Bedouin

{{Ethnic group

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|image_caption=A Bedouin family in Oman |group=Bedouin |poptime=? |region1 = Saudi Arabia |region2 = Jordan |region3 = United Arab Emirates |region4 = {{country data Kuwait]] |flag/core|name=Kuwait]] |variant=|size=}} The Bedouin (/[invalid input: 'icon']ˈbɛd[invalid input: 'ʉ'].ɪn/; from the Arabic badawī بَدَوِي, pl. badw بَدْو or badawiyyūn بَدَوِيُّون) are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arab ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ʿašāʾir (عَشَائِر)..

Etymology

The term "Bedouin" derives from a plural form of the Arabic word badawī, as it is pronounced in colloquial dialects. The Arabic term badawī derives from the word bādiyah (بَادِية), which means semi-arid desert (as opposed to ṣaḥrāʾ صَحْرَاء, which means very arid desert). The term "Bedouin" therefore means, "those who live in bādiyah" or "those who live in the desert".

History

Starting in the late 19th century, many Bedouin under British rule began to transition to a semi-nomadic lifestyle. In the 1950s and 1960s, large numbers of Bedouin throughout the Middle East started to leave the traditional, nomadic life to settle in the cities of the Middle East, especially as hot ranges have shrunk and population levels have grown. For example, in Syria the Bedouin way of life effectively ended during a severe drought from 1958 to 1961, which forced many Bedouin to give up herding for standard jobs. Similarly, government policies in Egypt and Israel, oil production in the Persian Gulf, as well as a desire for improved standards of living, effectively led most Bedouin to become settled citizens of various nations, rather than stateless nomadic herders.

Government policies pressuring the Bedouin have in some cases been executed in an attempt to provide services (schools, health care, law enforcement and so on—see Chatty 1986 for examples), but in others have been based on the desire to seize land traditionally roved and controlled by the Bedouin. In recent years, the Bedouin have adopted the pastime of raising and breeding white doves.

Culture

A widely quoted Bedouin saying is "I against my brother, my brothers and me against my cousins, then my cousins and I against strangers". This saying signifies a hierarchy of loyalties based on closeness of kinship that runs from the nuclear family through the lineage, the tribe, and even, in principle at least, to an entire ethnic or linguistic group (which is perceived to have a kinship basis). Disputes are settled, interests are pursued, and justice and order are maintained by means of this organizational framework, according to an ethic of self-help and collective responsibility (Andersen 14). The individual family unit (known as a tent or bayt) typically consisted of three or four adults (a married couple plus siblings or parents) and any number of children.

When resources were plentiful, several tents would travel together as a goum. These groups were sometimes linked by patriarchal lineage, but were just as likely linked by marriage (new wives were especially likely to have male relatives join them), acquaintance or even no clearly defined relation but a simple shared membership in the tribe.

The next scale of interactions inside tribal groups was the ibn ʿamm (cousin, or literally "son of an uncle") or descent group, commonly of three to five generations. These were often linked to goums, but where a goum would generally consist of people all with the same herd type, descent groups were frequently split up over several economic activities, thus allowing a degree of 'risk management'; should one group of members of a descent group suffer economically, the other members of the descent group would be able to support them. Whilst the phrase "descent group" suggests purely a lineage-based arrangement, in reality these groups were fluid and adapted their genealogies to take in new members.

The largest scale of tribal interactions is the tribe as a whole, led by a Sheikh (Arabic: شيخ šayḫ, literally, "elder"). The tribe often claims descent from one common ancestor—as mentioned above. This appears patrimonial but in reality new groups could have genealogies invented to tie them in to this ancestor. The tribal level is the level that mediated between the Bedouin and the outside governments and organizations.

Bedouin traditionally had strong honor codes, and traditional systems of justice dispensation in Bedouin society typically revolved around such codes. The bisha'a, or ordeal by fire, is a well-known Bedouin practice of lie detection. See also: Honor codes of the Bedouin, Bedouin systems of justice

Bedouin tribes and populations

Bedouin man lighting a camp fire in Wadi Rum, Jordan

There are a number of Bedouin tribes, but the total population is often difficult to determine, especially as many Bedouin have ceased to lead nomadic or semi-nomadic lifestyles. Below is a partial list of Bedouin tribes and their historic place of origin.

Al-Abbadi One of tribes in Jordan.
Al Adwan One of the tribes in Jordan.
al-Ajman from eastern Saudi Arabia and the Persian Gulf States.
Aniza, some Anizes are of Bedouin tribes that lives in northern Saudi Arabia, western Iraq, the Persian Gulf States, and the Syrian steppe.
al-Awazem, mostly located in Kuwait, with a small section in north-eastern Saudi Arabia.
'Azazme, Negev.
Al-Baggara, in Syria,Sudan and Iraq.
Bani Hajer (Al-Hajri or Al-Hajeri) a large and powerful tribe in Saudi Arabia and the eastern Persian Gulf States.
Beni Hamida East of Dead Sea.
Bani Khalid, a large tribe spanning Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, UAE, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, Sudan, Iraq and other countries, said to be descendants of Prophet Mohamed's companion "Khaled ibn Al-Waleed".
Bani Rasheed Rashaida in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Egypt, Sudan, Eritrea, Jordan, Lebanon, Persian Gulf States and North Africa.
Bani Truf in Ahwaz which is located in southwest of Iran near Iraqi border.
Bani Arak or Al-arkiyon or Al-Arakiya or Al-Boaraki (Bahrain & Kuwait) a large tribe that originates from Yemen but now a minority in the country currently the tribe is found in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Jordan, Syria, West Bank, Bahrain, Sudan and Egypt. The tribe is of qahatanite origin but the tribe was first known as Al-araki in Iraq as the name Araki is a diversion of the word Iraqi, the tribe is a sub-tribe of the ancient tribe Juhayna.
Banu Yam centered in Najran Province, Saudi Arabia.
alatwy a tribe (also known as Beni Ateyah), live in north-western part of Saudi Arabia, Tabuk province.
Beni-Hasan One of the largest tribes in Jordan.
Beni Sakhr One of the largest tribes in Jordan.
Beni Sakhr in Sudan (Shokriya), Lebanon, Syria and Jordan.
Al Buainain
Al Bu Romaih
al-Da'ajah Bedouin of Balqawi Amman in Jordan.
Dulaim, a large tribe in Al Anbar western Iraq.
al-Duwasir, south of Riyadh, and Kuwait.
Ghamid, large tribe from Al-Bahah Province, Saudi Arabia, mostly settled, but with a small Bedouin section known as Badiyat Ghamid.
Al-Hadid Large Bedouin tribe found in Iraq, Syria and Jordan. Now mostly are settled in cities such as Haditha in Iraq, Homs & Hama in Syria, and Amman Jordan. Yet tribal law still exists within their families as their Sheikh still governs the tribe. Sheikh Barjas Al-Hadid now leads the tribe in Jordan and previously Sheikh Raslan Al-Hadid in Syria.
Al-Hajaya One of the largest tribes in Jordan (Al-Hesa).
Harb, a large tribe, centered around Medina, but also extending northwards towards Tabuk and eastwards towards Al-Qassim.
Hareeb 100 Miles South of Marib in Yemen.
Hajaya in al-Qatarneh, and al-Hasa, Jordan.
Al-Howaitat One of the largest tribes in Jordan (Al-Hesa).
Al-Khassawneh One of the largest tribes in northern Irbid Jordan and well known for the long history dominating the north
Ja'alin tribe found in north Sudan they are Hashemite Arab tribe tracing their origin to Abbas Bin Abdullmutalab.
Al Jalahma.
Juhayna (tribe), a large tribe, many of its warriors were recruited as mercenaries during World War I by Prince Faisal, surrounds the area of Mecca, and extends to Southern Medina and can also be found in Sudan as the biggest Qahtani tribe.
Al-Magableh One of the largest tribes in Jordan and well known for the long history dominating the north.
Khawalid in Jordan, Israel, Lebanon and Syria.
Al-Majali South Jordan Majalis have long dominated Karak Bedouin society, Strongest tribe in Karak one of the largest political powers in Jordan
Manasir a large tribe found the gulf region and eastern Sudan.
al-Mawasi, a group living on the central Gaza Strip coast.
al-Massaed tribe found in Jordan.
Al-Matheel also spelled Mathil, a prominent Yemeni tribe based in the Damt region of Yemen, most have spread to the capital Sana'a.
al-Murrah in Saudi Arabia, Sudan and Upper-Egypt.
Murad, a tribe living 150 miles south-east of the capital of Yemen.
Mutair, estimated at about 1,200,000 members;^{[citation needed]} live in the Nejd plateau, many families from the Mutair tribe live in the Persian Gulf States (especially Kuwait) and Lebanon.
Muzziena tribe in Dahab and South Sinai (Egypt).
Al Nuaim a large tribe in Saudi Arabia, Syria, Jordan (Noaymat), Palestine, Iraq,Sudan (Noaymayen), United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain.
al-Rashaydah, a large international tribe, originally centered around Medina, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait but also extending in Jordan, Lebanon, Egypt, Eritrea, Sudan, Libya and Mali, see also Bani Rasheed
Riyalat, it now resides in Sult, Jordan.
Rwala, a large clan from the Aniza tribe, live in Saudi Arabia, but extend through Jordan into Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, in the 1970s, according to Lancaster, there were 250,000–500,000 Rwala.
Shahran Al-Ariydhah, very large tribe from Bisha city to Khamis Mushait and Abha cties Al-Arydhah 'wide' is a famous name for Shahran because it has a very large area , Saudi Arabia.
Shaigiya a tribe found in north of Sudan , they share the same origin with the ja'alin tribe and Rubattab tribe.
Shammar in Saudi Arabia, central, and western Iraq, eastern Syria, Jordan and Lebanon
Subay', central Nejd, and Kuwait.
Swellat,A Large Bedouin tribe, found in Lebanon and Syria.
Al-Tarabeen One of the largest tribes in Jordan and Israel. They include many families like Al-Sanea'.
Tarrabin, Negev
Tuba-Zangariyye, Israel near Syria.^[1]
Ubeidah, 150 miles west of the capital of Yemen.
Ummur tribe of around 1,200 persons near Palmyra, Syria.
Utaybah large tribe in western and central Saudi Arabia and Lebanon.
Yahia, a group from Morocco of about 96,000 people.
Zaab, a small tribe, live with the Al-Ajman, in eastern Saudi Arabia.
Al-Zinati Bedouin of Northern Jordan Valley.
Al-Araqeeb, a small farming village in Israel (demolished)

References

^ Info on Tuba from Flags of the World Website

Strong tribe played big role in history of Jordan

External links

[1] Info on Tuba from Flags of the World Website

[1]