Aref Abu-Rabia - Negev Bedouin and Livestock Rearing

G ENERAL E DITOR : Jackie Waldren, Lecturer at Oxford Brookes University; Research Associate CCCRW, Queen Elizabeth House, Oxford; and Field Co-ordinator, Deya Archaeological Museum and Research Centre, Spain

This is a new series which will feature ethnographic monographs and collect-ed works on theoretical approaches to aspects of life and culture in the areas bordering the Mediterranean. Rather than presenting a unified concept of the Mediterranean, the aim of the series is to reveal the background and dif-ferences in the cultural constructions of social space and its part in patterning social relations among the peoples of this fascinating geographical area.

First published in 1994 by Berg Publisher

Published 2020 by Routledge

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1994 Aref Abu-Rabia

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ISBN 13: 978-0-8549-6319-5 (hbk)

This monograph examines the social, economic and political significance of livestock rearing in the lives of the Negev Bedouin.

The research provides an addition to previous studies of Bedouin society. It stresses two areas; the importance and significance of livestock rearing in Bedouin life today, and the effects on livestock rearing of the process of urbanisation among the Bedouin.

The aim is to analyse the complex problems involved in livestock rearing today, the effects on it of external coercion on the part of the government, and the impact of changes in livestock rearing on Bedouin family life and society.

Livestock rearing is developing in a new direction, altogether different from the traditional one. In the past it was a source of subsistence and provided the main means of existence for most Bedouin, whereas today, while it is as important as ever for many families, for others it only furnishes a subsidiary source of extra income.

About forty years ago, the Bedouin were nomads roaming in search of pastures; this created an inevitable dependence on their natural environment. With the opening up of external occupations, this dependence on the environment has been reduced. Other factors - mainly ecological, political and economic have affected the patterns of nomadism among the Bedouin. These factors do not have a uniform effect on the livestock-folds; great variations are found in the individual holdings. The differences affect the movements of the flocks, even though they are found in the same area and under the same political and economic conditions. The variations are caused by the structure of the family, the size of the flock, and its importance in the household economy.

Despite the attraction of other work, and all the problems that are encountered, such as expropriation by the authorities of pasture-lands and the demolition of unauthorised dwellings so as to compel the Bedouin to move into permanent settlements, livestock rearing is still worthwhile and profitable for almost all Bedouin households. For many Bedouin it provides a source of remunerative labour, even though some Bedouin find alternative work elsewhere. Nevertheless, the interaction between the Bedouin and Israeli society and their integration into the economy as hired employees have diminished the importance of livestock rearing. It has become an occupation for the few owners of large flocks, or for people who are afraid of losing their subsistence security. The household is the focus for an examination of which people are engaged in livestock rearing. Most economic activities among the Bedouin today are conducted by the nuclear family or the extended family, although there are also households which own joint property.