Bedouins Latest News
Over 300 people have been killed in a week of violent clashes between Syria's Druze minority and Sunni Bedouin tribes in and around the southern city of Sweida.
About Bedouins
- The Bedouins are traditionally nomadic, Arabic-speaking tribes who have inhabited the deserts of the Middle East and North Africa for centuries.
- The word Bedouin derives from the Arabic badawi, meaning "desert dweller".
- These communities historically survived by herding livestock, primarily camels, sheep, and goats, while navigating seasonal migrations across vast arid landscapes.
- These tribes have traditionally been classified according to the animal species that are the basis of their livelihood.Â
- In Syria, Bedouins have primarily lived in the expansive Al-Badia desert, which covers much of the country's south and east, including provinces like Sweida, Homs, and Deir ez-Zor.
- Society: Bedouin society is tribal and patriarchal, typically composed of extended families that are patrilineal, endogamous, and polygynous.
- The head of the family, as well as of each successively larger social unit making up the tribal structure, is called sheikh; the sheikh is assisted by an informal tribal council of male elders.
Source: NDTV
Bedouins FAQs
Q1: What are Bedouins known for?
Ans: Traditionally, they made a living by herding goats, sheep and camels, hunting, escorting caravans and working as mercenaries.
Q2: Which religion are Bedouins?
Ans: Sunni Muslims
