Expert: Jamshaid Zubairee - 3/5/2008

Question
Can you explain me the role of the bedouin in Arab culture?

Answer
Hello Afzal!
I feel very strange to tell you that I personally always hate cultural discussions even I am expert in Arab culture category but my aim here is not to provide the people formal knowledge but to remove misconceptions about Islam for example to explain why something is permissible or not and cultural aspects of Islam. I can't answer homework type questions because I am also a student of MBBS and I have a lot of my own homework to do.
Basically Bedouins represent the pure or original Arab culture or those things which are particulars of Arab culture e.g. Bedouin people are excellent hosts and are well known for looking after guests and making them feel welcome. This is part of a tradition that has been passed down generation after generation. Firstly there is the famous Bedouin tea, made from tea leaf with sugar, and desert herbs of habuck and marmaraya. This gives it a distinctive flavour.It is customary as soon as a guest arrives to get the tea on the fire, whilst sharing stories and news.

The second part of the hospitality always involves food, Bedouin people will always make sure their guest are well refreshed with tea, water and traditional Bedouin food. This includes delicious Bedouin bread cooked on an open fire, rice and either a meat, fish or vegetable dish. The cooking is always from fresh produce grown or reared locally. They take much pride in their cooking and food is always seen as a special event.

For weary travelers in the desert the sight of a Bedouin Tent was equal to that of seeing an oasis. The custom is that food, water and a place to sleep should be provided to all travelers and guests if needed for up to three days. After this time the guest would be well and fit enough to continue onwards with their journey in the desert. Whilst modern times and cars, have really changed the need for such hospitality it is still forms a strong part of the Bedouin culture and it is still offered if needed.

To accompany all this hospitality the Bedouin are excellent story tellers, many have stories about how things were in the 'old days'. Most have great story's about their relationships with camels, about amazing herbal medicine cures that they use and about general family life. Many Bedouin people are also great poets, and have a real talent. But this is often reserved for special occasions such as weddings.
Bedouin people are strong advocates of herbal medicine, this was their only source and hope of getting better when were ill in the desert. They have hundreds of herbal cures and medicines, one of the most popular being camels milk. It is used for many conditions including stomach and digestive disorders, circulation problems and bone complaints. In addition they have vast knowledge of the desert plants and what they can be used for. They will amaze you with this, and in Dahab we find evidence of how effectively these cures have worked on people. Our safaris have been developed to provide more an insight into the fascinating life and knowledge of the Sinai Bedouin and to provide examples of how this knowledge is still used today.
Sinai Bedouin are Sunni Muslims and follow their religion Islam with true faith and compassion. As part of their faith they have maintained a strong connection with the natural world. They usually know when a storm is coming before it arrives, or when a wild animal is approaching their home. Living with nature, in a very natural way preserves their faith. you will find most of Dahab's Bedouin have to get away every now and then and go somewhere remote so that they can feel close to nature again. Many of them miss the silence and the peace, so they make time to return to the desert.

Finally Bedouin people are very open minded to western culture, tourists have been coming to Dahab for over 30 years now. They love to talk about different ways of life and share stories and experiences. The majority of Sinai's Bedouin now depend on tourism to sustain an income for their families.
Bedouin weddings are usually held during a full moon, and are an excellent way to experience this unique culture. The weddings can last from 2 - 5 days with most of the celebrating happening during the night time. Much of the celebrating is done in the family homes. But big weddings held once or twice a year are often held in a big valley in the desert. One of the highlights includes a special night of tribal dancing and live music. This is when unmarried women can look for a husband, and dance in front of potential suitors. This is an amazing experience, as this is one of the few times of the year that young men and women can mix together, in the hope of finding love. Like weddings elsewhere in the world, a Bedouin wedding provides everyone the opportunity to dress up in their best clothes and celebrate with food, music, and dancing.

When big wedding takes place in Dahab, it is an event that everyone will talk about. Many people from the town are invited and guests and visitors are normally welcome to attend. So if you are lucky enough to be invited when a wedding is happening make sure you attend, it really is an opportunity not to be missed.
Traditionally Bedouin women would weave the family tent from goat or camel hair, and be responsible for the setting up and the packing of the tent when the family would move on to new lands.

Today Bedouin women make beautiful handicrafts including woven rugs, necklaces, bracelets and burkas. These are usually embroidered or embellished with beads, sequins and coins using traditional designs passed down through the generations. Bedouin children are often found selling these beautiful crafts around Dahab town center. Many shops also sell these locally made items on behalf of the Bedouin families.
Further you can see the great role of Bedouins in Arab culture at following links:
http://www.answering-christianity.com/links.htm (recommended)
http://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=the+role+of+the+Bedouin+in+Arab+culture%3F&h... (recommended)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedouin (recommended)
http://www.mrdowling.com/607-bedouins.html
http://www.sherryart.com/women/Bedouin.html

If you see that there is something that goes against Islam or is biased against Arab Muslims please inform me.
Further you can use following search engines:
http://www.ask.com/
http://www.mamma.com/
http://www.altavista.com/
http://www.dogpile.com/
http://www.infoonusa.com/
http://www.webcrawler.com/