Arabian/African Tribes: The Bedouin


Figure 1.--The term Bedouin evolved from the Arabic term "badawi" meaning "desert-dweller". It is a term that has been generally applied first the Arabian nomadic pastoralists, but has come to be used to describe the nomadic peoples living in the desert belt extending from the Arabian Peninsula, Negev, and Sinai through the North African Sahara to the Atlantic Ocean. This father and son are from Mauritania.

The term Bedouin evolved from the Arabic term 'badawi' meaning 'desert-dweller'. It is a term that has been generally applied first the Arabian nomadic pastoralists, but has come to be used to describe the nomadic peoples living in the desert belt extending from the Arabian Peninsula, Negev, and Sinai through the North African Sahara to the Atlantic Ocean. The Bedouin are divided into two main groups which is reflected in their Arabic dialects and ethnicity. There are eastern and western Bedouin, divided roughly along the Egyptian-Libyan. The Bedouin are more of a people defined by life style than ethnicity. The Eastern Bedouin, especially in Arabia, are of Semetic origins. Other Bedouins have more varied origins. The western bedouin are of largely non-Arab and non-Semetic origins. The Bedouin are best known for a nomadic life style. Their nomadic movements are primarily seasonal, based on the availability of water and grazing conditions. When there is some precipitation they may move deeper into the desert, but during more arid periods move back to areas where water is more available. Given the desert environment, the Bedouin are particularly known for herding camels, but also herd other livestock like sheep, goats and cattle. There are also known for their Handicraft work. The Islamic outburst allowed the Arabian Bedouins to move out of the Arabian Peninsula, brining Islam and the Arabic language with them. First they moved to Syria and Egypt (7th century). Gradually the Arabs moved west, but primarily into North Africa rather than sub-Saharan Africa. There were already people in North Africa living a Bedouin life-style on the fringes of the Sahara. These people at first resisted the Arabs, but were gradually Islamicized. The Bedouin population is today declining. The nomadic life style was limited by modern national boundaries and the desire of people for a more affluent, sedentary life style.

Terminology

The term Bedouin evolved from the Arabic term 'badawi' meaning 'desert-dweller'. It is a term that has been generally applied first the Arabian nomadic pastoralists, but has come to be used to describe the nomadic peoples living in the desert belt extending from the Arabian Peninsula, Negev, and Sinai through the North African Sahara to the Atlantic Ocean.

Origins

In prehistorical times. the Mideast and North Africa was better watered than is the case today. As the area began to become more arid, people began settling near rivers where water was permanently available. This was the origins of civilization in both Mesopotamia and Egypt. A smaller group chose to live in the open desert and the fringes of the desert. Thus is the origins of the Bedouin peole today inhabiting the Arabian and Syrian deserts, the Sinai Peninsula, and the Sahara Desert in North Africa. They thus developed as a separate caste to the agriculturists which they saw as superior. The agriculturists largely became peasants who toiled dauly in the fields and were ruled by small aristocratic and priest elites. The Bdouin traditinally look down on and avoid physical labor. They strongly believed in their tribal superiority, their ability to live as free men in a hostile environment. The Bedouins were not at first seen as a superior group by the agriculturisrt communities where civiliazation developed. Over time after the Arab outburst from the Arabian Peninsula, the Bedouin came to be seen as the purest representatives pf the Arab people. And todaywhile their governments severly regulate theBedouin making thei traitional, life styles impossible, many Arabs see the Bedouin as the 'ideal' imbodiment of the Arab people, impressed by their emotive oral poetic tradition, romanticized life style, the herding tradition especially connected with camels, and their rigid code of honor.

Divisions

The Bedouin can be divided bith by geographic and herding groups. The two to an extent overlap. Geographically there are two groups: the Eastern and Western Bedouin. The original Arabs were the Eastern Bedouin. While Bedouins are not defined by ethnicity, their ethnicity is largly determined by geography. We are not familiar with DNA studies, but they should provide fascinating insights as to Bedouin origins and ethnicity. Herding groups include the various species of animals that the Bedouin have hereded over time. By far the most prestigious of the Bedouin are the camel herders. This probably reflects the control of trade routes made possible by the camel.

Life Style

The Bedouin are best known for a nomadic life style. The Bedouin for reasons of caste traditionally rejected both agricultural work and other manual labour, chosing insttead the harsh life on desert fringes. Their nomadic movements were primarily seasonal, based on the availability of water and grazing conditions. When there is some precipitation they may move deeper into the desert, but during more arid periods move back to areas where water is more available. Given the desert environment, the Bedouin are particularly known for herding camels, but also herd other livestock like sheep, goats and cattle. There are also known for their Handicraft work. They also became heavily invested in engaging in tading or controling desert trade routes.

Tribal Organization

The Bedouin were organized on a tribal basis. This included the patriarchal, male dominmated order and institutions like polygamy. The head of each extended family was called 'sheikh' as was the head of larger tribal groupings. The was assisted in his decisions by an informal tribal council consisting of the older men. There are several 'noble' tribes. They are the tribes that trace their ancestry to either Qaysi (northern Arabian) or Yamani (southern Arabian). There are also smaller, scattered who are seen as ancestor-less. These are vassal tribes or splinter groups who lived under the the protection of the more important noble tribes. Rather than herding or commerce, they tend to work as blacksmiths, tinkers, artisans, other skilled workers, and even entertauners, occupations that tended to passed on from father to son.

Islamic Outburst

The first converts to Islam came from Mohammed's work among the Bedouin tribes of Arabia. As a result, Sunni Islam is deeply embedded in the culture of the Eastern Bedouin. The Islamic outburst allowed the Arabian Bedouins to move out of the Arabian Peninsula, brining Islam and the Arabic language with them. First they moved to Syria and Egypt (7th century). Gradually the Arabs moved west, but primarily into North Africa rather than sub-Saharan Africa. There were already people in North Africa living a Bedouin life-style on the fringes of the Sahara. These people at first resisted the Arabs, but were gradually Islamicized. Interestingly they had the same life style as the Arabian tribes that first embraced Islam.

Islam

Islam at the time of the Arab outburst from the Arabian Pnkinsula was a very new relion. Tge Arab Bedoiun embraced it with a passion. Prayer became an integral component of the Bedouin life. Unlike settled communities, there were no beautiful mosques in the desert. Thus the Bedouin pray were they find themselves. They face face the Ka’aba in Mecca and performing the required ritual washing with water when available. If water is not available they instead use the desert sand which always is availanle.

Modern Bedouin

There are today Bedouin groups in many Middle Eastern and North African countries. Middl Eastern countries incluse Egypt, Syria, Israel, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and Iraq. North African countries include Morocco, Sudan, Algeria, Tunisia and Libya. The total population is not known ith ant precussion, but probably totals about 4 million people. While the Bedouin people make up only a small small part of the total population of the Middle East and North Africa, they traditionally inhabited a large part of the land area of the region in their migrations and animal herding. Modern political and economic developments have forced many of the bedouin to give up or modify their traditional life styles. Even before World War I, boundaries began to be drawn in the vast largely unihabited areas in which the Bedouin moved. At first it was the Europeans drawing the lines, but frintier cintrols were limited. After World War I Arab authorities became associated with these frotiers, and they began to seriously affct the Bedouin. This was especially the case after World War II. The Bedouin tribes were forced to submit to the control of the Arab governments in each country through which they moved. A part of the age-old Bedouin life style was tribal feuding and raiding of the poorly protected outlying agricultural villages. Arab authorities forced the Bedouin to give up these practices. They were forced to adopt more peaceful commercial activities. Less pressure was exerted to disengage from the slave trade as long as it was largely domestic, lpresumably because of the extent to whuch salvery is acknowlefged and thus legitimized by the Holy Koran. The Arab states began demanding that the Bedouin participate in military conscription and other state responsibilities. What did not change at first was the tribal organization of the Bedouin. Many modern bedouin have been forced or have chosen to adopt sedentary life styles since World War II and the appearance of the modern Arab and Sahael states. Even in the Arab/Bedouin heartland these changes occurred. Saudi Arabia and Syria nationalized Bedouin rangelands (1950s). Jordan sharply limited goat grazing. Conflicts over land use emerged between the Bedouin herders and settled agriculturists developed after the War and have only increased since. The Bedouin usually lose out in these conflicts because of their small population. The Bedouin population is today declining. The nomadic life style was limited by modern national boundaries and the desire of people for a more affluent, sedentary life style. Another development has been the success that al Qaida and related groups have had in radicalizing some of the Bedouin. This has been the case in the Sianai and some of the Sahara.









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Created: 10:58 PM 5/3/2007
Last updated: 10:58 PM 5/3/2007