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BEDOUIN OF THE KARAK PLATEAU IN JORDAN
 Numerous Bedouin groups occupy the Karak
plateau in central Jordan (see map). The western border of the
Karak is the Dead Sea and to the east is the Sahara Desert. In
addition to these nomadic Arabs of the Karak Plateau,
permanent residents include both Christian and Muslim
villagers that represent a traditional shepherding and
agricultural way of life that has existed for thousands of
years, but they also exhibit characteristics of the rapid
modernization of rural areas throughout the Middle East. The Karak area has a long history
of human occupation. Numerous archaeological sites in and around
al-Karak date back to the early Bronze Age, 3300 –2000 B.C.
Proximity to the harsh environment of the surrounding desert and
lack of water has contributed enormously to the value of this
small area of arable land where the Bedouin, the nomadic people
of the desert, spend their spring and summer months in
interaction with the settled people of the Karak Plateau.
Nevertheless, other Bedouin reside on the plateau all year round
and occasionally move only a few kilometers because of their
migratory agricultural work or to seek better grazing.
[
Photo1 &
Photo2]
 The
various Bedouin groups include the nomadic tribes from the
Sahara Desert, the traditional Jordanian Bedouin that winter in
the south and spend the spring and summer in the central and
northern parts of the country, and the displaced refugees from
Palestine. There are also several groups of gypsies that reside
in the area. Each of theses groups are distinct having their own
migration patterns and subsistence patterns.
The term “Bedouin” is a nebulous concept. It most commonly
refers to moving Arabs. A great exploration into the various
facets of the term is presented in an article by one of the
members of our research team, William Young (see bibliography).
Comparing Bedouin to the term “farmers” in North America gives
one a bit of a reference point for the concept. The farmer of
the past is not the farmer today although one can still find
examples of the family farm. The image of “farmer” exists more
as romantic national icon than a real thing. To Middle
Easterners, Bedouin holds a similar emotional response. It is
something of the past and not the present and those that are
holding to this way of life in the present are given little
respect and sometimes shunned. [
Photo] The present day Bedouin tend to be poor,
barely surviving, without much education, and not extremely
loyal to the government. Government policy has favored the
settled populations and discouraged nomadism and semi-nomadism.
The Bedouin are a marginalized population. [
Photo1 &
Photo2]
 Many of the villagers of Karak began the transition from a
totally nomadic way of life as Bedouin to a settled village life
at the turn of the 20th century yet maintain some of the
traditional customs. Numerous village families own herds of
sheep and goats but hire Bedouin to do their herding. In
addition, settling on the Karak Plateau has afforded the
villagers the opportunity to engage in rain fed dry land
farming; consequently, if the grain is poor or after a good
harvest the stubble can be leased for grazing to the Bedouin.
There are numerous situations to bring the Bedouin and villagers
into interaction.
 Many
of the traditional ways are still maintained by the Bedouin.
Milk processing, weaving of rugs and tent cloth, and shepherding
are basic to their way of life. Women and children are
responsible for maintaining the family herd and the making of
cheese, yogurt and butter. Men are engaged in business matters,
hauling the water, interfacing with government agencies and wage
labor. Marriages are polygamous and arranged. Families tend to
be large and incorporated extended family members.
The following is a survey of the nomadic people of Karak who
graciously invited us into their tents, generously served us
coffee and tea, and spent long hours sharing their desperate
personal stories. They allowed us to intrude into their private
space with notebooks, tape recorders, digital cameras, and
unending questions. We hope that this study will help the world
better understand the diversity of Bedouin life in Jordan, their
courageous struggle as an under class, and their effort to
maintain their nomadic way of life while adapting to the modern
world. [
Photo]
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