Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
People & Society
JORDAN'S BEDOUIN ROOTS
Tradition of Hospitality
Ahlan wa sahlan!
It's one of the most common greetings in Arabic and one that defines the
way Jordanians relate to the people around them, especially guests. The root words mean
'people' or 'family'
(ahl)
and 'ease'
(sahl),
so translated loosely the expression means 'be
as one of the family and at your ease'. It's a gracious thought, and one that ends up in Eng-
lish simply as 'welcome' or (more commonly to tourists) 'welcome to Jordan'.
Bedouin traditions of hospitality and kindness are deeply ingrained in the Jordanian
psyche. Rooted in the harsh realities of life in the desert, these traditions have been virtu-
ally codified into all social behaviour. Century-old notions of hospitality combine with a
wonderful sense of humour to make Jordanians easy to connect with.
Love of the Desert
Over 98% of Jordanians are Arab, descended
from various tribes that migrated to the area
from all directions of the Middle East over the
centuries. Most tribes trace their lineage to the
Bedouin, the original desert dwellers of Arabia,
perceived by many as the representatives and
guardians of the very essence of 'Arabness'. Be-
douins form the majority of the indigenous pop-
ulation, although today not more than 40,000
Bedouin can be considered truly nomadic. Living a traditional life of livestock rearing, the
nomadic Bedouin who travel from oasis to oasis in quest of water are concentrated mainly
in the Badia - the great desert plains of Eastern Jordan.
Despite the settlement of some Bedouin (recent examples include the Bdoul who once
roamed the hillsides of Petra but who now live for the most part in the modern settlement
of Umm Sayhoun), many Jordanians retain a deep sentimental attachment to the desert.
This isn't always obvious given the littering and general despoliation of public access areas
such as at Wadi Rum, but it is evident in the way Jordanians claim kinship with the prin-
ciple tenets of desert-dwelling - hospitality, loyalty, dignity, pride and courtesy.
The checked
keffiyah
headdress is an important na-
tional symbol - red and white for Bedouin; black
and white for Palestinians. It's held in place by the
black rope-like
agal
. There are no official dress re-
strictions for women and few wear a veil. Almost
none wear full-body chador.
