The Tunaij (Arabic: الطنيج), also spelled as Tanaij (singular Tunaiji Arabic: الطنيجي), is an Arab tribe in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).[1] The Tunaij have mostly settled in Dhaid, the inland oasis town of Sharjah, and the Ras Al Khaimah town of Rams.[2][3] A small number of Tunaij also settled at Hamriyah.[4]
| Al Tunaij Arabic: الطنيج | |
|---|---|
| Arab tribe | |
| Ethnicity | Arab |
| Location | United Arab Emirates |
| Language | Arabic |
| Religion | Islam |
At the turn of the 19th century, there were some 4,000 Tunaij in the Northern Emirates, of whom 1,500 were Bedouin. Influential in tribal politics because they could raise a force of some 500 fighting men,[1] the Bedouin Tunaij used Dhaid as a centre and a fortified tower protected the 70-odd Tunaij houses there (the Na'im maintained a similar arrangement at Dhaid). The Tunaij have been linked to the Bani Qitab.[5]
The Tunaij of Rams were mostly involved in pearl fishing and, during the pearling season, both Bedouin Tunaij and Shihuh would come to the coast to work as seasonal labour.[6]
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