Bedouin tent in the past and today
Originally posted on June 11, 2015 The Bedouin used to be pastoralist nomads and so they had to be mobile and lived in tents. Today, at least in the Sinai, most Bedouins are settled, but there are still a handful of old people who refuse to go in a brick house and prefer to live in tents. After rains, however, when pasture is plentiful, many people move out with their herds to their grazing lands and the old tents are back in use again. But the most likely places where visitors can see a traditional Bedouin tent are tourist establishments, either along desert safaris or in the camps on the coast, where it is used as a communal gathering place for guests. The tents are made by hand of goat and sheep hair, so they are fairly expensive, but provide an ideal shelter in the desert. Its loosely woven material lets air come in and the smoke out, so the tent is pleasant in summer; however, when it rains, the fibers get swollen and the tent becomes waterproof. Once visiting a friend in Wad...