THE BEDOUINS Arabs of the Desert

WHO WERE THEY? Literally “desert dwellers.” Nomads who travelled the desert with herds of camels, sheep, and goats. Camp for a few months, use all the resources, and move on.

WHAT ARE THEY LIKE? Men and women are separated. They live in black tents that are divided into the men’s section and the women’s section. Both wear head coverings Women are required to cover all of their hair.

THEIR CAMELS Camels are incredibly important Bedouins herded camels There are 160 ways to say camel in their language. This shows how important they are to their society. Bedouins herded camels

BEDOUIN INFLUENCE Hospitality, Generosity and Honor are the foundations of Bedouin life. Because of the harsh desert landscape, they believe that all travelers should be treated as guests. Now, these characteristics are typical of all Arabs.

CHALLENGES TO BEDOUIN LIFE The nomadic life has been challenged by economic changes like the discovery of oil. New modern advances made it difficult for Bedouins to compete. Camels can’t compete with cars. Innovation requires education – which is hard when you’re constantly traveling. Strong governments made travel harder. Strict border regulations means they can’t just move wherever they want.