Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Bedouin Roots
It's easy to underestimate the Bedouin heritage of Arab society if your visit is concen-
trated on the big cities of the Gulf. Yet even here there are weekend escapes to the desert
(in Oman), a new falcon souq (in Doha), and tents set up outside the house (in Kuwait).
These are all indicative of a strong attachment to an ancient culture that runs through all
the countries of the Peninsula.
The attitude towards the camel is an interesting case in point. The donkey played just as
important a role in transportation in the mountains of the Peninsula, but no one breeds
donkeys for fun. Camels, on the other hand, are as prevalent as ever and in some corners
of Arabia (such as Dhofar) are proliferating at such a speed (due to their leisurely modern
lifestyle), they are threatening the fragile ecology of their habitat. Of course, racing has
something to do with the obsession with camel ownership, but the animal is more deeply
involved in the Arab psyche than mere racing. Camels evoke ancient nomadic lifestyles,
the symbol of community through hardship and endurance - the inheritance, in short, of
Bedouin roots.
Encounter the Bedu in...
Sharqiya Sands, Oman
Khor al-Adaid, Qatar
Interior, Kuwait
Rub al-Khali, Saudi Arabia, Oman & UAE
The term 'Bedu' (Bedouin in singular and adjectival form) refers not so much to an eth-
nic group as to a lifestyle. Accounting for their appeal to Western imaginations in the 18th
century, the Danish explorer Niebuhr claimed that man is 'fond even of the very shadow
of that liberty, independence, and simplicity which he has lost by refinement'. City Arabs
today, stressed by familiar modern anxieties regarding wealth and how to keep it, are sim-
ilarly wistful about a bygone era, even if they are more likely to be the descendants of
townspeople and seafarers.
THE MODERN BEDOUIN
Most Bedu have modernised their existence with 4WD trucks (it's not unusual to find the camel travelling by
truck these days), fodder from town (limiting the need to keep moving), and purified water from bowsers. Some
have mobile phones and satellite TV, and most listen to the radio. Many no longer move at all. Bedouin customs,
