Mishael Alalsheikh
Growing up, I was deeply fascinated by the portrayal of animals in different cultures in movies and stories. Each culture has a unique and mesmerizing relationship with its animals. This relationship seemed mystical, private, and too complex to decipher. As I matured, my fascination shifted to the relationship between my own culture in the Arabian Peninsula and its animals. I encountered numerous artifacts, from ancient drawings on mountain walls to modern-day literature, that showcased a profound bond between the Sahara people and their animals, particularly camels. As my life shifted to academia, I stumbled upon Saad al Suyan’s "The Arabian Desert" in which one of the chapters Al Suyan suggests that the camel figure in bedouin literature could be a representation of the alter ego of Arabs. Dr. Al Suwayn hinted at the concept of camels as the alter ego of Arabs but did not provide further explanation or examples. Although I liked Alswyan’s suggestion, I thought it was somewhat narrow.
This paper takes Alswyan’s argument further by arguing that camels in Arab culture particularly Saudi region can be a representation of both personal and collective unconscious. I will build upon his idea by providing specific examples from majils tales and nabtai poetry. By examining how camels feature in Saudi Arabian oral traditions, I will explore their deeper significance within the collective unconscious and cultural memory, shedding light on how these narratives shape and reflect the cultural memory within the region.
Memory studies, nested within cultural studies, offer a profound exploration of how societies construct and interpret their past, influencing their present identities and cultural practices. Central to this inquiry is the concept of cultural memory, which delves into how societies remember and commemorate their history, thereby shaping their sense of identity, belonging, and shared heritage. Cultural memory encompasses of individual remembrances as well as collective narratives, traditions, and rituals that contribute to the formation of cultural identity and memory. Maurice Halbwachs' theory of collective memory enriches this discussion by emphasizing that memories are not formed in isolation but within social frameworks. Halbwachs argued that collective memory is sustained through social groups, institutions, and cultural practices, which provide the structure and context. These collective memories ensure that specific narratives and interpretations are preserved and transmitted across generations, shaping a shared sense of history and identity.
Building upon Carl Jung's concept of the collective unconscious and its connection to cultural memory, this paper investigates the representation of camels in Saudi Arabian oral traditions. In exploring these traditions, The study delves into dissecting different Jungian architypes. The paper will focus on the anima, shadow, and messenger archetypes, key constructs in Jungian psychology. The anima represents the inner feminine aspect within a man's psyche, influencing his emotions and interactions. The shadow embodies the hidden or suppressed parts of the personality, often reflecting our darker impulses and unacknowledged traits. The messenger archetype serves as a canal between the conscious mind and the collective unconscious, often appearing in myths and dreams to deliver crucial insights or guidance. Alongside these archetypes, psychological projection emerges as a significant phenomenon. Psychological projection involves attributing one's own unconscious thoughts, feelings, or desires onto other external entities, often without realizing it.
By examining these three archetypes within the context of Saudi Arabian oral traditions, this essay aims to explain their significance and impact on cultural memory and the collective unconscious by using the motif of the camel. This integrated approach offers a deeper understanding of the complex dynamics at play within Saudi Arabian oral traditions and their broader implications for the collective cultural memory.
Documenting oral traditions presents unique challenges compared to academic literature, often resulting in the loss of origin and authorship of famous stories and even the accuracy of such tales. However, many of these narratives have been engraved in the cultural fabric of the society and preserved in the hearts and oral traditions of many generations. Over time, they have found their way into written collections. This process ensures their preservation for future generations. One such collection is "Swalf al Majlis" by Sulaiman Al-Tami, which compiles narratives shared during gatherings or "majlis." In this series of books, the following story is mentioned, The story begins with a man and his family living in the Sahara Desert in the Arabian Peninsula. While their land is okay and green, the man hears of an even greener land and decides to move there. He takes his wife, young son, and his male camel “ba’eer” with a caravans of female camels “thood”. His older son says he will follow them later. Upon arrival in the new land, the ba’eer decides to return as he was happier and satisfied in the home land and takes the female caravans with him. The man stops him by scolding the ba’eer other versions of the story illustrate he hit the ba’eer while other versions of the story claim he only stopped him, and the next day the camel tries again but is stopped once more by the man. On the third day, the ba’eer doesn't allow the man to stop him, so he kills the man and takes the caravans back to the old land. When the older son arrives and finds out his dad was killed, he takes his mother and younger brother to move back.
Upon arrival, they encounter the angry ba’eer, who decides to kill the older son because he knows he is the son of the man and is afraid he will force him to move again with the female herd. The ba’eer attempts to kill the son, but the son is faster and shoots the ba’eer, causing it to die.
In my personal experience, I've often encountered this story, often followed by the assertion that camels are aggressive, vicious and stubborn. But aren't these characteristics associated with human behavior rather than animal behavior? After all, animals generally act instinctively and don't display complex human-like emotions and motivations. Therefore, I suggest that the ba’eer in the story represents something deeper, rooted in the collective subconscious.
Jung introduced the concept of psychological projection, where individuals attribute certain traits they find in themselves or in a broader cultural context to external entities. In this case, animals can become symbols for these traits, which may vary from culture to culture. If we look at the camel as a symbol for the archetypal shadow, we can better understand how it embodies traits such as stubbornness, malice and aggression. By looking at the camel's behavior through the lens of psychological projection and archetypal symbolism, the story takes on a new level of meaning. Rather than simply portraying a troublesome animal, it becomes a reflection of a deeper psychological dynamics at play within the human psyche and collective unconsciousnes If we divide the story and its characters into symbolic representation of the self we can say that the man in the story represents the ego the conscious part of a human. The ego in this case is more rational and acts upon logic. The man's decision to relocate his family to a supposedly greener land can serve as a manifestation of ego-consciousness in action. The man's rational decision-making, motivated by a conscious desire for improvement and betterment, reflects the ego's tendency towards pragmatic solutions and calculated risks. As the head of the family, he assumes responsibility for the well-being and security of the family and thus embodies the ego's function of maintaining order and control in the individual's inner and outer world. However this peaceful relocation is soon disrupted by the ba’eer stubborn actions. The camel in this case becomes a representative of the shadow. The unconscious aspects of the psyche in the collective unconscious that are often repressed or denied by the ego. In the story, the camel's rebellion against the man's authority symbolizes the eruption of unconscious impulses and desires that threaten to disrupt the man's conscious sense of control and security. The camel's sudden rebellion against the man's authority serves as a powerful metaphor for this. Throughout the story, the camel's behavior challenges the man's perceived order and stability and symbolizes the dark, repressed aspects of his psyche that lurk beneath the surface. The camel's stubbornness and refusal to obey the man's commands reflect the shadow's defiance against the ego's attempts to maintain control. By asserting its autonomy and independence, the camel is symbolic of the unconscious forces that seek to disrupt the conscious mind's carefully constructed image of stability and security.
In addition, the camel's actions act as a catalyst for conflict, compelling the man to confront the repressed aspects of his psyche. The man's efforts to control the camel reflect the ego's instinct to resist change and preserve familiar routines. As the confrontation intensifies, he must acknowledge the limits of his conscious control and face the shadow directly. The camel mirrors the man's inner turmoil and psychological complexity. Its rebellion symbolizes the tension between ego-consciousness and the unconscious, highlighting the struggles arising from this interplay within the psyche.