The Beautiful Nomadic Bedouins

“El BEDU” (The Bedouin)

are a people of nomadic origin found all over the Middle East and North Africa, probably 4 million in total, the larges communities found in:

• Saudi Arabia
• Libya
• Israel
• Iran
• Syria
• Jordan

Bedouins in SINAI:

It is difficult to find traces of the earliest Bedouin in Sinai. After the Islamic conquest in AD 640, Bedouins came to Egypt in large numbers, some to escape wars and some looking for new land. It is believed that 73 tribes arrived over the centuries, but most moved on. Those that remained were used as warriors and guardians for trade and pilgrim routes across the desert. With the arrival of non-Arab rulers in Cairo, in the 10th Century AD, migration through Sinai slowed down. The Arabs lost their image as warriors and their military services were no longer in demand. At this time some headed for the wilderness of Sinai, both to raid and as paid escorts for pilgrims crossing the desert either to Makkah or to St Catherine. Today are about 20 000 in Sinai, mostly in the North.

Bedouins in south SINAI:

More than 7 000 Bedouin belonging to 6 tribes who live within or close to, the borders of the St Catherine Protectorate. They have a long and ancient tradition. The earliest tribes to settle in south Sinai were the Ishamelite camel-nomads from north and central Arabia. Later came tribes from southern Arabia (Yemen).

Most Bedouin found today are descendants of tribes who arrive between the 14th and 16th centuries. Borders for their present territories were established by the beginning of the 19th Century. The main tribes in southern Sinai today are:

Muzeina, Tarabin, Heiwat, Tiyaha, Garasha, Sawalha, Huweitat, Jebaliya.

Today the Jebaliya are the main tribe around the town of St Catherine.

Jebaliya people:

The Jebaliya are ‘the people of the mountain’. Their territory lies within the boundary of the dark-coloured, circular-shaped dyke that defines the high mountains of St Catherine. The Jebaliya take their identity and livelihood from this landscape and from St Catherine’s monastery which lies at the heart of it. Unlike most Bedouin, the Jebaliya do not trace their ancestry back to a single Arab forefather. They are the descendants of around 200 families sent, in the 6th Century, by the Emperor Justinian from Alexandria (in Egypt) and Macedonia (Greece) to build and serve the monastery.

This was the start of a special relationship that still exists today between the Jebaliya and the Christina monks. The Jebaliya prepared meals, tended the gardens of the monastery and provided manual labour. After  the mid-7th century, they converted to Islam which enriched their own unique culture. The Jebaliya continue to regard the Monastery as their benefactor and call themselves:  Awlaa ad dayr (the children of the Monastery)

Way of life:

Traditionally the way of life for the Bedouin (of St Catherine’s) has been pastoral/nomadic.

Pastoral as in people who keep livestock and Nomadic as in they moved with the animals between seasonal pastures. In Sinai they rarely move more than 40 kms annually, as resources are quite close together. The Bedouin in the mountains make a “vertical migration”:

Summer was spent in the high mountains

Winter in the lower areas.

So they are best described as “semi-nomadic”.

Because of this movement, the Bedouins were entirely an oral culture (less to load up and carry around!). So poetry and songs are a rich part of the culture, and they are famous as story-tellers.

However, currently life is more settled, as many Jebaliya have jobs in the tourist industry.

Stone houses have replaced the traditional Bedouin tents. But at heart they are people of the desert, they have an ingrained love of the land, the desert, the mountains and plants. The desert has forged most of the essential parts of their identity and marks every part of their culture. They are changing, but their culture is still Bedouin!

The Jebaliya raise sheep, goats and camels (animals that are used to life on the open plains.) Camels are strictly cared for by the men, whereas goats and sheep are usually herded by young unmarried women. Mountain orchards (gardens) have been tended since ancient times. There are about 400 orchards around St Catherine where the Jebaliya mainly grow almonds, olives, apricots, pears, apples, pomegranate as well as onions, eggplants and tomatoes. There is still a strong tradition of music and poetry among the Jebaliya. Little is written down: stories are spoken, passing from one generation to the next.

Tents:

Bedouin are typically portrayed as “wanderers”, moving constantly in search of water, but this is not entirely accurate. The tribes usually migrated once a year between established winter and summer pastures, usually within “their” territory.

Tents, folded and carried on the back of a camel, became the ultimate “mobile home”.This traditional form of housing is disappearing but tents are still used for important occasions such as weddings. Tents are made from tough, waterproof goat’s hair. They are woven by the Bedouin women (one tent takes about a year) and then sewn together. The fabric is supported by wooden poles, made from the straight trunks of trees that grow locally. Traditionally, tents have a stone circle around the outside to fix and protect them, so old sites are easily detectable.

The tents were divided into 2 rooms by a large weaving made from camel hair and sheep’s wool: one room was for sleeping and the other for entertaining guests.

Although the bedouin lived in these tents, they had stone storehouses for seeds and other supplies. These storehouses were warm during the cold winter months, so families began to inhabit these simple one-room structures. As lifestyles changed, it became more common to stay in these ‘stone houses’ throughout the year. These then became adapted to become the modern homes of many Bedouin.

Crafts:

Bedouin crafts developed out of the need to make useful items out of available materials. Traditionally such handiwork has always been done by women. When the immediate tasks of the day had been done, the women would occupy themselves with spinning: as they walked, or sat on the ground, or travelled on the back of a camel during migration. They wove sheep’s wool into long strips that were then sewn together to produce bags, carpets and tents. Everything had to be useful, as all household items had to be transported by camel.

Sheep’s wool was used for saddlebags and blankets, ornamental bands for camels, saddles and woven carpets. Camel hair is softer than sheep’s wool and was often chosen for blankets. Goat’s hair was used for the woven tent cloth as it is stronger and more weatherproof. Colourful embroidery and beadwork decorate clothes and bags. The stylised motifs on the crafts reflect local plants and animals. The colours and patterns vary according to the region and the tribe.