Abstract
This paper examines how the present Omani government interprets the historical Omani rule of East Africa and constructs its national history, through analysis of how history is presented in school social studies textbooks and teachers’ guidelines.
There are some features in the description of school textbooks, concerning the historiography of Omani rule of East Africa. First, Said bin Sultan is represented as a hero, and the territory he controlled is described as the “Omani Empire.” Second, Omani rule in East Africa is implicitly justified on the basis that Oman spread Arab-Islamic civilization to East Africa and brought prosperity. Third, the peaceful coexistence with local inhabitants is emphasized. Fourth, description concerning slavery is absent. Lastly, vocabulary is carefully chosen to avoid words that might suggest colonialism.
Compared with history books published before 1970, when the nation state of Oman was founded, it is clear that the modern educational system has constructed and spread the idea and name of the Omani Empire, frequently described in a positive way, among Omani citizens. The Omani Empire is described as an ideal that achieved cultural, ethnic, and religious pluralism; its capital, Zanzibar, flourished and connected the globe as a key junction of the Indian Ocean trade. The current Omani government presents the glory of the Omani Empire as a historical acme of which Omanis are to be proud. The government not only spreads the idea as a source of Omani national identity through school textbooks, but also reproduces it through governmental media and academic activity, such as international conferences.
