The Corniche Pearl Monument - Assignment Example

The Corniche Pearl Monument A monument refers to any structure that is built in remembrance of an important event. One such monument is the Corniche Pearl which is found in Doha, the capital city of Qatar in Asia. It is a scenic waterfront esplanade, which was developed in the 1970,’s mainly to promote tourism in the region and remind the people of their history. In the 1920’s before oil was discovered in the region, oysters used to come to the gulf where the pillar is found today seeking favorable environment to create shells. Pearl fishers would catch the oysters and sell them making a lot of money and with time, they became popular in the region. It was out of this popularity that the government decided to create the pearl memorial after the pearl market collapsed and the focus of the people shifted to oil. Today it is one of the greatest icons in the city and it attracts tourists from all spheres of the world. The Pearl serves both commemorative and critical functions to the people of Qatar. It is a commemorative site since it reminds the people of their history as pearl traders and their love for pearls. In the modern state of Qatar, the monument has served to remind the current generation on the cultural significance of the pearl industry. This is an industry, which used to be the backbone of the economy of the country but today it is almost being forgotten as it has been replaced with oil production and gas explorative industries. (Walker & jenny 251).The pearl is therefore very relevant to the society since it carries the history of the people. The obelisk serves a critical function as a hub of tourist attraction and it is strategically located at the capital city making it a favorite tourist destination for many, both locals and foreigners. The Residents of Qatar visit the site to be associated with it because of their historical attachment with pearls whereas foreigners come to visit it mainly because of its fame. On daily basis the center together with other tourist sites in the region, receive over a thousand tourists with all them paying a lot of money to spend time in the stretch of the beautiful scenery. This has boosted the economy of Qatar, which is one of the states with high economic growth and indeed the richest in the world. This is evidenced by the many modern infrastructures that have been developed in Doha recently, mainly in the transport sector. The multibillion-dollar Doha transport way and the Qatar Saudi Arabia road are the recent projects in the transport industry. These two highways will open access to the region and connect it to neighboring countries further boosting trade and consequently the economy. The statue is also critical in that it provides home for oysters in its gulf thus accumulating the pearls of the oysters. These pearls can be collected generating a lot of money which will further inject into the booming economy of Qatar.( Fromherz, Allen 71) Currently the pearl sector is not fully utilized mainly because of the far much lucrative oil and gas industries that has become popular but that does not mean it is insignificant. The pearl trade can sustain small developing countries and generally boost their economies, thus if the Qatar government invests in the sector it will definitely enjoy high returns. The critical function of the site can therefore not be underestimated and it is clear that the site is both critical and commemorative. The community has played important role in the creation and use of the monument. It has played a didactic role in the creation since it came up with the initial idea of constructing it. The people in their small groupings started discussing on the practicability of a monument being constructed in the area. It was out of this enlightenment that the government took into consideration the idea of constructing it. The society further advised the government on how to construct it and where to do the construction since they were the people who were knowledgeable on pearls. This information was very fundamental in the development of this monument and if the community never took the initiative probably it could not have been constructed. In the formulation of laws on the use of the site, and the people were not left behind since they took part in formulating the policies and the guidelines that govern its use. If the role of formulating the policies of the operation of this tourist destination was purely left in the hands of the private sector, it could have been turned to serve personal and selfish interests. The society has served a political role in the creation and use of the pearl hub. Since the inception of the project the community has always influenced either directly or indirectly the governance of the monument. When the project was initiated they advised the government on the people who were best capacitated to manage it, most of who were from the region. This has continued up to today where most of the current management staff is from the local society. The involvement of the residents on the governance of the project has been very instrumental to the continued good performance. According to theories on community involvement in development, when the local society is adequately involved in the governance of any institution, be it political or not, success is guaranteed. ( Craig, Popple, & Mae 170) The public has adequately played an important personal role in the use of the Pearl center and the people have ensured that they benefit a lot from its operation since it is located in their region. They have started businesses along the stretch of the corniche that mainly target the tourists through selling products that suite their needs. Most of these products sold to the tourists are locally made and hence do not incur high production cost making the sellers to make huge profit. The construction of the monument in the coastal stretch has necessitated the government to improve the infrastructure in the region. This has enabled the residents to take advantage of the improved infrastructure to improve them economically and thus raising their standards of living. The society has not been left behind in the historical context of the pearl monument. To commemorate their historical involvement in the lucrative pearl market, they instituted annual festival in the site. The festival usually take three days and involve thirteen ships which compete to find pearls in the sea and the one that manages to get many pearls is declared the winner. During the festival the cultures of the Doha people is promoted through wearing their traditional attires and display their rich history. This festival is usually very significant to the people and they normally look forward to it as demonstrated by the lots of preparations that they engage in before the commencement of the festival. The benefits of this important festival are many, ranging from social to economical. Socially it draws a larger number of people who learn their culture thus marketing it whereas economically the large number of visitors inject to the economic prospects of the community. ( Exell, Karen, and Trinidad 221) The creation and use of the Pearl monument in Doha is utilitarian and purely expressive of the people. The development of this historic site is practical because there is no any other better way in which the gulf of the sea which is rich in pearls would have been utilized effectively. If no construction took place the people would be disconnected with the pearls which are very significant and this would result in loss of their cultural identity. If any other form of construction would have taken place it would not be effective compared to the monument and it was thus practical to construct it. It is purely expressive of the people as it generally describes them in all dimensions from their economic practices to their culture. Its outlook expresses the history of people in pearl mining and it thus communicates the origin of the Doha community. Any person who visits the monument is able to learn more on the environment from merely observing it and spending time in the stretch. The way it is used serves to enlighten its visitors on the culture of the local community. The materials that have been used in the construction of the monument are significant to the people and convey a lot of information about them. They have been able to withstand the test of time since they are still very strong and beautiful and there is indeed no big difference in how they looked at the time of construction and now. These landmark qualities communicate a lot on the people as they show their strength and prowess in various fields. They show that they are able to withstand all forms of challenges that they encounter and try to divide them as a society. This is true since despite all the challenges the people have encountered they have remained to be united and focused on development of their region. They have not allowed their political and economical differences to divide them and fight one another. ( Althani 87) The pearl icon is clearly sending the message that people should not be ashamed of their culture rather they should be proud of it and should try all means possible to promote it. If the people of Doha were ashamed of their culture, they would have not developed the pearl site and consequently it would not be attracting the large number of tourists it attracts today. Each culture is unique in its own way and it cannot thus be compared with other cultures. Its uniqueness makes it attractive to people of other cultures and they should thus invest in promoting their culture. They should adapt strategies that will attract people of other cultures to their culture. It is also communicating on the importance of communal involvement in all forms of development that take place in their society rather than leaving it all to the hands of the private sector and government. In conclusion, monuments are always important landmarks to any group of people. The Coroniche Pearl is thus a very significant landmark in Doha and generally in the entire state of Qatar and it outstand all other tourist destinations in the region. The government should continue investing more in the site and encouraging tourist to visit the region. This can be achieved through formulation of policies that are friendly to the tourists and continual improvement of the infrastructure. The government should ensure the surrounding of the monument is well conserved and any person or organization that may want to curb its development should face the law. Through all these actions, the center will continue being an important pillar to the Doha community both now and in the future. Historic sites are generally very important to any group of people and will always continue being relevant. The corniche pearl center will thus remain to be relevant among the Asian community. Works Cited Althani, Mohamed A. J. Jassim, the Leader: Founder of Qatar. London: Profile Books, 2012. Print. Craig, Gary, Keith Popple, and Mae Shaw. Community Development in Theory and Practice: An International Reader. Nottingham: Spokesman, 2008. Print. Exell, Karen, and Trinidad Rico. Cultural Heritage in the Arabian Peninsula: Debates, Discourses and Practices. , 2014. Print. Fromherz, Allen J. Qatar: A Modern History. London: I.B.Tauris & Co, 2011. Print. Walker, Jenny. Oman, Uae & Arabian Peninsula. Footscray, Vic: Lonely Planet, 2010. Print Read More