Discover Sinai

Originally posted on May 28, 2015 The Bisha (Bisha’a) is a unique ritual practiced by the Bedouin tribes of the Sinai and Negev for the purpose of lie detection when one is accused of a serious crime but there is no proof. The ritual consists of the accused being asked to lick a red-hot metal spoon three times. His tongue is then inspected by the official who presides over the ceremony – the Bishari (or Mubasha) – and by the designated witnesses of the ritual. If the person undergoing the ritual is found to have a scarred or burnt tongue, he is found guilty. There is no way appealing the result and all have to accept the outcome and pay the fines as agreed beforehand. Sounds medieval, the ritual is still practiced today. I know several people who went through the fire test in recent years. The Bisha was described in a 1931 British publication, based on the the story of Austin Kennett, an Administrative Officer for the Egyptian Government in Sinai: “The trial by ordeal is employed to se...

Originally posted on February 9, 2014   In a little visited pocket of El Tur, the capital of South Sinai, you find the remnants of old traditions: beautifully built old houses, once home to a thriving community around a shipyard, and still a few of those craftsmen who build ships . The houses were made with rock from the sea, wood, palm trunks and earth as mortar. They are beautiful examples of the Arabic architecture that you find all along the East African coast, through Lamu and Zanzibar as far as Mozambique. Unfortunately time destroyed most of these structures here in El Tur, but a few still stand intact. Also, I’m happy to see that the old boat building tradition hasn’t died out completely yet. A tip for those who want to build wooden furniture themselves: here you can get beautifully shaped quality hard wood, ideal for tables, shelves and benches.

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...