By Palazhi Ashok Kumar
THE eight-letter word ‘American’ is not only popular in the Middle East, but it’s one of the most widely misunderstood terms in recent memory.
As a matter of fact, these days, all discussions on ‘America and Americans’ give too much weight to wars and conflicts. Sometimes they conclude with destructive and extensive arguments.
To tell the truth, we are living in a world where machines are considered more important than people. In every war people kill people in a new way.
“We constantly fail to stop wars. More importantly, we tolerantly fail conquering issues of racism, materialism, and militarism. We are intelligent enough to talk volumes on achievements, especially on infrastructure and human development.
“We analyse wars and conflicts comprehensively. Often forgotten are the medical personnel from America, Britain, Arabia and Asia — who served behind the scenes, the world over,” says Dr Peter Thoms.
Knowing the history is a better way to promote cultural ties as history tells us about ourselves, who we are, who we are not…
The governments of Oman and the US signed a treaty of Amity and Commerce in 1833. In fact the American Mission played a key role in promoting and developing healthcare and health services in Oman.
Senior Omani citizens acclaim the role of American doctors and nurses, who volunteered to work in Oman’s health sector, in the early 1900s and 1950s.
Well known among them were Dr Sharon Thoms (1910-1913) Dr Harrison (1925-1939), Dr Wells Thoms (1939-1970), nurse Jeanette Boersma (known among Omanis as ‘Khatoon Naeema) and Dr Bosch (1955-1974).
In fact, the mission started its work in Oman, 114 years ago.
Amid the continuing wars and conflicts, people sometimes lose sight of the nobility of American Mission’s efforts in promoting cultural ties. The other day this writer together with Essa bin Mohammed Al Zedjali, editor-in-chief of Times of Oman, tracked down Dr Peter Thoms (74), oldest son of late Dr Wells Thoms, along with his sister Dr Nancy Thoms (77) and brother Dr Norman Thoms (73) in Muscat, and found them eager to talk about a wide range of issues, especially about their Omani and Indian connections, and the need to promote and maintain cultural ties among people, worldwide, especially between Arabs and Americans.
Omani writer and senior journalist Diyab Sakhar Al Aamri introduced us to Dr Peter, Dr Nancy and Dr Norman. Dr Peter spoke facts and Dr Nancy spoke about her childhood in Muttrah. Dr Norman was a bit philosophical.
Dr Peter, Dr Nancy and Dr Norman lived in Muttrah in the late 1930s and early 1950s. A two-hour-long discussion gave us an insight into their grandfather Dr Sharon Thoms, and father Dr Wells Thoms. Those days there were several stories of accident deaths, camel biting and malaria to name a few.
One morning, 105 years ago, an American doctor told Mr Ali from Muttrah that malaria would kill him within months, and that it was time to start saying his goodbyes.
The doctor saved Ali’s life and became a household name among hundreds of Omanis. This old story is known among senior citizens in Muscat.
In Oman, malaria, pneumonia, intestinal obstruction, camel bites and fishing accidents were common in the early 1990s. Dr Sharon Thoms, father of Dr Wells Thoms, rented a house in Muttrah in 1910, and treated more than 10,000 patients in the first year.
Dr Sharon died in 1913 in an accident. He fell on the solid ground off the ladder while he was trying to fix a telephone cable on one of the poles, which he erected between Muttrah and Muscat in a bid to link Muttrah clinic with the maternity clinic in Muscat. Communication between these towns was only by a narrow footpath for pedestrians, and donkey riders or by boat as the age of motorcar was due 13 years after that heartbreaking accident.
Son of Dr Sharon, Dr Wells Thoms worked and lived in Muttrah for more than three decades.
“Cultural relations among people and nations, is not a new phenomenon. My father and mother, along with their Omani colleagues, did everything they could to keep the wounded alive, comfortable and see them out of risks.
“I reached Muscat in 1939, when I was six years old — the year of World War II. I have American shoes and clothes, but heart is Omani, as I grew up here in Muttrah. Omanis adopted us, accepted us, and made us Omanis,” Dr Peter said.
“We studied in India’s Kodaikanal School which was founded in 1901. It was a school for the children of American missionaries serving in the region. We used to travel by ship to South India. During vacation (January-December) we come to Muscat. We have heard of India’s freedom struggle and leaders. We were eager to visit Madras, Cochin, Bombay and Calcutta in India. I lived in Muttrah till 1951. The school curriculum was in line with the US syllabus, and that helped us a lot,” Dr Peter said.
At present, Dr Peter lives in Michigan. The name Michigan is derived from the Indian word Michigama (great). Peter enjoyed spending his youth in Muscat and India.
“Those days we used Indian currency and coins,” he said. If I’m not mistaken, under the gold standards, Indian rupee was equivalent to US 21 cents.”
Since the 19th century, various Sultans of Oman have minted their own baisa coins. The Muscat baisa was valued at 64 to the Indian rupee, available in three and five basia pieces.
Unlike other hill stations in India, which were the outcome of British colonial needs, Kodaikanal School and the hill station were the outcome of American interests and needs. At present, students and staff from more than 30 nations share in a multicultural residential experience, set within a community life devoted to service in India and the rest of the world.
“I believe that the Omani factor played a major role in shaping our personality and character, as those years we lived here were crucial, I mean my age, our Omani neighbours and friends.” he said.
The story of these doctors, is not justifying wars and conflicts in which America is involved.
American and British missions had been active since late 1800, the world over. Available data reveals that American Mission established its first medical clinic in Muttrah in 1904, and, in 1913, opened a small hospital in Muscat. In 1934, it opened Oman’s first large general hospital — the American Mission Hospital.
“We salute our Omani colleagues who participated in our mission, and without whom we could not have carried out the medical and educational programmes through the period of our presence in Muscat.
“We salute our Omani colleagues who encourage us to promote our task to creating and maintaining friendship. We maintain and remember names such as Qambar bin Almas and his brothers Mubarak and Mohammed. We salute Abdulrasool bin Khamis, Mirok bin Ali Al Balushi, Alnubi bin Pireeh, Malallah bin Abdullah Al Raeesi, Mansoor bin Abdullah Al Maimani, Musa bin Juma Al Balushi, Abdulbaqi bin Abdullah, Suleiman bin Nasir Al Siyabi, Dawood bin Qasim Al Zedjali, Hamood bin Abdullah Al Wohaibi, Juma bin Salih bin Suroor, Dishok bin Shambeeh and his borther Abdok, Latifa bint Rubayya, Alzoan bint Humaid, Khalfan bin Azeez Al Akhzami, Maryam bint Moosa Al Farisi, Aysha bint Omar, Rubayya bin Sakhi, Wadee Abu Naeem, Ahmed bin Jan Mohammed Al Zedjali, Azeeza bint Suleiman, Mahmood Ibrahim Al Raeesi, Suleiman bin Hamad Al Abri, Mahmood bin Abdullah Al Zedjali, Abdullah bin Nasser Al Khusaibi, Hussein bin Yusuf Al Balushi, Suleiman bin Saeed, Husan bin Hashim Al Zedjlai, Aziz Al Khuseibiya, who have contributed to the success of our activities in Oman,” Dr Peter and Norman said.
“Nowadays we know more about war than we know about peace. People know more about killing than they know about living,” says Dr Norman, who visits Oman, frequently. Certain quarters strive to create a division among Americans and Arabs.
Health Services in Oman today. Photo: Ministry of Information, Oman.
“The collective task of humankind is to build a genuine civilisation — free from wars and conflicts,” Dr Norman said.
“I can’t forget my childhood in Muttrah. All my friends were Omanis, and I learned Arabic from them. We considered Oman as our home. I enjoyed all my school vacations. We will continue to maintain our Omani connections,” Nancy said.
“We renewed our acquaintances with our old friends and families of Muttrah,” she added.
Wars and conflicts will continue. But world leaders must explore the possibilities of promoting closer ties among people — Asians/Arabs/Americans/Europeans.
We must strive to recognise one truth: The only real mistake is the one from which we learn nothing.
Mahatma Gandhi one said: ”You must not lose faith in humanity. Humanity is an ocean; if a few drops of the ocean are dirty, the ocean does not become dirty.”
This exemplifies that there is no civilised society, but only a society in the process of becoming civilised.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
© Muscat Press and Publishing House
