The world modernizes: Technology and consumerism spreads: a nomad hauls his herd in a truck; television antennas stick through tent roofs; a Walkman covers the ears of a shepherd. And today, no one is surprised. The Bedouin--pastoral Arab nomads who have roamed the deserts for centuries--hardly exist as such anymore. Most live in cities today.
The word Bedouin is derived from the Arabic bada' (desert). The Bedouin derived their livelihood from herding animals--camels, goats, sheep. Their life-style was a direct adaptation to the desert ecology; their movements and activities determined by the needs of their animals. Scarce reserves of underground water and sparse, unpredictable rainfall obliged movement over a large territory to ensure that herds had enough pasture and consequently people enough food. Nomads rarely consumed meat, considered a luxury, since doing so would deplete their capital. They mostly lived off animal by-products (predominantly, processed milk), as well as dried fruits, dates, and some grains. There was a time when most of their needs were fulfilled by animal products--tents were woven from camel and goat wool, and gear was made from leather.
Given the limited resources of the desert, the nomads faced the constant challenge of maintaining a precarious balance between water supplies, pasture, and animal populations. Depletion of either meant demise. The land was sparsely populated and the lonely black tents of small Bedouin groups dotted the desert. Space and freedom of movement were essential to the nomadic existence, but the Bedouin nomads did not wander aimlessly; their movements were calculated, conducted seasonally, and limited to a territory they claimed as their ancestral tribal land. Territorial rights was closely guarded; infringements could, and frequently did, result in extended disputes or even an occasional war.
Fiercely independent, the Bedouin avoided involvement in the wars of others, even those conflicts that affected their own region. They remained disinterested in the politics of the entities surrounding them, until the middle of this century when the Bedouin became absorbed or encapsulated by the state structures. The process of settling the nomads in more permanent locations was strongly encouraged by all state governments in the Middle East and is now well under way. Nomadism is perceived as incompatible with modernity, and the nomads are also considered difficult to control. Yet the traditional Bedouin life-style still lingers in some areas, usually those which the state considers marginal.
"Setting-down" involves more than simply moving into houses. It necessitates a total restructuring of the society to be settled and a redefining of the sense of identity--which for the Bedouin is closely linked with the notion of honor.
The contrast between the Bedouin past and the present is striking. The change occurred rapidly, in less than one generation. Encased in the trappings of modernity, technological gadgets, and Western clothing, the Bedouin present a very different image today from that of the past. Most have moved to towns and adjusted to the market economy. They holds salaried jobs, work in construction, operate agricultural machines, and drive trucks. There is, however, continuity in their attitude toward employment. They prefer independence, the ability to set their own time schedule, and they frequently operate family business. Occasionally, forgetting the
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