Bani Yas Tribe

The Liwa Oasis is the place of birth of the ruling families of Abu Dhabi and Dubai. In 1793, the ruling family Al Nahyan moved their residence from Liwa to the city of Abu Dhabi. 

The origins of the Bani Yas tribe, the most prestigious and highly regarded of Southern Arabia, can be traced back to Yas Bin Amer, whose tribe came from the tribe of Nizar Bin Maid bin Adnan. Partly because of its numerical superiority, but mainly because of its military prowess and proven loyalty to allies, many other tribes sought to join the Bani Yas for protection and security. 

In the ‘qaith’ or high summer, the Bani Yas and the other main tribe in the area, the Manasir, used to move in considerable numbers (2,500 to 3,000) down to the Liwa.  

Alternatively, some men from the Bani Yas tribe chose to go diving for pearls off the coast of Abu Dhabi, generating an additional and respected source of income for the tribes.