New Age Bedouin & Bedouin Tax

New Age Bedouin


So, when I thought about Bedouins I thought about long white dress, head scarf action, dark skin, strange arabic, and mountains.

Such a pose is what I expected whilst amongst the mountains of Sinai.

However, most of the bedouins we met were fully equipped with every technological advance we had: mobile phones, lap tops, internet, blackberries and some nice transportation - not the camel I had presumed would get them from A to B. Many adorn some nice outfits as well, from Saudi Arabia or Dubai, a few, even wear Western-based out fits, sans head gear, I found that confusing. 

An example, below: 

Why was I so baffled by this? It seemed paradoxical and a little bit perturbing. However, the New Age Bedouin, also drinks, and can really party - surpassing all in number of hours awake and number of glasses finished and smokes puffed, whilst keeping in touch with their heritage - many will tell you incredible stories about the women and men of the older generations (who are very much still in line with the original ways of the bedouin). 

Albeit strange, it was alluring - the bedouins are a smart and cunning bunch, with bedouins speaking very good english, working with the technological advances of the west, and joining the past times and ways of those outside of their traditions, they are able to reach out to more of us, because they know how we live, and at the same time maximise their opportunity to get money. 

Bedouin Tax

There is no need to see the bedouins as thieves, bedouins are smart, and despite their wealth, most don't live like us in the West. The New Age bedouin has just been able to understand what can be done with his land and his traditions, in order to live. You should know that the bedouins are the owners or most of the land in Sinai, in fact an desert land in Egypt really. Therefore, they can set the agreement. As Andy and I look for a villa in Agami (North Coast of Egypt) our broker is a bedouin, and the owner is a bedouin. 

The bedouin tax, does not, in fact, come to much - it's just something we noticed and found amusing, and a tiny bit rude - although who wouldn't do what they are doing? What was once desert is now camp sites and exclusive hotels (Taba Heights) for outsiders. 

We sat amongst the bedouins as they re-told ancient stories and simultaneously drank our booze and smoked peoples' smokes, this is what Andy and I came to call the 'Bedouin Tax'.