Life of a Bedouin in Jordan - A story of Dreams

The word Bedouin comes from the Arabic word Bedu and literally means ‘people who live in the deserts’. Bedouins are found all the way from the north of Africa to the Middle East and the one thing that connects them is the fact that they live in the deserts and rear camels and mules. However, with time many have now moved to the cities and don’t identify themselves as a typical bedouin, though a large number of them continue to dwell in the deserts, especially in Jordan.

By the time I finished talking to Mohammad at one of King’s Tombs at Petra, he was all smiles and wanted me to make him famous across the world. This post is as much an effort to share the story of Mohammad and make him famous in the world, as it is an attempt to understand the Bedouin of Jordan with the help of their stories and dreams.


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A man with his camel at Wadi Rum

Even after three days in Jordan, I was yet to encounter any bedouins. The closest encounter with one was our guide Waleed who as half bedouin from Jordan and half Lebanese. So when we finally started our journey to the famous ruined city of Petra, I was as excited to see the Treasury and the Monastery as I was to meet the local inhabitants - The Bedouin of Petra.

With their long and curly hair, heavily kholed eyes and sturdy mules, their presence is utterly unmissable. At Petra they have the sole rights to manage everything and so they are practically everywhere - managing the mules, selling souvenirs in small shops, running tiny cafes and just generally chilling out. I was excited to finally interact with them, but at the same time a little apprehensive as well. I wasn’t even sure if they would be talk to me in English or if I would need Waleed as a translator. From the corner of my eye I saw Ajay recording a video of the one of bedouin, I learnt later his name was Lost, and I was quite impressed with his English.

With my new found confidence, I spent the next few hours exploring the ruins and chatting up with many bedouins. Here are three such stories :)

The Story of Mohammad

"My dream is to have the whole Koran is my heart - every single verse of the Holy book.”


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Looking at the Wadi at Petra

Mohammad Salama el Mawasa is a bedouin from the archeological Petra town. He grew up living in the caves with his parents, at that time some teachers used to come and teach them. However, in 1984 government moved them out and settled them in a village near by.

Now he runs a souvenir shop at the King's tombs at Petra. He receives many tourists but he also loves traveling. He has been to most of middle east, and has also done Umra at Mecca.

Mohammad has ten children out of which two sons died. Now at an age of 59 years, he has 18 grandkids.

The story of Moon

"My dream is to always live in the mountains. Lots of Europeans have invited me to their country, but I love the mountains. This is home for me.”


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Moon loves climbing up the monastery in the background

Moon (the man on top of the monastery) is a 23 years old beduin who manages the donkeys at the Petra archeological site. A few years ago the government shifted all the bedouins living within the site, but few didn't go out and continue to stay here in the caves, and Moon is one of them.

When he was young he lived with his family in the caves. Now his father lives in a small village with his mother and three sisters outside the site and he has a government job.

Moon loves doing stunts at the monastery at Petra and gets a high from the appreciation he gets from other travelers. He is unmarried and hopes to always remain this way as he thinks that marriage takes away a man's freedom. He had a girlfriend from Italy for about three years but now he is single.

The Story of Awad

"I dream of living in the mountains, and I dream of keeping Jordan safe always.”


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The smoking bedouin :)

Awad is a beduin in the Little Petra area of Jordan and has a small souvenir shop inside the archeological site. He belongs to the Samrin tribe.

A few years back a woman named Senna came from Denmark and fell in love with Awad. Eventually she converted to Islam, married him and now they will have a baby boy in October.

When he was young he used to live in the caves and even studied till grade five there. Now he lives in a small village outside Petra and works inside.

A couple of days later we were at Wadi Rum, which is another World Heritage Site in Jordan, and this time I wasted no time in chatting up with the bedouins.
 

Story of Yasin

"My dream is to become a millionaire. I will use the money for building homes and providing food for people who have nothing.”


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Yasin at Wadi Rum

Yasin Swahil is a young 23 years old bedouin from a village called Shakri near the Wadi Rum area of Jordan.

He is actually a horse rider, and can also ride a camel or a donkey. He usually works along with his tribe, but sometimes also with the tourism department. He plays the role of an Arab rebel who attacks trains during the Arab revolt.

Yasin did schooling till grade twelve, which is also the minimum compulsory level of education in Jordan. Now he is engaged to his cousin and the wedding has been arranged by his family.

Story of Sultan

"I dream to be happy in life. Whenever my heart is happy, I am happy.”


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Sultan in his tent

Sultan is a 24 years old Bedouin and runs a small shop selling various products made by other bedouin in and around Wadi Rum. The most unique product he sells is Arab Perfume.

Many of the bedouin get married from the age of 18, but he is unmarried. Like most of his brethren he is most likely to marry someone from his tribe, though he is happy being single right now.

Sultan's day starts with him driving from his village to his shop in Wadi Rum. He usually spends the morning making tea and Arabic Coffee, and then the rest of the day goes in interacting with the tourists, which he really enjoys.

More about the Bedouin of Jordan

Nomads or not?
Traditionally the bedouin used to be nomads and always moved around in search of food and water in the harsh deserts. Now many of them have settled in small settlements in the deserts and also cultivate crops. In Jordan it is compulsory for every kid to go to school till grade twelve, and that has ensured that all of them are educated in the present generation. I spoke to a few older ones who didn’t go to school, but the present generation is certainly school going.


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Camels of the bedouin
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'Lost' in Petra 

Bedouin Hospitality
However, the one thing that they are most famous for is their hospitality. This is how the story goes - if you going through the desert and come across a bedouin settlement or even a small hut, a bedouin will offer to host you for three days and three nights. At the end of this duration, he would ask you if you needed any help. This not happen much anymore, but it’s very common to be invited into a bedouin hut and be offered a cup of hot Arabic tea with mint. 


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Women bedouins chatting up :)
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Going down a steep incline on his mule

Honour and Loyalty are two other very important tenants in the life of a Bedouin. For these two they can give their lives as well as take any life. They usually live in clans or tribes and usually the word of the leader of the tribe is paramount and everyone is expected to honour it. In this respect the bedouins remain a little outside the governing authority of the state.

Bedouin Dwellings
The dwelling of a bedouin is also quite an interesting one. Traditionally it’s made with goat and camel hair and that makes it very unique and expensive, and a house can cost as much as 15,000 JD. Some, though not many, also live in the caves. I spoke to a few in Petra and they insisted that they stayed within the protected complex in the caves even though their families lived in villages outside. One of them even showed his cave to me, though I can't say for sure if they actually lived in those.

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A cave at Petra

Another misconception is that bedouins are poor, which is also far from reality. They are often extremely rich, though its not customary to show off wealth. Women often wear expensive jewellery and often that’s indicative of the wealth of the family.

So what next for me? I think I would love to explore the bedouin culture in far more detail on my next trips to Middle East. The two countries I would love to visit are saudi Arabia and Syria, and unfortunately both remain out of bounds for me. Maybe another trip to Jordan to actually live with this amazing community? :)

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Bedouins on the way to the Monastery in Petra
 
Disclaimer: I was in Jordan on invitation of Jordan Tourism Board. All views and stories shared on the blog are unbiased and based purely on my experiences. 

Comments

  1. Precioso reportaje sobre la legendaria ciudad de Petra.
    Un saludo,

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  2. Interesting to know about Bedouins. And awesome shots. Wish I travel to Jordan someday!

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    1. Thanks Rat! I am sure you will...why don't you plan soon? :)

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  3. Awesomely written and photographed :) wish you good luck always

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  4. Thank you for showing me that bit of Jordan that I missed out on. Fascinating stories.

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  5. This is truly beautiful terrain... those structures are hypnotic. Enjoyed reading each of the dream !!

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  6. Such a lovely perspective on the Bedouins. One that goes beyond their inherently warm hospitality. There's a common thread here, and it seems like they're all extremely proud of their roots, and the place they belong to. Even those who have learnt to speak English with accents from all over the world, still hold on to their way of life. Imagine if more people around the world did that. Such a seamless way of preserving cultures.

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    1. That's so true Revati, their connection with their roots is very strong. I think that's what also attracts many to them...

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  7. Such stunning views and displays of life in the desert. I love the way they hold on to their values and culture and how they display it and live it throughout the years.

    Mersad
    Mersad Donko Photography

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    1. That's absolutely true Mersad! They do hold on to and carry forward a lot of their heritage and culture forward...that makes them so special...

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  8. Such strong stories and complementing images. I felt each of them are very strong personalities who even at a young age (Yasin and Moon) are very comfortable in their lives.

    I have always been curious of Bedouins and their culture, but posts like these help me understand and associate a lot. Thanks much!

    And oh, I can't get over the fact that all of them are so attractive--men, women alike!

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    1. Thanks so much Amrita! I was also so so curious about them, and was so worried that i won't be able to manage conversations with them. But it was fantastic to talk to them all...each one has an interesting story, and a common thread - especially the love for desert and mountains.

      I am now interested in visiting them in other middle-eastern countries as well :)

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  9. You know , I recognize some of these people in the pictures.. ....when I saw Moon, I thought he looked like Captain Jack Sparrow :)

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    1. Absolutely! I thought the same :) He was also such delight to talk to...

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  10. Interesting read, Sid. Bedouins are the true nomads. :)

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    1. Thanks Niranjan! Btw why have you not been writing on your blog?

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  11. Now that my comp is up, I am here to comment. :-)

    What a perspective into the lives of Bedouins! They absolutely fascinated me. The charm, the looks, the witty factor and the hospitality. I can't get enough of them & their lifestyle.

    I would really like to stay with them for a few weeks and learn more about their culture.

    Lovely stories, Sid. I knew few of them but it's always nice to hear them again. :)

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    1. Thanks so much Nisha - it's always so nice to hear from you :)

      I think we both must plan a visit together to spend more time with the Bedouins. What say? :)

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  12. Hey Sid... this is again a WOW from me...I have always been fascinated by the ways of the Bedouins..Thanks for the info. shared..Lovely pics as ever...Very nice post..
    ATB for more on your globetrotting expeditions..

    With luv

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    1. Thanks a lot Deeba! I am so happy that you enjoyed the post :)

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  13. U imbibe where ever u go dear !!! U look one of em urself..HA HA..

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    1. Haha! I think that's a wonderful compliment to the traveler in me :)

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  14. Yes, Very interesting blog. And your presentation also good.

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  15. Fantastic Sid!
    Jordan is one such place I have long wanted to visit.

    Until then, I hope you go back soon and share more experiences about living with the community.

    Cheers,
    Rajiv

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    1. Inshallah I will go back again! I loved the country and would love to see more of it :)

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  16. i will have to come back and finish reading about these interesting people...enjoying it!

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  17. These photos are fantastic and the stories are so interesting. I'd love to go there some day.

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    1. Thanks Sharon :) You must go there some day...I am sure you will love it :)

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  18. Stunning sights and great stories!
    Love the shelter.

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  19. I wish to travel Jordan one day.. good to know about Bedouins too

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    1. I am sure you will love it there! It's such a wonderful country...

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  20. I have just gotten back from Jordan, and my tour in Petra was amazing as well. I agree with you, they are such beautiful and friendly people. I have yet to post my portraits of them as I need to sort out through my tons of files. It is kind of overwhelming. I regret not to have too many photos of the women, though, as I seem to notice there were far more men in the vicinity (or was I too concentrated on shooting the men? LOL). Thank you for your wonderful story and images, Sidd. :-)

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    1. Thanks so much Jojie...I am happy you enjoyed the post :)

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