Palm Trees, Dates & The South Sinai Bedouin

“Wherever water falls, the Bedouin
will try to grow palm trees.”

My name is Hamid Soleman. I was born and raised in Dahab, South Sinai and I work with tourists. My family owns palm trees that have been passed down through generations in Dahab, Ein Hodra and Wadi Feran. I would like to tell you about their importance to our tribes.

Dates have been a staple food of the Middle East for thousands of years. They are believed to have originated around what is now Iraq, and have been cultivated since ancient times, possibly as early as 4000 BCE. The Ancient Egyptians used the fruits to make date wine, and ate them at harvest.

Hamid Soleman

How do we use palm trees?

Every single palm tree in South Sinai is owned by someone and they can live to be 200 years old. If we own land that is not being used for a house, we’ll usually try to plant trees.

There are 7 main oases in South Sinai – Ein Hodra, Wadi Gnai, Wadi Feran, Ein Omahmed, Al Tor, Wadi Sleh, and Wadi Nusb (this is a very big one with hundreds of trees).

They are vital to the Bedouin for many reasons:

• They give us food – dates are a very nutritious fruit
• They give us shade which comes from the tree itself or by using its leaves and trunk to make an ‘arisha’ or shelter
• We can make small boats from them for fishing
• We use the branches (once the dates have fallen from them) as a broom to clean the home
• The leaves can be used to make rope or we weave them into bags
• The trunks can make seating
• The trunks can also be a water dam

Some facts about dates

• Here in South Sinai we don’t tend to sell dates, we give them as gifts to family and friends. But in the North there are so many palm trees that dates are bought and sold for business
   
• In the past the only way to have something sweet in South Sinai was to eat dates. We only used to grow palm trees, and there was no sugar until the English people came here and introduced us to it
   
• The Bedouin still like to drink Arabic coffee with or without sugar and eat dates with it
   
• When the Bedouin go fishing by the sea, dates are a good refreshment for when we are hungry. In places like Gabr Al Bint, rainwater comes down from mountain and goes to the seaside. This helps palm trees to grow there, and the dates from these are used by fishermen
   
• Tradition is that the Bedouin spend winter in the desert, and summer near the sea.  In our time near the sea we’ll collect dates to take to the desert for the winter months
   
• The Bedouin make a hole in the mountain to save dates as they last one year, and to keep them in good condition. We press them into the washed skin of a goat and seal it, then store it. No insects or pests eat dates so they keep very well
   
• There are lots of different types of palm trees and climate systems across South Sinai, so the dates from Dahab, Sharm El Sheikh and Nuweiba are different to those in Wadi Feran and Ein Hodra
   
• The best dates are from Wadi Feran, because there are lots of oasis there and water. This place is near St Catherine and it is a big centre for trade as it is in the middle of Sinai; each tribe has family there with palm trees. People doing Hadj used to bring seeds from North of Africa to Wadi Feran as they made their pilgrimage to Mecca, and so the variety of dates became mixed
   
• If someone has 10 palm trees, two are usually dedicated to the poor. If someone has 100 palms sometimes 10 are given to the people who work with them, and 10 are given to the poor.  We mark the trees so that we know who they are for – the owner, the workers or the poor
   
• One of our laws is that people should always ask for permission before taking dates from a tree. Each tree is owned by someone and many have been passed down through generations. This means that the fruit cannot just be taken by anyone
   
• Dates are very healthy – it is very important in Ramadan to eat them for this reason. They contain dietary fibre, iron, potassium, B-vitamins, vitamins A and K, tannins, copper, magnesium, manganese, vitamin B6, niacin, pantothenic acid, and riboflavin
   
• Across the Middle East though, many people think that Iraq has the best dates – Basra has millions of palms and is very famous for dates. There are many songs about them. Next comes Saudi Arabia where there are many different types of seeds - every year they have a festival near Mecca to celebrate who has the best dates

How we eat dates

Fresh ripe fruit – taken from the tree or when they fall to the ground

Aguwa – these are soft, mashed dates without stones, sometimes mixed with sesame seeds. They have the skin removed and are delicious

Shegig – these dates are dried without the stones, and they still have their skin on them

Palm trees are like us – male and female

Date palms are dioecious, which means that there are both male date palms and female date palms. We don’t know which is which until they are big.

Once a male date palm has reached maturity (usually at about 12 years old) it will form flowers in early spring. These male date palm flowers are the source of date palm pollen. The female date palm yields flowers which will become dates, if they are pollinated.

The wind sometimes takes the pollen from the male to the female or the Bedouin cut it and and take it to the female.

How to plant a palm tree

To plant a palm tree, the Bedouin make a hole in the ground half a metre deep, plant the seeds (the stones from the dates), and the palm tree will grow automatically as water flows down from the valley.

Another way to plant a palm tree is to take the ‘child’ or offshoots from strong male date palms, put them in a hole in the ground, cover the base with clay (as it is alkaline and not too salty) and then water it for 10 days. After that the roots will get water and the tree will grow easily.

If you would like any more information about Bedouin life, please feel free to contact us. We would be happy to tell you more.

Thank you to Eli Twinks for your beautiful photographs of our dates.

Bedouin Mechanics For Flat Batteries - How To Start Your Car In The Desert

When people who live in the desert have a flat battery and there are no other cars around, sometimes it's not possible for our passengers to push the car as it's in soft sand. This is how the problem can be fixed if you have a manual car and two other people with you.

You need a jack, a long strong rope, a piece of wood (or if you find it a flat stone) to put the jack onto so that it doesn't sink in the sand.

Lift up one of the back wheels with the jack, then tie the rope around the raised wheel enough times to make it easy to spin quickly, and leave a lot of rope to pull it with.

Take the air filter away from the box to allow as much air as possible to reach the engine quickly.

One of you must sit in the driver's side of the car, pump the clutch, change into third gear, and switch on the ignition while two other people quickly pull the rope and make the back wheel spin fast.

This is almost the same as pushing the car, because the wheel is moving - and your battery should be able to charge when the engine starts. Leave the engine running for for at least 15 minutes to allow the battery to charge.

After this you can move. :-)

Camels in Sinai – our Gift of God عطاء الله

Camels are an important part of our life and culture and each has its own very different personality. We call them the Gift of God (“Ata Allah”) because they provide so much of what we need in life - transport, milk, food and clothing. Arab poets also call them the 'ship of the desert” or “land ship” as they have the perfect bodies for life in the desert*.

Here at The Bedouin Way we want you to learn a little more about these beautiful, loveable, funny-looking creatures that mean so much to us and fascinate you. We talked to Ramadan Soleman, Atik Salaam and Gomaa Farag, so this has been written in their words. We hope you enjoy our story from Sinai!

A member of the family

The older Bedouin generations respect camels very much because they were so important in life before the days when we had cars. We treat our camels like our children. We love them, feed them, talk to them and they are family to us. They like quiet places so we try to help them be relaxed and happy away from noise. Some families have two camels, and others have 30 or 40 for tourism. Each has its own personality, just like people.

Caring for each other

If they are sick we treat them with herbs. There are some special people in Dahab who can also give heat treatment to draw out the sickness, which is very effective. Eleyan Faraj and Mohamed Abu Soradic (both from Assalah) are known for this.

Camels can also help us when we are sick. Their milk is very healthy for the body, and if we have arthritis we wear a bracelet made from camel hair and rabbit bones, which helps the pain. The camel can feel if a person is sick. If you are not well the camel becomes more gentle and he will try to take you back home.

They also know if you are scared. Once Atik Salaam was on a trip with a guest in the Wadi Gnai Oasis. He says, “My customer left me alone and slept away from me in the desert. I was scared as I was by myself and I had nowhere to sleep so I lay next to my camel. The camel knew I was scared and didn't move all night. He made me feel safe. The camel takes care and looks after you because you're his man.”

Pregnancy, perfume, and practice

Female camels are pregnant for 12 months. They have one baby each pregnancy and sometimes 10 or more children in their lifetime. The baby leaves her after three years when it is old enough to look after itself.

You should never wear skin cream, perfume or anything with a strong smell when you are with a baby camel or it will die. This is why we take the mother to the desert to have her baby – it is silent there and safe away from people. She is taken there for her last month of pregnancy to have the baby and then she comes back after one month. The best camel milk comes when the mother is weaning.

We train camels when they are three years old with a rope and we show them how to move with us. Then at four years they learn to carry things. We use special people to teach them. You must control the camel and be strong – there is a system to follow to have a well-behaved animal. The male always remembers what he is taught for life, but the female will forget after one year so if she is not reminded we need to train her again. Racing camels have different training because they have to learn to run fast with a person on their back.

 

Camels and companionship

The female is usually friendlier than the male, especially to her owner. They become friends and she will never leave him alone. If he dies she will stay with him and die herself if she can. There is a story that in Saudi Arabia an old man died in the desert, and his female camel was found dead next to him a long time after. She did not want to leave him there alone because she loved him.

But males also become very close to their owners. When Ramadan Soleman’s 74-year-old uncle died, his camel cried for one month all day and all night. Ramadan says, “He was a good man and treated the camel like his child. He had it for 15 years and he only fed it the best herbs and plants.”

Gomaa Farag had a camel for two years and he says, “The camel takes on your personality. I bought him when I was 15 years old but he was crazy. Over time he became more chilled out. If you are calm and relaxed with your camel then he will be the same. If you are nervous and angry he will take this on also. “

Gomaa also says that, “When you have a camel you never forget him because you have a nice time. Two camels become friends very much also - if they live together and one leaves, then the other is very upset.”

Crazy camel

In the winter the male camel will become crazy when he is on heat and you should never trust him, as he does not respect people. He will not eat or drink and he makes a song when he sees a female or another camel. He loses his mind and sometimes we have to put something in his mouth to keep it closed. There are many stories about males killing their owners when in this season. The way you will know is they make a “bubble mouth” to show they have the power – they control all other male camels this way and make them shut down.

Clever camel

All camels have a great memory. They know the voice of their owner from a very long distance. They always know their way home and remember where there is a water place in the desert. Once you show them this they will always go back to it when thirsty.

Every tribe has a brand on its camels. They are sometimes in the desert for a long time but everyone knows they belong to. During Spring Pasture time, we leave the camel to eat for as long as it wants to and it will go to its home when it is ready and there are no more things to eat.

According to very old Bedouin stories, 1 May to 5 June every year is when men, women and animals all over the world have less energy. Old people tell their children and grandchildren that they would not even let their camels work during this time. This is because you cannot see the stars (nejoom) so the mood is not always good. This time is called “gyub al nagem”.

Camel cuisine

As well as transport, milk and clothes we eat camel meat. There are special camels just for food – they are eaten when they are young and big. The best age for this is six years old. A professional person will kill them in the halal way – the camel dies calmly, and the person who slaughters it will say, "Bismillah Allahu akbar” to make sure the animal has Allah’s blessing. The common translation is "In the name of God, most Gracious, most Compassionate".

Halal means foods that Muslims are allowed to eat under Islamic Shariʻah. We try to eat animals that have had a happy life, nice food to eat, space to move and a peaceful death.

*Useful Facts

On the move

Camels have feet for all kinds of land. When the animals sit down on hot sand, they have hard skin on their knees, which protects them from burning and they can swim naturally because they have long legs. Camels can run at a speed of 65 km/h (18 m/s; 40 mph) in short runs and they can stay at 40 km/h (11 m/s; 25 mph) for one hour. They can carry 200kg weight and they are very strong. This makes them useful when we have to move or for safaris.  

Eating and drinking

The hump of the camel carries stores fat from food, and saves it for when food is not there. They can live for a week or more without water and several months without food, but we always feed and water them when we can. The first sign that a camel needs food is when the hump turns soft and does not stand up any more. Camels mostly eat grass, a’dra and sh’eer, which we grow especially to feed them. Their long necks help them to reach plants that are higher from the ground.

The mouth allows camels to eat the tough thorns that even sheep and goats cannot manage. This is possible because their lips have strong hair that lets them take their noses to thorny plants and break them. The mouth is specially made for chewing and digesting plants with thorns.

Fighting off sand and wind

Their hair is thick and protects against the extreme conditions of the desert, and it also helps to keep water in the body. They can close their nostrils to stop sand coming inside and their long eyelashes also protect them against wind and sand.

How old is an old camel?

They normally live for around 32 to 40 years.

Buying a camel

A normal camel costs between EGP 6,000 and 10,000 (EUR 625 - 1,040) . For racing, the price will change according to its dynasty (“salala”). We trace their family back as far as we can, so for example a 4x4 can be traced 4 generations back on each side of the family and a 5x5 can be tracked 5 generations back. In Sinai some are EGP 100,000 (EUR 10,400) and in the Emirates they can cost more than EGP 1 million (EUR 104,000).

If you have any other questions about camels please ask us here and we will be happy to answer them.

Copyright © 2014, The Bedouin Way. All rights reserved.

Ramadan in Sinai

A Holy Month

Muslims worldwide celebrate Ramadan every year on the 9th lunar month of the Islamic calendar.  It is religious time of devotion where we become close to Allah, through fasting and purification, where we give ourselves to God, our spirituality and the people around us.  Many benefits can come from fasting, especially in this month where the rewards are multiplied.

The Quran says that fasting is important to help us develop God consciousness through self-control, while remembering and assisting the poor, the hungry and the sick.

Fasting

Fasting helps cleanse the body and purify the mind.  During this holy month of Ramadan we read, recite and listen to the Holy Quran to help purify our thoughts and calm our hearts and minds. It is a time to cast away bad habits, and negative thinking so that we may become closer to God.

From puberty onwards, Muslims respecting Ramadan must not eat, drink or smoke between the hours of dawn and dusk. We keep the fast for 29-30 days of the month – dependent on the stages of the crescent moon. Our days are spent reading the Quran and praying, as well as going about our normal everyday life. If we have jobs we still work and fast at the same time.

When Ramadan comes in the summer months, which is when Sinai is at its hottest, it is often a challenge to fast and continue working too, but this is the point of Ramadan. To remind us of the challenges that face the poor, appreciate what we have, and thank our God for carrying us through.

Sunset

Before the sunset prayer known as Maghribit, and just before the sky turns orange our ‘breakfast’ is prepared.  This is when we break our fast each evening. It is our tradition to send steaming plates of freshly cooked food to our neighbours.  A few dates are eating to help our sugar levels, and water is taken to help us rehydrate before we begin our sunset prayer.

Dates are important in other ways during fasting as they follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad. They are easy for the stomach to take, rich in minerals, good for the body, and they prepare us for the meal we are about to eat.

Our friends and family then sit together to enjoy what is known as Futuur (the breakfast).   Bedouin enjoy fish, chicken, meat, soup, salad, bread and many other things and the breakfast can be anything we like. People will often gather outside their homes and business to eat their food and invite others to join.   

Blessings are bountiful when we share our food. Even on ordinary days it is our culture to invite people to our table, and we never turn people away.  But during this precious month of Ramadan all Muslims are encouraged to share food as a further reminder to be selfless. Breaking the fast is a wonderful time of celebration and togetherness.

The second meal we eat is before Fajr (the dawn prayer) and is know as Suhuur (dinner). Bedouin men from any area generally meet in a large seating area called a Magad. Everyone is welcome, and those who are able will bring a large plate of food with them to share with the rest of the men. Women eat together and share with one another in their homes.  

The Three Parts of Ramadan

The first 10 days are the days of mercy.
The second 10 days are the days of forgiveness.
The third 10 days are to seek refuge in Allah from the hellfire.

During the last 10 days of Ramadan is Laylat al Qadr, which means "The Night of Destiny" or "The Night of Power". We believe this is the most holy night of the year in which the first revelations of the Quran were sent down to Muhammad.

We offer extra prayers on this day, particularly the night prayer. We wake, pray, and hope God will be near us on this night and reward us if he chooses to.  

Thought to be on one of the odd-numbered nights towards the end of the month (especially 27th), it is possible to see a strong light, and if we see this strong light we will be very close to Allah.

In all there are 5 Pillars of Islam. Fasting (Sawm) during Ramadan is the 4th pillar. The other four pillars declare there is one God and that Muhammed is God’s Messenger (Shahadah). That Prayer should be 5 times each day (Salat). Any money that can be spared should be given to the poor (Zakaat). And a pilgrimage to Mecca should happen at least once in our lifetime (Hajj).

Eid-ul-Fitr

The end of Ramadan is marked by a big celebration called Eid-ul-Fitr, the Festival of the Breaking of the Fast. We will talk more about this nearer the time.

* Those who are not required to fast are the mentally ill, old people, the sick, those who are travelling, and women who are menstruating, pregnant or breast-feeding. This time can be made up for in the months before the next Ramadan begins.

Copyright © 2014, The Bedouin Way. All rights reserved.

The Story Behind The Bedouin Way

This is a note from Sofian Noor, who founded The Bedouin Way earlier this year.

"I want to tell you why I make my business The Bedouin Way. The website www.thebedouinway.com was used by my cousin Nasser in Nuweiba from 2004 until he died too young. His pictures are on the right. Earlier this year I decided to build it again in his memory.

Nasser inspired me so much when I was a boy and he taught me everything I know about the desert, looking after camels, guiding, cooking and driving. The web address was available so I bought it. This was a good way to thank Nasser for everything he did for me and to wish him well in heaven.

My biggest dream for the Bedouin Way is to give work for the Bedouin I know and trust across South Sinai and promote our culture to people all over the world. Thank you to everyone for your support.

Sofian

Bedouin Law

“It would be better to die with honour than to bring shame and dishonour upon yourself and your tribe.”

Our laws are not written down. Our history, law and traditions have all been passed down orally from one generation to the next.

We believe that there are things that are much worse than death. It would be better to die with honour than to bring shame and dishonour upon yourself and your tribe.

This is why we reserve banishment as the worst punishment for repeat offender. It is a very rare event, but if someone is repeatedly brought in front of a court, they will eventually find themselves being expelled from the tribe in a process called ‘tashmees’. This word comes from the same root as the word for the sun and it literally means ‘exposure’.

In the desert, you will die if you exposed to the sun for extended periods. When we banish criminals from the tribe, we are exposing them to the world. We make it known everywhere that the banished man is not covered by the protection of the tribe any longer and that we will not claim responsibility for him anymore. Should he be murdered or kidnapped, we will no longer help him – we expose him to the world in his own shame.

If we have any problems in society, we try to solve them at a Bedouin court, usually held within the tribe. If this is not possible, we take our problems to another tribe, in the hope that their court might provide a better result. Our judges are usually wise, respected men (‘sheikh’s) that are well versed in our laws and the Qur’an.

Both parties will have to agree on what type of court proceeding they will be pursuing. They can either go to one court and accept that judge’s ruling as definite, or they can go through three courts of appeal.

This would mean that they could disagree with the sheikh’s verdict and get a second opinion at another sheikh’s court and then a third. NB. Should the second sheikh agree with the ruling of the first sheikh, there is no possibility of going to the third court as that verdict is binding.

Sheikhs usually try to hand out fair punishments that build respect, because overly punitive rulings could provoke a tribe war. When making a ruling, the intention of the offender is taken into account as much as their action.

The usual punishment for the intentional killing of another person is either a tribute or execution, depending on the mercy of the victim’s family. There is usually an expectation on that family to be merciful however and a tribute of one hundred camels is usually levied in exchange for a life.

Finally, we do not have much of a problem with perjury. If someone is accused of lying, then we tap a hot spoon (‘bi’a’) on that person’s tongue three times. If the spoon burns their tongue, then they lied. If it did not burn their tongue, then they are virtuous and they were telling the truth.

To appear at court, a defendant must find himself a guarantor (‘kafil’) who will act on his behalf.. This guarantor is responsible for the defendant should he decide to run or not pay any fine and must ultimately pay any fine or receive any punishment in the defendant’s stead, should he choose to run.

Not just anybody can become a kafil however, because it is a respected position. The kafil must a trustworthy man and he has to receive the blessing and praise of the community first.

If you have questions about Bedouin Law we will be happy to answer them.

Please comment here and we will reply as soon as we can.

Copyright © 2014, The Bedouin Way. All rights reserved.

“Heartful and Graceful, and Beautiful Beyond Measure....”

Sofian and Eli

A few days ago we received a beautifully written Trip Advisor review that we want to share with you. Eli Twinks joined us as a guest for one of our first mountain dinners. She is a yoga and personal development mentor, photographer, and artist who has a deep rooted passion for travel and particularly the Sinai.

"I have made several desert trips in the Sinai since I began visiting over 25 years ago. Many day trips, mountain dinners and overnight trips too, all so wonderful. Yet something comes along only once in a few years, that sets what you know apart from all other experiences. Welcome, The Bedouin Way.

I am trying to find the words to convey just how beautiful this evening was. A mountain dinner arranged for perhaps 10 guests, all relatively unknown to one another. We were collected at sunset from our various hotels and locations, and taken by jeep to perhaps the most beautiful and pretty location I have ever been, so much so I wanted to live there! Absolutely stunning! The drive alone into the mountains is already something to behold, and we arrived to an opening with a jaw dropping mountain backdrop. This area was large enough to feel expansive and spacious and absolutely cosy enough to feel held. I described it as being hugged by the mountains. And with one one acacia tree in the centre of the desert ahead, it was just picture perfect. There was something very magical about this desert location, no kidding when I found out it was called Gate to Heaven. Of course!

Mondi places the goat meat on hot ashes ready to be cooked for a few hours

Having gone on this trip solo with a group of people I had not met before, the atmosphere was remarkably relaxed, and open, and within no time we were no longer strangers to one another as we sat around in a gorgeous circular area, fully cushioned and candlelit. And.....on came the food! I had been on an overnight trip with Sofian one time, and experienced how well he cooks, but this evening sets apart most other trips by their outrageously delicious speciality of slow cooked goat. Goat can be tricky to cook. It has to be cooked just right - and I have eaten it many times, but NOT LIKE THIS! WOW! Slow roasted in the ground over hot coals, so tender it fell off the bone. Incredible. And so incredibly flavourful too, it was really like nothing I'd ever had before.

We learned how they prepared it (earlier in the day), and Sofian and Mondi uncovered the pit while we were there, seeing first hand how this dish is cooked. The whole banquet, and I say banquet was extremely yummy, and it is totally made with love. Salads, fresh bread, rice and vegetable stew, so even if you are vegetarian you will be totally satisfied.

Sofian removing the goat meat from the ground

But really something sets the Bedouin Way apart, and that has to do with who is behind it.

There is nothing you cannot ask Sofian and Mondi - they are open to listen and to teach the ways they have been raised in. The Bedouin culture is truly fascinating, the more I experience the more humble I become. The more I learn, the more I wish to learn. The more I uncover, the more there is to uncover. 25 years ago changed my whole outlook on life, and it continues to teach me....in the most humbling ways. We have so much to learn from a culture relatively untouched in ways that we have lost sight of. Quiet, earthed, connected, and so graceful.

The evening was perfect. Not overly long but absolutely long enough, we were there for about 4 hours, but of course, it is possible to stay longer, or overnight too. Personally i could have stayed the whole week! Plenty of time spent talking, eating, and listening to the quiet, and stargazing! We were treated to a proper stargazing session with a professional telescope. I saw a planet! and it was a rainbow colour! My goodness, it took a while to focus and find one, but once I did I felt I'd seen treasure.

Mondi tending to the fire

So I urge anyone who is looking for a real genuine taste of the desert and of Bedouin life to join The Bedouin Way to experience something humbling, gentle and incredibly valuable by just being there in the presence of, and learning even by pure observation.

Not only is the Sinai alone a deeply quietening place, but the company you will be in by these incredible hosts is gold, pure gold. I would choose Bedouin Way every time, for so many reasons where words fail. If you want to give yourself something to remember, something to take home with you and take away in your heart, this is it. COMPLETELY.

Thank you Bedouin Way for all that you gave and all that you do. It is invaluable beyond measure."

If you would like to book one of our dinners, please click here. We would be happy to see you. :-)

Bedouin Weddings

“We acquire a man at a wedding, not the things that he comes with.”

Weddings have always been an important social gathering in our culture, where new couples can unite and rejoice after their engagement period. Usually held in the desert, in the light of the full moon, we celebrate two souls and two families coming together as one.

Bedouin weddings can be as large as you can imagine, sometimes accommodating hundreds or even  thousands of people. They can also be small and humble, if the need arises.

We don’t believe in extravagant gifts or in large dowries. We believe that the gifts should be small, but the intention should be genuine.

We don’t need to spend a lot of money unnecessarily if we don’t want to and a bridegroom doesn’t have to be rich in order to get married.

Here the women have a saying:

“We acquire a man at a wedding, not the things that he comes with.”

Weddings in Days Past

Circa 1930 from the Lehnert & Landrock Book Store Archive

In the olden days, Bedouin men and women would rarely meet before the wedding. Our marriages would be organised by our families. Weddings would be held in a large black tent in the desert, positioned in the shade and surrounded by camels.

In the tent, the union would be blessed by the Sheikh (the chief or head of a tribe, family, or village) and a dowry agreed upon. The bride would then leave her father and enter into the custody and protection of her new husband.

Things have changed and young men and women are now marrying for love, but we will never forget where we came from.

 

 

Weddings These Days

Before the Marriage

Young people meet each other in much the same way that you do in the West. We see someone we like in the street and we say hello, or we get our friends to go over for us. We talk on the phone for a long time and we meet many times before the wedding.

We usually meet in our houses or at our neighbours’ houses, because we want to get to know each other before the wedding. We never meet alone.

We usually stay engaged for about a year before the wedding. This engagement begins when the man asks the girl’s father for her hand in marriage. If they have enough money, the man will buy her a ring and place it on the ring finger of her right hand.

Day One

Our weddings are more like a two day party than anything else. The first day is dedicated to the women and men are not invited except for the groom. This is when the ladies dress to impress.

Bedouin women love to buy new clothes and this party is when they get to show them off. The bride will probably go to the salon for the morning and get all of her beauty treatments done (we call this “arosa”), ready for the afternoon and evening.

The party is usually held in the house of the bride’s family. The guests drink juice, tea and coffee and eat some nice food, usually goat or camel. After eating together, the parents of the bride and groom will join the local Sheikh and sit together. There, they may finish their discussions on the dowry.

Once these talks are over, the bride will put her hands together and the groom will slide her wedding ring from the ring finger on her left hand over to her right hand. If the groom has money, he will buy the bride some gold jewellery, but this is not essential. What is necessary is that he be able to provide his wife with a new home (his own place or it could be rented) with their own furniture.

Once they have rested a while after lunch, the women begin to dance. They usually dance until the early hours and the men must stay far away.

The bride and groom can leave whenever they like after the marriage to spend their very first night together in their new home.

Day Two

This is the day for the men to celebrate and everybody is welcome. Truly, this party has an open invitation and anyone can attend. Usually it is held in the desert and everyone spends the night there, but sometimes the party is more simple and we have it in a house or garden. The women and men have their own separate areas to eat, talk, dance and rejoice for the new couple.

Sometimes women will dance for the male guests, but they always cover their face completely so that nobody knows who they are.

The bride usually stays with her new husband’s family to celebrate but the bride and groom can both choose to visit the other guests if they want to.

We usually eat goat or camel meat, coupled with a delicious lentil stew and some cakes.

We throw small candies into the air and some people will bring their own goats to share. This is important as arranging a Bedouin wedding can be very expensive.

We usually drink tea and coffee and the men will dance and celebrate until the early hours.

Truly, we know how to party at a wedding.

Copyright © 2014, The Bedouin Way. All rights reserved.

"I am a Bedouin Woman. Alhamdulillah."

Following on from our "Who is the Bedouin Woman" article, the story below has been written using notes taken from interviews with several different Bedouin females in South Sinai, ranging from 14 to 50 years of age. We hope it gives you an insight into their lives.

It has been put together by Allie Astell, who has lived in Dahab for the past few years.

The Girl

"My childhood was like a dream. I played outdoors every day with my friends. We would ride our donkeys to the mountains. Our goats and sheep followed behind. We talked, we laughed and we played while our animals ate good herbs to make them strong and healthy.

We sometimes slept high up where the air was fresh and we would wake to sunrise to make tea. Life was easy. My mother and father didn’t worry. I was brought up by everyone around our home so they always knew where I was.

My sisters and I would help my mother with the housework. Between us all the jobs were done within the home by lunchtime. We would pray at the start of the day, light the fire, brew our tea, cook breakfast, make fresh bread, clean the house, beat the blankets, wash our clothes, hang them in the sunshine. We watered the plants and herbs, and then fed our animals.

In our free time we would visit friends, or they would come to us. I remember the laughter clearly – so many jokes, so many stories. The Bedouin have many tales to tell and we love to share them.

My grandmother and great grandmother would sit with us and tell us about their life. We are proud of our culture and want all our stories to be carried down through the generations."

The Explorer

"The family would often go away on holiday to the mountains, the desert, the beach. These were the best times of my life and they still are with my own children and grandchildren.

We sometimes stayed a few days, or even for a month picking fresh herbs and plants to use for tea, medicine or food, hunting for our dinner, caring for our animals, making cheese from the goat milk, drying the fish we had caught that day, pounding an octopus against a rock to make it tender then stewing it with rice and vegetables.

I would return with brown skin and sun streaks in my hair.

The best place to be was the mountains after the rain. It makes the Bedouin so happy to see greenery, new life, blossoming flowers and plentiful food for our livestock to eat.

The milk, cheese and meat that comes from animals that have been free and fed well can not compare to any other food in the world. Living in the desert, the rain comes as a blessing from Allah and we rejoice."

The Dreamer

"In my teenage years I began to wear a headscarf to cover my hair, and I would also put on a galabya (a traditional long dress). My parents told me that if I saw a man when I was in the street I should look away, and if he was a good person he would do the same. Bedouin men and women are respectful to each other. I never ventured far from home once I was 14 (except for our family trips). But sometimes on my way to a friend’s house I would admire the way a young man moved, or I would catch a glimpse of his eyes.

Before, in previous generations, the parents arranged many Bedouin marriages. Sometimes the woman didn’t see her new husband until the wedding day. But now things are different and most of us marry for love, or perhaps even simply for knowing that the man we see before us is a good one with a golden heart.

And if we choose the wrong man? In our culture the women are able to divorce our husbands if we are unhappy with them with no recrimination. We simply go to our parents’ home and talk to them first, and the divorce can happen in one day with a legal paper. Three months and 10 days later we can re-marry if we choose to do so. But some of my friends have since gone on to study medicine and law to build a career and support their children without the need of another man."

The Fiancée

"What was I looking for in my husband? Kindness and warmth, Love, protection and security. He would be a good father. He would give me the freedom to visit my family and friends. He would take me away on trips to relax in our favourite locations. And perhaps occasionally the money he gave me would be to buy myself a gift and not just food to put on the table.

He didn’t have to be rich, but I hoped he would be able to look after the family financially. I would be happy if we built our future together, step-by-step and brick by brick. These days the young Bedouin women look for more than this and ask for jewellery, clothes and a beautiful home.

One day when I was 20 a Bedouin passed whom I had noticed before. I barely knew his face as I had always quickly looked away when I saw him but there was something about him that I liked. This time he threw a plastic bag at my feet as I walked by. Bending over to pick it up I looked inside to see it was full of chocolate and he had written me a note to tell me he liked me. This was the way men would sometimes communicate with us in the past. Now, though, we meet men much more easily and can talk to them regularly at our family homes or on the telephone until we know for sure if we would like to marry them.

It wasn’t long before I became engaged to a friend of the family. I liked him, he liked me, and we had both heard good things about each other. It was important to both of us that we married someone that others admired and respected."

The Wife

"It is always my aim to make sure that my husband never marries another woman. In our culture and in the Islamic faith, men are allowed to have four wives.

When a man does marry again, he has to share his time equally between his wives and children. This is his duty.

To keep my husband for myself, I always make sure that I am the best cook in our street, that I have the cleanest house, that our children wear good clothes. I keep our garden and animals well tended, and I never let him down in our private time when we are alone. Simple things.

Sometimes he goes away on a safari for two weeks, so during this time I use my mind when I have issues in the house. I want him to know that he has an intelligent wife who is capable of problem solving without him being there. I am good at fixing many things these days.

Our marriage works. I chose my husband well. I am truly happy."

The Mother

"And so the circle of life begins again. I am now 50 and I have 6 children who are aged between 8 and 30.

They spend their days in the same way as I spent mine when I was younger, although maybe modern life has brought some changes.

The older children help me to bring up the younger ones and my 4 daughters mean everything to me as we sit and talk about their hopes and dreams. They remind me so much of myself at their age.

Our family is lively. We all talk a lot, laugh most of the time, and if one of us is feeling sad the others know what to do to make them happy again. The women all work together to make sure the house is clean and that our guests can always expect tea and coffee around the fire with nice seating."

The Queen

"Sometimes tourists and foreign friends come to our house for tea and I was once asked if looking back on my time, I would swap my life with another women from overseas.

Someone who was “free” in the Western sense – uncovered, able to travel long distances alone, able to work anywhere they liked to and date any man they chose.

I have a husband who I love and I would give my life for my beautiful children. I see my friends every day. I still often laugh until I cry. I regularly take trips away with my family. I don’t have to worry about money as long as there is food. If we are ever short, there is always help at hand from our neighbours who bring us meals and bread. And we do the same for them.

To me, the meaning of freedom is to have choice, be happy and enjoy my life as I please surrounded by the people I love.

So I replied, "I would never trade my life for another one. Thanks be to God for everything he has given me. I am truly blessed. Alhamdulillah."

Copyright © 2014, The Bedouin Way. All rights reserved.

Who Is The Bedouin Woman

Many women everywhere have the same hopes and dreams. To marry a good man, live in a nice house and go on to have beautiful children.

But there is much mystery surrounding the life of Bedouin women as they are rarely seen in public. With a deep-rooted history of honour and tradition, most are required to stay within the home, take care of the house and look after their family.

In return, we Bedouin men place our women in very high regard, calling them our "Queens". In the Muslim religion, we believe that men and women are created from one soul to be partners to each other. Men and women have the same religious responsibilities, and we hope both will receive the same rewards on the day of judgment.

As sons, brothers, husbands and fathers we have a duty to give the women in our lives a comfortable home, love, protection, security, food, clothing and warmth. Therefore women take pride of place in the home and usually want for nothing.

The roles in a Bedouin marriage are clearly defined. The husband works to bring money for the family to live. The wife cleans, keeps the house and garden tidy, looks after the animals, cooks, brings up the children and makes sure there is always a welcoming fire for guests. She works very hard to make sure that she does a good job for her family.

Bedouin women usually marry another Bedouin, although if a foreign man who is a good Muslim and a decent person asks the family for a woman's hand in marriage, sometimes this is allowed in our culture.

In the past, it was the parents who chose the husband for their daughter as with either a very nomadic lifestyle or a daughter who never left the home, it was unlikely that she would be able to meet any men herself.

Now Bedouin marriages tend to be based around love or at least a mutual respect for each other that could grow into something more.

The men and women who are looking to marry always listen to what other people in the community say about their potential partner. Reputation is everything and we need to know that the person we spend our life with is admired and respected.

We will discuss Bedouin weddings in more detail in next week's blog.

Bedouin women cover their bodies with long traditional dresses called galabaya. These are usually brightly coloured and patterned. They also cover their hair (and sometimes their face) with a headscarf. This is because of our Islamic faith and also in our culture no man should look to any part of a woman's body, out of respect. The only man who should see her body is her husband. In turn, traditionally Bedouin men also wear long white galabaya and a headscarf.

In every culture there are successful marriages, and ones that don't work out. The Bedouin are no different, and within a marriage each person has their right to be treated fairly according Bedouin Law and our code of ethics.

Please note that there really is no typical Bedouin woman. Her life will depend on her tribe, her family, who she marries, and whether she lives in the city, desert or in a coastal or tourist area. She could live in Sinai or other parts of Egypt and this will make a difference to her life. Some women are able to work, and others are not. Some women leave the home daily and others prefer or are expected not to leave it at all.

If you'd like to read a story based on the lives of several Bedouin women who have been interviewed in South Sinai, please click here.

Copyright © 2014, The Bedouin Way. All rights reserved.

Who are the Sinai Bedouin?

“Knowledge is light. And all who contribute bring light to our world.”

Our goal at the Bedouin Way is not only to give you an authentic experience when you join our mountain dinners and other safaris, but also to teach you about our way of life, culture and traditions. Week by week, we’ll write in detail about different topics that might interest you.

To start things off, Sofian Noor (one half of The Bedouin Way) gives you an overview of the Sinai Bedouin, written from his perspective. Sofian is from North Sinai and the Sawarka tribe. He's a safari guide, driver, and cook.

Being Bedouin

The Bedouin are always looking for freedom, respect and food for our families. We are very proud of our culture and we will never let that die.

We have important rituals that we live by every day. For example we wake up early in the morning and light the fire ready for breakfast, tea and coffee. We always end the day the same way.

The Bedouin are resourceful. We can make anything from almost nothing, as this is what we have always had to do living nomadically. We use everything and don't throw things away. Plastic bottles are sometimes used for cups, candles and containers. Leftover food is given to the animals. Glass vessels are used for tea. Metal cans for water.

Our houses are not important to us in the Western sense. Instead of spending money on paint, furniture, beautiful curtains or modern kitchen equipment, we place our priority on providing a good welcome for guests. We are proud and happy with our home as long as we have Bedouin seating areas (carpets and cushions on the ground), a good fire that is always lit, coffee and tea. We like things to be simple.

Every tribe has a different dialect and that's how we can recognise each other and which tribe a person is from.

There are no longer any Christian Bedouin in Sinai. We are Muslim.

We have our own Bedouin Law, which is highly respected. It is never disregarded or taken lightly.

We love coffee without sugar but tea with sugar (some would say too much!).

History

The Sinai Bedouin are a group of tribes descending from immigrants, who arrived from the Arabian Peninsula between the 14th and 18th centuries. However the Bedouin of St Catherine originated from Eastern Europe, travelling there when the monastery was being built between 548 and 565.

There are around 33 tribes across North and South Sinai and we came here with nothing.  There are also Bedouin across Egypt.

Today our lives have changed dramatically due to the modern age of tourism and technology, however we try to maintain our traditions as far as possible to make sure that our way of life is never lost or forgotten.

Our generation is far more interested in politics than our fathers and forefathers. Most Bedouin only really started to talk about politics after the Egyptian Revolution of 2011 when we became affected.

Camels, Goats, Sheep and Livestock

Animals are crucial to the Bedouin. Each tribe has its own stamp for our camels, so we can spot which tribe a camel belongs to straight away. We use our camels for moving around, clothing, meat, and milk – the milk is very healthy and good for the body in many ways.

Goats are traditionally the main animal we keep as we can use them for milk, cheese, meat, their skin and fur. We can get 70% of what we need in life from them. We also keep sheep as they provide the same sustenance.

Bedouin don’t really keep cows as they eat too much and cost more money to keep if we want them to be fit and healthy. However, one tribe in North Sinai does keep them - the Remeilat.

In the past, we moved seasonally with our livestock to make sure our animals ate good food. We would then come back to our “home” when the time was right. This still happens with the traditional desert-dwelling Bedouin.

Those of us who live in the desert tend to hunt for food and those who live by the sea rely more on fishing.

In general terms, the Bedouin of the North eat more meat and the South Sinai Bedouin love to eat fish.

At One with Nature, the Environment and our Bodies

The Bedouin live our lives by carefully observing the sun, the moon, the stars, our environment and our animals. We know where we are, the time of day, and what weather we can expect by learning how to read all of these things. In a world without television, radio, telephones, computers and other technology we have learnt how to be at one with nature from previous generations. And this skill still runs through the veins of every Bedouin.

Because we are nomads and have never relied on traditional doctors, we take our medicine from nature - herbs, plants. We can treat anything from stomachaches and colds to headaches and fevers this way. Perhaps if you’ve been to Sinai and tried our organic remedies you will agree that they work.

When it comes to eating, drinking and knowing about our bodies, we learn from an early age to eat healthy food, always in small amounts. We make our meals at home or in the desert, grow our own vegetables, eat meat we have reared and cook fish we have caught by our own hands. When we want to sleep or take a rest, we do.

Thank You

We hope you have found Sofian’s summary of the Sinai Bedouin interesting. If you would like to subscribe to our blog by email you can do so on this page, and if you have any suggestions for future topics you’d like to read about we would be very happy to hear them.

Best wishes to you all.

Sofian and Mondi.

Copyright © 2014, The Bedouin Way. All rights reserved.

The Bedouin Way

“My father rode a camel, I shall ride a pick-up
and my son will drive a Cadillac; however my grandson will drive a donkey.”

We hope you enjoy taking a look around our website and learning a little more about Bedouin life and culture.

To give you some history behind The Bedouin Way, Mondi and Sofian have been friends for a very long time. We both live in Dahab, although Mondi from El-Tor (the capital of South Sinai) and Sofian is from the North of Sinai. We have worked together for many years on safaris and trips, so only a few weeks ago we decided it would be a good idea to do something on our own to promote Bedouin culture and help to educate the people who might be interested.

Our friends all know we can cook. So our main business is preparing Bedouin dinners in the mountains every Saturday (or other days and locations if requested). On these evenings, we not only want our guests to enjoy our food, but our aim is also to allow you to enjoy a genuine Bedouin experience that's served from the heart. We want you to ask us questions about Bedouin life so that you can paint a clearer picture of where we are from and what being Bedouin actually means.

We may be based in South Sinai, but in many ways the Bedouin Way is the same across the Middle East.

So this journal or blog will sometimes be longer but occasionally it may just have a photograph and a caption. Through writing here, plus updating our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram profiles regularly with anything that comes to mind, we hope that day by day you learn a little more about The Bedouin Way.

We will leave you with words by our good friend Ly Layla:

"Then
Time comes
To count the blessings
All stars and smiles
And end your day
In Bedouin way."

Thank you for visiting and we hope to see you soon.

Mondi and Sofian.