“Their religion was a real and living thing”: Alan Villiers’ interactions with Islam and Arabian culture, 1938-39

An Australian sailing on a Kuwaiti dhow in the middle of the Indian Ocean creates an unlikely combination - but one which produced one of the most striking and intricate accounts of Gulf sailing traditions in their twilight era.

Alan Villiers was a celebrated Australian author, photographer, and seafarer who spent his life seeking to extensively document maritime traditions around the world throughout the 20th century. Among his most notable contributions is his extraordinary documentation of the rich seafaring heritage in the Arabian Gulf, which we are incredibly fortunate to hold in our collections here at Royal Museums Greenwich. These include stunning photographs and films, as well as his memoirs Sons of Sinbad, all of which highlight his journey on the dhow Bayan.

Caird Fellow Taibah Al-Fagih has spent the last six months studying these collections, with a particular focus on representations of Arabian culture and Islamic traditions in Villiers’ works. 

Join us as we explore the understanding and impressions that Villiers formed of this culture through his unique lens. How did his perception differ to contemporary travel narratives on the Gulf? Was this influenced by the nature of life at sea? How was this portrayed in his photographs and writings?

About the speaker: Taibah Al-Fagih

Taibah Al-Fagih recently completed her tenure as Caird Fellow at Royal Museums Greenwich, where she conducted research on the Alan Villiers photographic collection taken between 1938-39. 

She holds a Masters in Global and Imperial History from the University of Oxford and a BA in International History from the London School of Economics, and is particularly interested in modern Middle Eastern history and politics.

Header image: Prayers on board the 'Triumph of Righteousness' by Alan Villiers © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London