POST4 Rwala Bedouin

 The culture I decided to research for this blog post is the Rwala Bedouin of the Middle East. They are mainly located in Saudi Arabia and are pastoralists. They speak Arabic and call themselves the Baduw which refers to the people of the desert. They were large pastoralists who lived off trade. A large part of their society was livestock raids. This is when they would redistribute their livestock from the tribes with the most to the tribes with the least. This process was short lived because it soon became violent. A large part of their diet was grains from nearby cultivators. Their culture continues to have small camel herds which they use for milk and wool. Men in this society carved wood while women worked with leather wand weaving. Women were in charge of a tent which them and their families lived under. During the seasons when they would need to move their settlements this was laborious work. The Rwala Bedouin's use a patrilineal line of descent.

The Rwala Bedouins have many times been in droughts and times of extreme famine. This led to them knowing the fear of being hungry because they cannot overcome those who have eaten. Even though they feared hunger they knew that you cannot spot this on a man but you can point out one's weakness when they are not properly clothed. They took pride in always have the means to be fully clothed but hungry when other prioritized food over clothes. They also feared hunger because they believe that it leads man to sin. It can lead to theft from those who have what you may desire. The grazing territory that they use is from Damascus to Iraq. The formation of states in this region has made it more difficult for them to migrate during the season change. 

It is said that they eat two regular meals a day and the largest of those is supper. Supper is provided after sunset and then eat the leftovers for lunch the next day. These left overs are often scarce and can even be simply a piece of bread. When guests arrive, they bake fresh bread and prepare a small meal. They soak this bread and water which they consider eating well. They rarely eat a large breakfast but instead eat a small amount of salt, bread, or milk. These traditions are pronounced by their god Allah. They usually do not have religious positions in their tribes but the men who know the most on Muslim traditions is the one they look to for religious issues. Ultimately each individual is held to the standard of keeping themselves in line with their belief. Often times the guests will eat with the entire family but the host decides where everyone sits at the table. It is avoided at all costs to cough or sneeze during a meal. When the first person finishes, they lick their fingers clean and get on their knees to wait for the others to finish. If anyone rides past the tent while dinner is being held then the host calls out for them to join. In most cases the rider will not stop to eat but is a sign of kindness and accomplishment. When the men travel, they are allowed one load per person which is however much a camel may carry. The chief on the other hand carries many loads to feed himself and guests. The men get most of their meals by being guests to other tribes. 

Young, William. 2009. “Culture Summary: Rwala Bedouin.” New Haven, Conn.: Human Relations Area Files. https://ehrafworldcultures-yale-edu.northernkentuckyuniversity.idm.oclc.org/document?id=md04-000. 

Musil, Alois. 1928. “The Manners and Customs of the Rwala Bedouins.” In Oriental Explorations and Studies, xiv, 712. New York: The American Geographical Society. https://ehrafworldcultures-yale-edu.northernkentuckyuniversity.idm.oclc.org/document?id=md04-002.

Emily Pitek. Rwala Bedouin. Database of Religious History, Vancouver, BC: University of British Columbia.

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