoms becoming oil exporters beginning from the early 1960s, the
mainstay of their economy was agriculture, fishing and the pearling
industry. All countries bordering the Arab side of the Persian Gulf such
as Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and
Oman, were engaged in the pearling industry from time immemorial. The
pearl banks in the Persian Gulf were mainly found on the Arab side of
the Gulf, stretching from Kuwait and the Island of Bahrain in the west
to Oman on the tip of the Arabian peninsula, including the strait of
Hormuz, and extending up to the Kish Island on the Persian side of the
Gulf. The banks were situated from a few hundred meters to around 96 km
from the shore, at depths ranging from 2 to 18 fathoms ( 3.6 to 32.4
meters). Bahrain was the center of the pearl industry in the Gulf since
ancient times, as most of the pearl oyster reefs were concentrated
around this island. Other important pearling areas were found off the
coast of Kuwait, the island of Dalmah off Abu Dhabi, Abu Musa, Hormuz
and the Lavan-Kish island group on the Persian side.
Regular supplies
of pearls from the pearl producing countries such as Abu Dhabi reached
the Bombay pearl markets during the 19th and early 20th centuries.
The pearling industry thrived in the nineteenth and
early twentieth centuries, providing both income and employment to the
people of the Persian Gulf, including the sheikdom of Abu Dhabi. Pearls
from the Persian Gulf mainly reached the Bombay markets, because of the
attractive prices paid for them. Pearls produced around the island of
Dalmah off Abu Dhabi also went to the Bombay markets. During the reign
of Sheik Zayed bin Khalifa al-Nahyan from 1855 to 1909, regular
supplies of pearls were dispatched to the pearl markets of Bombay. It
was during this period in 1880, that Sheik Zayed bin Khalifa al-Nahyan
most probably placed the order for the celebrated nine-stranded pearl
necklace from the jewelry craftsmen of Bombay.
The decline of the
pearl industry after the first world war
The outbreak of World War I in 1914 had a serious
impact on the pearl fishery in the Persian Gulf, due to decrease in
demand. The war was followed by the Great Depression of the late 1920s
and the early 1930s, which had a more devastating effect on the pearl
industry. The final death blow was given by Kokichi Mikimoto of Japan,
who perfected the technique of producing cultured pearls in 1916, and
large quantities of cultured pearls flooded the pearl markets in the
1930s. The industry however survived into the 1940s, as cultured pearls
were not universally accepted at the beginning, and eventually in the
late 1940s, after the newly independent Indian government imposed heavy
taxation on pearls imported from Arab States of the Persian Gulf, the
pearling industry finally suffered a natural death, never to raise its
head again in the Persian Gulf. The death of the industry caused untold
hardship and misery to thousands of people who were dependant on the
industry for their livelihood, such a pearl divers, boat owners, pearl
dealers and merchants etc. The countries also lost a valuable source of
foreign exchange. However, fortunately oil exploratory activities had
begun in the 1930s, in the Trucial States including Abu Dhabi, with the
help of British investment and technology. Oil was struck in several of
the Trucial States, and in 1962 Abu Dhabi exported its first consignment
of crude oil.
A short biography of
Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan
His early life and
education
Sheik Zayed who was born in 1918 in Al Ain, Abu Dhabi
was the youngest of the four sons of Sheik Sultan bin Zayed bin Khalifa
al-Nahyan, who was the ruler of Abu Dhabi from 1922 to 1926. He was
named after his famous grandfather, Sheik Zayed bin Khalifa al-Nahyan,
whose rule was the longest in the history of the Emirates, lasting for
54 years from 1855 to 1909. Sheik Zayed bin Khalifa al-Nahyan was known
as "Zayed the Great" and was the leader of the Bani Yas tribe, who
played a significant role in forging unity between the various tribes of
the trucial kingdoms and Oman. Zayed's father Sheik Sultan bin
Zayed al-Nahyan was succeeded by his uncle
Sheik Saqr bin Zayed al-Nahyan in 1926 for a short time, after which in
1928, his eldest brother Sheik Shakbut bin Sultan al-Nahyan
became the ruler of Abu Dhabi. After his father died in 1927, Zayed who
was only nine years old at the
time, was sent to Al-Ain, about 160 km east of Abu Dhabi, where he spent
the rest of his youth and also received his education, which was based
on traditional Islamic values, that included the study of the
Holy Qur'an, and other associated subjects such as Islamic history and
literature, Islamic law and jurisprudence, the traditions (sunnah) of
the Holy prophet, etc.
His appointment as
Governor of Al Ain in 1946, and his travels abroad with his brother
Sheik Shakbut bin Sultan al-Nahyan, that convinced him of the urgent
need to develop Abu Dhabi
During this period Abu Dhabi was a British
protectorate and was part of the seven Trucial States. The country was
poor and undeveloped, and the country's economy was based mainly on
fishing, pearl diving and agriculture. In the 1930s the country's
economy suffered when cultured pearls from Japan flooded the
international pearl markets. In order to help the country look for
alternative economic resources, the British Government sent teams of
experts to carry out geological surveys in Abu Dhabi. Zayed who was
still very young at that time was appointed by his brother Sheik Shakbut
bin Sultan al-Nahyan, as guide for the British Geological Survey teams,
to help them move around the desert. In 1946, when Zayed was 28 years
old, Sheik Shakbut appointed him as the governor of Al Ain. After the
expiry of his term of office in 1953, Zayed was again reappointed to the
same post. Both Sheik Shakbut and his brother Zayed traveled to Europe
to appear at a legal hearing on an oil dispute. They also traveled to
other western countries, such as the United States and Switzerland,
other Arab States such as Egypt, Syria, Iraq and Lebanon and Asian
States such as Pakistan and India. On their return to Abu Dhabi, Sheik
Shakbut and Zayed were convinced, that there was an urgent need to
develop Abu Dhabi and her neighbors, in order to keep up with
development and modernization in the rest of the world.
Sheik Zayd bin Sultan al-Nahyan
Photo credit:
http://www.agenciabrasil.gov.br/imagens
Sheik Zayed bin
Sultan al-Nahyan takes control of Abu Dhabi in 1966, opening the way to
implement the type of development he witnessed in foreign nations
Oil was first discovered in Abu Dhabi in 1958, but
the first commercial production started in 1962, from the off shore Umm
Shaif field, and later from on shore at Bab. Thus the first cargo of
crude oil was exported from Abu Dhabi in 1962, and the oil revenues
realized gave a boost to the economy of the country. In 1966, a change
of baton took place in the leadership of Abu Dhabi. Sheik Shakbut bin
Sultan al-Nahyan who had ruled the country for 38 years, handed over
control to his youngest brother, Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan on
August 9, 1966. The change in leadership has been variously referred to
as a "palace coup" by some authorities and "bloodless coup" by others.
Yet, there is no denying of the fact, that this change was the most
significant in the history of Abu Dhabi and the Emirates, that saw the
emergence of the country from a poor agriculture based economy to an
oil-rich economy, that elevated the standard of living of its people and
transformed Abu Dhabi and the Emirates to one of the most modern states
in the world.
Sheik Zayed bin
Sultan al-Nahyan embarks on an ambitious modernization program for his
country. Housing and education receives top priority.
After assuming the stewardship of the country, and as
the country's oil revenues piled up, Sheik Zayed embarked upon an
ambitious modernization program for his previously impoverished country.
He identified the priorities for his nation, that included housing,
education, health care, development of infrastructure, communications,
and the building of an international airport and seaport. Massive
housing projects were undertaken to provide basic housing facilities for
his people. Next came education. Realizing that the future of his nation
depended on a literate and educated population, he invested heavily on
the building of new schools and universities, and encouraged both boys
and girls to pursue education which was provided free for all citizens.
After the founding of the United Arab Emirates, the benefits of
education was extended to all other emirates. Today, the U.A.E. is among
the most educationally advanced countries in the region. The U.A.E.
University in Al Ain had on its roll around 17,000 students in the year
2004. In 1989, a network of technical vocational colleges, known as the
Higher Colleges of Technology were opened in each emirate, with separate
men's and women's campuses. In 1998, the Zayed University for women
opened, with campuses in Abu Dhabi and Dubai. With the expansion of
educational opportunities, several foreign countries also opened
universities in the Emirates, that included the American University
Sharjah with a student population of 4,500 in 2007, and the campuses of
universities from the U.S., U.K., and Australia.
Provision of
healthcare facilities and infrastructure development also received
priority
To provide healthcare for his people, Sheik Zayed
built several hospitals, employing highly qualified medical
consultants from western and Asian countries, which provided healthcare
facilities free of charge. He further decreed that the state would bear
the cost of foreign healthcare if required, for those families unable to
afford it. Infrastructure development received high priority during the
reign of Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan. He built a modern network of
roads within Abu Dhabi and highways connecting the different
emirates. Bridges were also constructed, including the bridge linking
Abu Dhabi to the mainland. The other major projects he undertook was the
construction of the Abu Dhabi International Airport, with its unique
mushroom-shaped terminal building, and the Abu Dhabi seaport.
Sheik Zayed bin
Sultan al-Nahyan's contribution to the environment and conservation
Sheik Zayed brought up in the harsh conditions of the
Al Ain desert, was well aware of environmental issues, and the impact a
program of afforestation would have on the environment of his
country. He allocated funds for the planting of more then 150 million
trees, and transformed Abu Dhabi into a green city. He also supervised a
program to breed 80 endangered animal species, and created a zoo in Al
Ain in 1967. His contribution to the environment and conservation was
recognized by the Worldwide Fund for Nature, which awarded him its
highest environmental prize, the Golden Panda Award in 1997.
Britain announces
the termination of the 1892 treaty. Sheik Zayed's contribution in
forming a
federation of seven emirates, known as the United Arab Emirates
In January, 1968, Britain announced its decision to
terminate its treaty obligations to the seven Trucial States, which
together with Qatar and Bahrain were governed as British Protectorates,
after the treaty which was first signed in 1892, expired in December
1971. This effectively meant that Britain would withdraw its military
presence in the Gulf, which held the prospect of future political
instability in the region. Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan had the necessary
political acumen to foresee what the future held in store after a
British withdrawal, and realized that the best option would be for the
nine British Protectorates to join hands to form a single political
union, that would be a force to reckon with in the Gulf region in the
future. He was the first leader to call for a closer political union
between the nine protectorates after the British withdrawal.
Sheik Zayed
immediately swung into action, and on February 19, 1968, he met with the
ruler of Dubai, Sheik Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoom at Samih, and had
discussions about forming a union between the nine emirates after the
withdrawal of Britain. The discussions that were successful led to the
signing of an agreement on February 27, 1968, that envisaged the
formation of a federation of the nine emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai,
Fujairah, Sharjah, Ajman, Umm al-Quwain, Ras al-Khaimah, Bahrain and
Qatar. During the following three years, Sheik Zayed worked hard to
realize his dream of a united federation of the nine states, and had
repeated discussions with the leaders of all the emirates, to forge in
the unity which was his cherished desire. Unfortunately the leaders of
Bahrain and Qatar could not be convinced, and they decided to go in for
full independence. Ras al-Khaimah was also reluctant to join initially.
Thus on December 2, 1971, six of the nine emirates - Abu Dhabi, Dubai,
Fujairah, Sharjah, Ajman and Umm al-Quwain - formed a federation known
as the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.), Sheik Zayed, the architect of the
federation, was unanimously elected the president of the new federation
and Sheik Rashid of Dubai the vice-president. Just two months
afterwards, on February 11, 1972, Ras al-Khaimah also decided to join
the federation, increasing the number of emirates to seven.
Sheik Zayed's
benevolence benefits not only the people of the UAE but also the people
of other countries. The philosophy behind his system of government.
After becoming the president of the United Arab
Emirates, Sheik Zayed used the oil revenues of Abu Dhabi to fund
projects not only in Abu Dhabi, but throughout the United Arab Emirates.
His magnanimity was not confined to the UAE alone. He established the
Abu Dhabi Fund for Arab Economic Development, through which he channeled
funds for development projects to around 40 less fortunate Islamic
nations in Africa and Asia. His other charitable acts involved the
adoption of hundreds of orphans and the building of hospitals abroad in
Europe, Africa and Asia. Thus he has gone down in history as a great
leader and humanist, whose benevolence had not only benefited his own
people but also unfortunate people of other countries in the world.
Among his other acts of benevolence include the distribution of land
free to the poor and landless families, and his tolerance towards people
of other religious persuasions, such as Christians and Hindus, among the
expatriate workers in his country, who were allowed to have their own
places of worship.
The philosophy of his benevolent reign was clearly
explained by him when he made the following comments, when asked by the
New York Times in April 1997, why there was no elected parliamentary democracy in the United Arab Emirates
:-"Why should we abandon a system that satisfies our people in order
to introduce a system that seems to engender dissent and confrontation ?
Our system of government is based upon our religion, and that is what
our people want. Should they seek alternatives, we are prepared to
listen to them. We have always said that our people should voice their
demands openly. We are all in the same boat, and they are both the
captain and the crew. Our doors are open for any opinion to be
expressed, and this is well known by all our citizens. It is our deep
conviction that Allah has created people free, and has prescribed that
each individual must enjoy freedom of choice. No one should act as if
they own others. Those in the position of leadership should deal with
their subjects with compassion and understanding, because this is the
duty enjoined upon them by Allah, who enjoins upon us to treat all
living creatures with dignity. Our system of government does not derive
its authority from man, but is enshrined in our religion and is based on
Allah's book, the Qur'an. What need have we of what others have conjured
up ? Its teachings are eternal and complete, while the systems conjured
up by man are transitory and incomplete."
Sheik Zayed
re-elected as president at five-year intervals until his death in 2004
Sheik Zayed's immense popularity among his subjects
in the UAE, led to his re-election again and again at five-year
intervals, by members of the Supreme Council, constituted of members
from the ruling families of the seven emirates, until his death in 2004.
Likewise the ruler of Dubai, Sheik Rashid bin Saeed al-Maktoom was
re-elected as vice-president, until his death in 1990, when he was
succeeded by his son, Sheik Maktoum.
Sheik Zayed also played a major role in the setting
up of the Gulf Co-operation Council, a trade bloc with many economic and
social objectives, involving six Arab states of the Persian Gulf, Saudi
Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman. Kuwait, Qatar and Bahrain. The
agreement setting up the council was signed in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on
November 11, 1981.
His final years,
death and succession
In the 1990s, Sheik Zayed's health began to
deteriorate, and he used to travel from time to time for medical
checkups and treatment to the United States and London. In 1996, he
traveled to the United States for a spinal surgery, from which he
recovered successfully. In the year 1999, while he was admitted in
hospital for some medical tests, the people of the UAE wrote him a
personal thank-you letter, with 1.5 million signatures, that represented
one-third of the population of the United Arab Emirates. Sheik Zayed was
touched by this extraordinary gesture of his beloved citizens. In the
year 2000, he underwent a kidney transplant surgery, at the Cleveland
Clinic, in the United States, from which he recovered successfully. In
the 1990s while his health had been deteriorating, his eldest son, Sheik
Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who was the Crown Prince and the Deputy
Supreme Commander of the UAE armed forces, played an increasing role in
the day to day governance of the country. Sheik Zayed, who was 86 years
old and had been ailing for sometime and undergoing treatment in London,
died on November 2, 2004, which was the 19th day of Ramadan, 1425 A.H.
in the Islamic calendar. He was buried in the courtyard of the new Sheik
Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan Mosque, also popularly known as the Grand
Mosque, in Abu Dhabi, whose construction was initiated by the late
president himself. Sheik Zayed was succeeded by his eldest son, Sheik
Khalifa bin Zayed al-Nahyan, who was unanimously elected as President of
the United Arab Emirates, by the rulers of the other emirates in the
Supreme Council.
Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan Mosque, Abu Dhabi
The Umm Kulthum Pearl
Necklace is inherited by Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, who
presents it Umm Kulthum.
The Umm Kulthum Pearl Necklace which was commissioned
in 1880, by Sheik Zayed bin Khalifa al-Nahyan, who was also known as "Zayed
the Great," remained with the al-Nahyan royal family as part of its
crown jewels, until it was inherited by Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan
on August 9, 1966, from his predecessor and eldest brother Sheik Shakbut
bin Sultan al-Nahyan, who ruled from 1928 to 1966. It remained with the
royal family until somewhere between 1967 and 1971, when the legendary "Kawkab-el-Sharq"
the "Shining Star of the Middle East," Umm Kulthum, visited Abu Dhabi for
one of her performances, and was received with full state honors by the
Emir, Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, who was an ardent and devoted
fan of the reputed singer. It was on this occasion that Sheik Zayed bin
Sultan al-Nahyan, presented the historic necklace, an heirloom of the
family to Umm Kulthum, in appreciation of her long singing career that
had enchanted the Arab World for nearly five decades. The famed singer accepted the gift in all
humility and thanked the Emir for his kind gesture.
Umm Kulthum - A short
biography
Her early life and
discovery of her talents by her father al-Sheik Ibrahim
Umm Kulthum, the most celebrated Arab singer of the
modern era, and fondly referred to as the "Voice of Egypt" and the
"Shining Star of the Middle East" (Kawkab-el-Sharq), was born
on May 4, 1904, to a poor
family in a rural village by the name of Tammay al-Zahayrah near the
city of al-Sinbillawayn, in the Delta Province of Daqahliyah, Egypt. She was
born into a family of singers, and her father, al-Sheik Ibrahim and
brother sang religious songs at weddings and other private functions, to
supplement his income as the imam of the local mosque. As was the
tradition in the village, Umm Kulthum was sent to the local Quranic
school, where she memorized the Holy Qur'an, and perhaps picked up the
basic skills of reading and writing. She exhibited her singing talents
at a very early age, by memorizing the songs her father taught her
brother, who use to accompany him for his singing engagements. Al-Sheik
Ibrahim was genuinely surprised to discover what the little girl had
picked up, just by overhearing her brother's lessons, and was
particularly impressed by the strength of her voice. He then encouraged
the girl to join the singing lessons, and like her brother she too
started performing at village functions. Thus, without any doubt the
credit for discovering Umm Kulthum's singing talents, that subsequently
mesmerized the entire Arab world, should go to her father al-Sheik
Ibrahim. Her exceptionally strong and vibrant voice, made her the star
performer of the group, whose popularity increased, throwing open more
and more opportunities to the family.
Umm Kulthum
Her migration to
Cairo from the village, and the opportunities thrown open to her in her
singing career
Well wishers of the family encouraged al-Sheik
Ibrahim to take his young daughter to Cairo, in order to further her
career in the entertainment business. But, being brought up in the
village with their simple life styles, the family was reluctant to move
to the busy Cairo metropolis with its fast moving life style,
particularly because they had no close relatives in Cairo. Eventually,
the breakthrough came when Umm Kulthum, who was now 16 years of age, was
noticed by a famous singer in Cairo, Abu al-Aila Muhammad, and the
famous oudist Zakariyya Ahmed, who invited the family to Cairo. The
family finally moved to Cairo around 1923, and Abu al-Aila Muhammad as
promised helped the young girl to meet theatrical agents and find
performing opportunities. Being a composer and a singer, Abu al-Aila
Muhammad also became her principal teacher, but later Amin Beh Al Mahdy
also taught her to play the oud. She became a close friend of Amin Beh's
daughter Rawyeha. Amin Beh later introduced her to the cultural circles
in Cairo. Abu al-Aila then introduced her to the poet Ahmad Rami, who
taught her poetry and improved her command of literary Arabic. Rami
later wrote 137 songs for her, and contributed to her phenomenal
success. Umm Kulthum who started her singing career in Cairo with the
repertory of religious songs composed by her father and sung by her
while living in the Delta, changed over to new and modern love songs
composed especially for her and written by Rami and others. Her
new repertory, elegant personal style and trained voice, elevated
her to the top ranks of Cairo's professional singers by the year 1928.
Her life-long
involvement with the mass media begins with the inauguration of the
Egyptian National Radio, that soars her popularity throughout the Middle
East.
She was then introduced to the composer Mohamed-el-Qasabgi,
who introduced her to the Arabic Theatre Palace, where she experiences
her first real public success. Her fame having soared, in 1932, she
embarked on her first Middle Eastern tour, that included cities like
Damascus, Baghdad, Beirut and Tripoli. She began making commercial
recordings in the 1930s that gave her a stable income and comfortable
life. Her life-long involvement with the mass media began in 1934, with
the inauguration of the Egyptian National Radio. She used radio
broadcasting effectively to cultivate a devoted listenership of hundreds
of thousands of Egyptians and Arabs in the Middle East, most of whom had
never seen her, sitting in their homes and coffee shops near a radio.
She took part in regular broadcast interviews that helped establish a
rapport with her remote radio audience. She also granted interviews to
the print media, but only to selected journalists, who would protect her
image and not
misrepresent her.
Her involvement
with films that further boosted her popularity.
In 1934, in parallel to her singing career she
entered films, pursuing an acting career, and eventually starred in six
films, some of which were her own productions. However, she subsequently
gave up acting, partly due to lack of personal and emotional contact
with the audience, and partly due to the damage caused to her eyes by
the bright lights used in shooting films, which required her to wear
dark glasses on stage when exposed to bright lights.
The "Golden Age"
of Umm Kulthum
From the modernistic romantic songs of the 1930s,
dealing with the themes of love, longing and loss, Umm Kulthum adopted a
mature performing style in the 1940s and 1950s, based on songs composed
by Zakariya Ahmed and poet Bayram-al-Tunisi in indigenous Egyptian
styles, that had a lasting appeal for the Egyptian audience. This period
is known as the "Golden Age" of Umm Kulthum. In the latter part of this
period, she engaged the services of a young composer Riyad-al-Sunbati to
set a number of traditional Qasa'id by Ahmed Shawqi. These neo-classical
works based on historically Arab poetic and musical practices, were well
received by the Egyptian audience.
Sharif
Sabri Pasha, the uncle of King Farouk, proposes to marry Umm Kulthum,
but the marriage is barred by the royal family
Her songs mesmerized people of all strata of society,
including the elite of Egyptian society as well as the royal family. She
frequently sang at the court of King Farouk of Egypt. Her celebrity
status elevated her standing in society, causing her to socialize freely
with members of the Egyptian elite including the royal family. It was
then that she first met Sharif Sabri Pasha, one of King Farouk's uncles,
in 1946, who fell in love with her and proposed to marry her. She too
reciprocated his love and was very keen in marrying him, and settling
down to lead a happy married life. Unfortunately, her dreams were
shattered as the marriage was not approved by the royal family,
and caused a lot of grief and disappointment to the singer. Ironically,
she now seemed to be experiencing the "love, longing and loss" that was
the favorite themes of her popular romantic songs.
Her marriage to
Dr. Hasan al-Hifnawi, a dermatologist and her longtime fan
In the midst of the disappointment of her broken
engagement with the king's uncle, she was desperate and agreed to marry
a fellow musician, oud player and composer Mahmud Sharif. However,
within days the marriage was dissolved, as it was concluded in a haste,
and now regarded by both parties as a mistake. Finally in 1954, Umm
Kulthum married Dr. Hasan al-Hifnawi, a renowned dermatologist in the
Arab world, and a devoted and longtime fan of hers, who was introduced
to her by poet Ahmed Rami during one of her concerts. The marriage was
successful, as Dr. Hifnawi like Umm Kulthum had similar origins and
upbringing in a conservative atmosphere in rural Egypt, and were
familiar with its values and behaviors. Both were successful in their
own fields, and the marriage was accepted by all her fans. However the
couple had no children.
Gamal
Abdul Nasser makes use of Umm Kulthum's popularity to further his
political agenda
The 1952 revolution that ousted the monarchy in
Egypt, did not jeopardize Umm Kulthum's career, even though she had sung
at King Farouk's court on many occasions. The new revolutionary
government of Egypt was keen in continuing public entertainment
including radio broadcasting, and moreover Umm Kulthum's fame had
already come to the attention of the Generals of the Revolution,
including Gamal Abdul Nasser, who eventually takes control of the
country. Nasser made use of Umm Kulthum's popularity to further his own
political agenda. One striking instance was the broadcasting of Nasser's
speeches and other important government messages, immediately after Umm
Kulthum's monthly radio concerts. Her monthly concerts that took place
on the first Thursday of every month, were so popular in Egypt and the
Middle East, and was also renowned for their ability to clear the
streets of some of the world's most populous cities, as people rushed
home to tune in.
Umm Kulthum's
patriotic efforts on behalf of her motherland Egypt
Umm Kulthum was a dedicated Egyptian patriot, and
rose up to the occasion whenever her motherland needed her services. In
the immediate aftermath of the disastrous Arab-Israeli war of 1967. she
began a series of domestic and international concerts on behalf of her
motherland. She traveled throughout Egypt and the Arab World, holding
concerts, collecting contributions, and donating the proceeds of her
performances to the government of Egypt. Her concerts in all Arab
countries were given wide publicity, and her visit to these countries
were considered as state visits. She was accorded the honor given to
visiting Heads-of-State, and was received and entertained by all
Heads-of-State.
Umm Kulthum with Sheik Zayed in Dubai
©
Christie's
Health problems
that plagued Umm Kulthum for much of her adult life
Health problems plagued Umm Kulthum every few years
for much of her adult life beginning in the 1930s. In the late summer of
1937, when she was 33 years of age, she fell ill and her sickness was
diagnosed as some sort of problem with the liver and the gall bladder.
Again in the summer of 1946, she had an upper respiratory inflammation,
that led to the diagnosis of a thyroid problem. She received treatment
at the Bethesda Naval Hospital in the U.S. in 1949. She also sought
treatment for the chronic inflammation of her eyes, that was aggravated
by the bright lights of the stage and film, that required her to wear
dark glasses. Her thyroid problems persisted, and required repeated
follow up visits to hospitals in Egypt and abroad.
Umm Kulthum standing opposite the Sphinx in Egypt
Photo credit:Arabfilm.com
The aggravation of
her health problems with age
The health problems that plagued Umm Kulthum
throughout much of her adult life worsened as she grew older. The
hypersensitivity of her eyes to light continued into her later years,
and she was forced to wear dark glasses constantly. From the year 1971,
when she was 67 years old, her health began to decline drastically, with
a gall bladder attack in March of that year, that resulted in the
postponement of concerts scheduled for March and April. During the
following winter, she came down again with a serious kidney infection,
that led to the cancellation of two more concerts in February and March
of 1972. In December 1972, during the first concert of the new season,
she fainted during the program, but continued to sing through the entire
concert. However this was her last performance. The continued
deterioration of her health caused her to cancel the remainder of the
season. From the winter of 1973 through the summer of 1974, she suffered
continuously from weak health, and traveled to Europe and the United
States to consult kidney specialists. Her last song "Hakam Alaina al-Hawa"
was recorded on March 13, 1973. She sang while seated on a chair, as she
was too weak to stand up, and the recording took more than 12 hours.
Her last days and
the anxiety it caused across the Arab world
On
January 21, 1975, she suffered a final kidney attack, but refused to
enter hospital, saying that she would die if she goes there. However,
her family and close friends eventually decided to admit her to a
hospital in Cairo. During her last illness her faithful fans kept vigil earlier
at her home in Zamalik and later at the hospital. Reporters from all
over the Arab World, thronged the hospital. Many newspapers and radio
stations in the Arab world, kept their readers and listeners well
informed of her health condition. While the Egyptian newspaper "Al-Ahram"
published daily bulletins on her health, the Syrian National Radio
Station installed an open telephone line to the hospital to provide its
listeners with up-to-the-minute reports on her health condition. Such
was the outpouring of concern for the life of Umm Kulthum by the common
people of the Arab world, whose lives she touched in many ways, through
her strong and vibrant voice, during a singing career that lasted almost
five decades. Finally, amidst the prayers of her millions of fans
in her beloved country Egypt, and across the Arab world, she passed away
peacefully on February 3, 1975. Her death though not unexpected,
generated an outpouring of grief across the Arab world, and all nations
went into a period of mourning. Most families in the Arab world felt as
if a member of their own family had passed away. Such was the love and
affection with which she was held by people all over the Middle East.
Arrangements made
for her funeral
Soon after her death, arrangements were made by a
funeral committee to give her a befitting funeral in keeping with her
status as an Arab celebrity, to be held as soon as time permits, in
keeping with Islamic traditions. The funeral prayers were to be held at
the Umar Makram Mosque in central Cairo, the usual site for funeral
prayers for well-known Muslims in the city. After the funeral prayers,
the body was to be carried by selected pall-bearers, for a short
distance to a vehicle, that would move slowly towards its final resting
place. However, before the funeral could take place the committee was
informed of the intended arrival of a large number of mourners, that
included fans and admirers from across the Arab world. The committee was
thus compelled to postpone the funeral for two days, though contrary to
Islamic traditions, but not unusual for the funeral of popular leaders,
to give foreign admirers a chance to participate in the funeral.
Her funeral
attended by over 4 million mourners, one of the largest funeral
gatherings in history.
The number of mourners that eventually attended her
funeral exceeded over 4 million, one of the largest funeral gatherings
in the history of mankind. The number of ordinary Egyptian mourners far
exceeded the number anticipated, and the streets of central Cairo was
literally packed to capacity. The organizers of the funeral were
overwhelmed, and things did not turn out the way the committee had
planned. After the funeral prayers at the Umar Makram Mosque in central
Cairo, as the coffin was being carried by the selected pall-bearers,
pandemonium broke out, and the crowds seized control of the coffin. The
crowds took turns and carried the coffin for three hours through the
streets of Cairo, eventually taking it to the mosque of al-Sayyid Husayn,
believed to be one of Umm Kulthum's favorite mosques. The Sheik of the
mosque repeated the funeral prayers over her body, and urged the crowds
to carry the body directly to her burial place, reminding them that Umm
Kulthum was a pious and religious woman, and would have wanted her
remains to be buried quickly in accordance with Islamic rites and
practices. The crowd obeyed the instructions of the sheik, and carried
the body to the burial place, where she was given a burial according to
Islamic rites.
The Umm Kulthum Pearl
Necklace is put up for sale at a Christie's auction in Dubai
The descendants of the renowned Egyptian singer Umm
Kulthum, put up the historic natural pearl necklace presented to her by
Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan, the late President of the United Arab
Emirates, for sale, at a Christie's auction of Contemporary Jewels and
Watches in Dubai, that was to be held on April 29, 2008, at the Jumeirah
Emirates Towers Hotel, Dubai. A pre-sale estimate of $80,000 to
$120,000, was placed on the necklace by Christie's.
Prior to the sale, the renowned necklace was put on
display at Christie's New York, from April 11 to 14, 2008, and in London
on April 18, 2008. On April 27, two days before the sale, the necklace
was again put on display at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, Dubai,
the venue of the auction. Michael Jeha, Managing Director Christie's
Middle East, is reported to have made the following comments to "Emirate
Business" on the eve of the auction :"The significance of the Umm
Kulthum sale centers around her as one of the most famous Arab women in
history. Christie's expects a lot of interest in the pearl necklace,
conservatively estimated at $80,000 to $120,000. We expect it to exceed
its estimate. The provenance of the piece can affect its value; people
love to buy provenance; they love to buy into history; It adds to the
piece and increases its value."
The Umm Khultum Pearl
Necklace fetches a staggering $1.39 million at the April 29, 2008
auction
The Christie's auction of jewels and watches was held
at the Godolphin Ballroom at the Jumeirah Emirates Towers Hotel, on
April 29, 2008. When the Umm Kulthum Pearl Necklace came up for auction,
there was intense bidding for the necklace, which eventually turned out
to become a tense battle between two contenders. Finally, the hammer was
brought down in favor of one of the unidentified contenders from the
Middle East, who paid the staggering amount of 5.1 million Dirhams,
equivalent to $1.39 million, for the much-coveted bejeweled necklace,
which was 10 times the upper pre-sale estimate of $120,000 placed on the
necklace. Thus Michael Jeha's prediction that the necklace would exceed
its estimated value, because of its unique provenance, proved to be
correct, but the margin of 10 times the estimated value, would have even
astounded Mr. Jeha, the Managing Director of Christie's, Middle East.
The same auction saw a 41.5-carat diamond ring sold
for $622,000, and an emerald and diamond ring for $712,300.
When was the Umm
Kulthum Pearl Necklace given as a gift to Umm Kulthum by Sheik Zayed bin
Sultan al-Nahyan?
Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan took control of the
destinies of Abu Dhabi on August 9, 1966. The United Arab Emirates, a
union of seven of the Gulf Emirates, was inaugurated on December 2,
1971, whose chief architect and first president was Sheik Zayed bin
Sultan al-Nahyan. Coincidentally, the year 1971 was also the year Umm
Kulthum turned 67 years, and her health began to decline drastically,
beginning with a gall bladder inflammation, that resulted in many of her
concerts being cancelled. This was followed by her kidney infection in
early 1972, that resulted in more cancellations. Her last performance
during which she fainted was held in December 1972. In 1973 and 1974 she
traveled to Europe and the United States seeking medical treatment for
her deteriorating health condition. Her final sickness started in
January 1975.
Thus the Umm Kulthum Pearl Necklace was most probably
gifted to Umm Kulthum somewhere between 1966, the year Sheik Zayed took
control of Abu Dhabi, and 1971, the year the United Arab Emirates was
inaugurated. In all probability, the necklace was gifted to her when she
visited Abu Dhabi, in the immediate aftermath of the 1967 Arab-Israeli
war, as part of an international effort to mobilize support for the Arab
cause against Israel, holding a series of domestic and international
concerts across the Arab world, collecting contributions and donating
the proceeds of her performances to the Government of Egypt. Umm Kulthum
took great care of the pearl necklace given to her by Sheik Zayed, and
proudly adorned the necklace on several occasions when appearing on
stage for her performances, between 1967 and 1971. Thus the historic
pearl necklace came to be identified with her image, and was known as
the Umm Kulthum Pearl Necklace.
You are welcome to discuss this
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world in our
FORUMS (forums.internetstones.com)
Related :-
1)
The Pearl of Kuwait
2)
The Pearl Carpet of Baroda
3)
The Ceylon Pearl Necklace
External Links :-
Umm Kulthum - Profile by the Egypt State Information
Service - www.sis.gov.eg
References :-
1) Zayed bin Sultan al-Nhyan - From Wikipedia, the
free encyclopedia
2) Biography of Sheik Zayed bin Sultan al-Nahyan -
www.guide.theemiratesnetwork.com
3) History of the United Arab Emirates - From
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
4) United Arab Emirates - From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia.
5) United Arab Emirates -www.infoplease.com
6) United Arab Emirates - The U. S. Department of
State. www.state.gov
7) Umm Kulthum's Antique Necklace Fetches $1.3
million -www.elitechoice.org
8) Umm Kulthum necklace is the highlight of
Christie's latest UAE jewelry auction - Arabian Watches and Jewellery
Business Newsletter. www.mpparabia.com
9) Umm Kulthum : An Outline of her Life - Virginia
Louise Danielson, University of Illinois, 1991.
10) Umm Kulthum - From Wikipedia, the free
encyclopedia.
