19 October 2009

A Precarious Situation for the Bedouin of Negev








It clearly states in Human Adaptability that survivability in arid ecosystems depends upon the effective appropriation and storage of water. Additionally, to augment the survival and subsistence needs for pastoral nomads in arid environments, they must locate adequate grazing areas for their herds. It is widely accepted that pastoral nomads do not recognize political or national boundaries; instead, they tend to acknowledge "socio-ecological" boundaries determined by intergroup arrangements. (Meir and Tsoar 1996) For example, the Bedouin in the Negev, Sinai and Arabian deserts have been grazing their herds on traditional pastoral lands for centuries.

Human Adaptability clearly states that most humans acclimate to arid environments in approximately one to two weeks. Thus, success in arid environments is cultural. According to Avinoam Meir and Haim Tsoar, the Bedouin in antiquity have implemented effective "range management systems" and adopted the idea of "spatial flexibility." The Bedouin have utilized perennial vegetation for grazing and seasonal rains to determine migratory patterns for centuries.

Unfortunately for the Bedouin, recent political circumstances of the latter 19th century and mid-20th century have constrained the resources in which they have to graze their herds. After several wars with its Arab neighbors, Israel effectively closed it national borders to Bedouin traffic. On Israel's southern border in the Sinai Peninsula (Egypt), a now much larger Bedouin population than normal is competing for an inadequate amount of ecological resources. A substantial amount of damage has been done to the perennial vegetation in the area. Furthermore, this new ecological constraint has led to almost the complete desertification of the Egyptian side of the border. Conversely, the Israeli side of the border is flourishing with the same perennial vegetation. (1996)

Cultural and societal adaptations combined with generations of invaluable folk knowledge have made the Bedouin one of the most resilient and successful pastoral cultures in arid to semi-arid environments. However, recent socio-political pressures have forced the Bedouin into a precarious situation.

Reference:

Avinoam Meir, and Haim Tsoar, "International Borders and Range Ecology: The Case of Bedouin Transborder Grazing," Human Ecology, Vol. 24, No. 1 (March 1996), pp. 39-64, Accessed: 18 October 2009. Available from: http://www.jstor.org/stable/46032

No comments:

Post a Comment