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- - - ~.......:: Zoltan Matrahazi • The Sinai Bedouin a photographic journey by Zoltan Matrahazi Smashwords Edition Copyright Zoltan Matrahazi 2011, License Notes: This free ebook may be copied, distributed, reposted, reprinted and shared, provided it appears in its entirety without alteration, and the reader is not charged to access it. For further information and other publications about the Sinai, by this and other authors, visit www.discoversinai.net. Cover photo: Bedouin man with camel and the Jebel Barqa ranges in the bacl<ground. Introduction Although the Sinai is part of Egypt, it is a very distinct region. While the mainland is in Africa, the Sinai, separated by the Suez Canal, is in Asia. It is a barren and inhospitable - but very diverse and stunningly beautiful - desert wilderness that has been inhabited by nomadic Arab tribes, the Bedouin. Most of the Bedouin are from the Arabian Penin sula originally, arriving in several waves before and after the Arab conquest. Culturally the Bedouin are still closer to these roots than to Egypt - some tribes actually expand across borders - and refer to them- selves as the Arabs. Life has been simple and tough, with little possessions, living at the mercy of the elements. Relying mostly on their herds of sheep and goats to survive, the Bedouin used to move around seasonally to pro vide grazing for the animals. They also owned date palms in oases and used to hunt and fish. Important to survival in the desert, the camel is the symbol of Bedouin life and most families still own camels. However, life is changing rapidly. Most of the Bedouin today are set tled in or close to towns, live in stone houses, have cars, satellite TVs and mobile phones. A lot is being lost, but in a changing world you have to adapt. The desert cannot sustain their lives anymore as in the past. People's needs have changed, there are bills to pay, l<ids have to go to school - and there aren't enough rains anyway these days to pro vide grazing for all. There is now a new generation of educated Bedouin coming and - paradoxically - they are the ones who realize best the importance of their traditions. I believe it is possible to find a balance, you can have the best of both worlds. There are still quite a few families who live permanently or seasonally in the desert and mountains and I hope there will always be some - using new tech nologies though, but essentially living the traditional way. It is a sim ple and slow but very beautiful and rewarding life: close to earth, close to each other and close to god. Following are glimpses of Bedouin life and their natural environment in forty images, followed by brief information for visitors to the Sinai. Part I: A photographic journey - - - - Inhabited by Bedouin tribes - the Arabs - the Sinai is a vast wilderness with a variety of landscapes. There are open sandy plains and high dunes. 0 There are wind- and rain-carved sandstone ranges. Maize of winding wadis and high plateaus. In many places narrow canyons can be found at the base of mountains. • • • There is water - and life - in the desert: a hidden green oasis. • • ... , ' The view of the vast desert from a flat-topped mountain.