Background
Bedouins are muslems and speak an arabic dialect. Most of the Bedouins from the Sinai and Negev desert have come from the Arabian peninsula, other migrated from the desert of Egypt, Transjordan and Syria.
The arabic term badawi, from which "Bedouin" derives, means a nomadic inhabitant of the desert (hadiah) who depends for his livehood on herds of camels and sheep. The word evokes pictures of camel-herds moving over the vast expanse of the Arabian desert. The Bedouin habitant of the Negev and of the Sinai desert today do not interely conform to this romantic image, but they do retain much of the traditional way of life of the Bedouin.
They are organized on a tribal basis, and pastoralism is one of the major sources of income. In the past, they lived off sheep breeding while migrating from place to place according to season and precipitation.
The Negev Desert is a semi-arid region which comprises the southern third of Israel. 110,00 Arab Bedouin population hold israeli citizenship. 63% of Negev Bedouins live in 36 unrecognized settlements and spread around in the desert and the rest live in one of the seven recognized townships. They make 20% of the total Negev population.
From the viewpoint of Bedouin history the Negev forms an extension of the Sinai peninsula. For many generations, the Sinai has been the main source of influx of Bedouins into the Negev; only a few tribes appear to have entered the area directly from their former pastures on the Red Sea litoral.
Nowadays, the Bedouins in the Sinai and in the Negev live in permanent settlements, others are semi-nomadic. Their life is shaped by a complex environment, the ecology, the political impact of the israeli and egypcian government, restricting nomadic movement and ownership of land, and the gradually increasing impact of modern economy.
Lifestyle
A unique lifestyle and social fabric with values and customs suited to this way of life have evolved over the years in response to the special condition of life in the desert. One of the costumes is that of hospitality, dictated by the reality of desert life. The desert traveller can be sure of getting shelter and food from any Bedouin tent he happens upon. However, Bedouin common law limits this obligation to no more than 3 days.
Society
Bedouin society is comprised of the basic family unit which includes the head of the family, one or more wives and their unmarried children. The clan is a framework which incorporates several blood related families.They live in tents divided visually by a screen for male and female uses. families are linked to each other by male inherited lineage.
Their foods are predominantely bread, and meat and dairy products from their goat, sheep and camels herds. All parts of animals are used practically providing everything from tools to clothing.
By-products from their goat, sheep and camels flocks are sold or battered for necessitites they cannot make themselves. They also make and exchange beautiful weavings, embroidered articles, and elaborately tooled jewelry.
All photos © 1998 Melitta Tchaicovsky
Bibliography
- Bedouin of the Desert. Emanuel Marx, Frederick A.Praeger, Publishers, 1967, 111 Fourth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10003 Library of Congress catalog Card Numbe: 67-19214
- The Arab Mind, by Raphael Patai. Charles Scribner's Sons 1973
- International Tourist Publication. 47 Road 250, Cairo, Egypt
- Traditional Palestinian Embroidery and Jewelry by Abed Al-Samih Abu Omar
