Strain names come from the dam
While re-reading the excerpt from the RAS’s Dr. Ahmad Mabrouk below, I realized that this man did not seem to know that the Arabian horses are transmitted by the dam.
He recognizes that the horse he bought for the RAS was out of “El Nowagia”, and “by Krush”, yet not only does he name the horse “Kroush“, but he also says he was “a Krush”. The horse was obviously a Kuhaylan Nawwaq like his dam.
And these were supposed to be the best horse experts of their time. I mean, it’s like a US constitutional expert saying that the President is elected by Congress, and getting away with it. I just don’t get it.
I was just going to comment, I was surprised no one had picked up on this. We have evidence for the same mistake in some of the early US registrations (and supported by other published material from the period) but it does strike odd here.
Another, even odder case, from another supposed world authority: Saklawi II, by Saklawi I out of El Dahma.
If his pedigree is correct, then he is a Dahman, yet he is named Saklawi II.
Which Egyptian bureaucrat made this blatant mistake?
I can see that one a little better–it’s the horse’s name, so it’s using a western naming convention rather than the strain convention.
Why that was done is another question, but perhaps it fits with your previous comments on Venus and Carmen. All three were bred by Abbas Hilmi II, right?
Well, on second thought he didn’t breed either of those mares, but this seems to indicate a tendency by whoever named his horses to use Western naming methods.
In Turkey the same…
One Stallion have the given Name of his Sire:
For example:Hedban (Übeyyan) – Bay – imp. Baghdad/Iraq
His Sire was a Hedban/Hadban Strain, and his Dam a Übeyye/Obeya Strain.
But his given Name was Hedban…
Interesting that a Bedouin horse will carry his mother’s name in terms of strain yet a Bedouin woman will often be known as Umm Amer or whatever (ie known as the mother of her son).
In terms of horses I much prefer the Bedouin system of highlighting the damline, for several reasons, to the Western obsession with sire lines, important though these are.
Well, at the same time, when a Bedouin warrior went to battle he would identify himself by shouting his sister’s name when initiating the charge: Akhu Wadha, Akhu Jalwa, Akhu Hassa, etc. That was his war cry.
This doesn’t quite relate to naming conventions of Asil horses, but it’s interesting that for most of my grandfather’s early life, he thought his mother’s name was “The Lady From The Other Village.” It wasn’t until he came to the US that he learned that her name was Za’taar, a type of spice commonly used in Armenia. He remembered that when she was getting her passport in Marseilles he was SHOCKED to learn that she had a name all of her own!
That’s funny… Za’taar is “Wild Thyme” in Arabic. In my house, we have it every day for breakfast, with olive oil.
Note that women in the Middle East had family names of their own, only relatively recently, when individuation become the norm. Before, there were no individuals to speak of, only households headed by a male. The daughters was only a daughter of her father: So today a woman by the name of Selma Hayek (who is of Lebanese descent by the way) was formally called Selma bint (daughter of) Joseph Hayek, not Selma Hayek.
It still is the case for royalty. Princess Alia is Alia Bint al-Husayn.
That is interesting Edouard that a ghazi would call out his sister’s name,quite lovely actually, though I am surprised to be honest!
One nice thing about being a western woman when visiting/ living with a conservative Bedouin family is that one is treated as a man ie will be accepted to drink coffee and talk with the men but also will be welcome into the private women and children’s part of the tent and the women will trust you with their feelings and opinions … very enlightening!!
Arabic thyme mmmmmm love it
There also a Blunt mare called Wild Thyme wasn’t there.
Shirin that is an amusing if slightly sad anecdote!!!:)
PS I have been told that a ghazi may be identified by his mare, ‘ rider of ….’ is this true?
that’s true, he would be know by his peers as the rider of such and such mare. But his nom de guerre was after his sister whose honor he was supposed to fight, and even die for.