Nuweiba (also spelled Nueiba) is a coastal town
in the eastern part of the Sinai Peninsula in Egypt. Located on the coast of the Gulf of Agaba.
Enthusiasts praise the area for its beautifully varied deserts, rich marine life or special flora and fauna in the high mountains. Sun lovers swear by its Red Sea coast and believers by the many holy places that can be found there. But there is also great political interest in Sinai. During the 20th century, Israel and Egypt fought for it almost continuously and it passed from hand to hand.
After the Six Day War, when Israel occupied the area, Nuweiba Town was established just 1.5 km south of Tarabeen, under the Israeli name Neviot. After the departure of the Israelis, the city grew and Nuweiba Port, some 7 km to the south, was constructed and developed.
Bedouins
Bedouin means “people of the desert”. They are Arabs and desert nomads. Bedouins were once the main inhabitants of the Holy Land. Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were most likely Bedouins. Many elements of Bedouin culture have not changed much since Biblical times.
Bedouins have traditionally populated the Sinai Peninsula. Within the boundaries of declared protected areas, they retain their traditional rights and continue to occupy their settlements.
Sinai is home to more than 20 Bedouin tribes. Each has its own territory, some tribes even have two separate territories. With the largest number of the Jabaliya tribe, living in the north and the Muzeina tribe, one of the largest and most powerful tribes inhabiting the southern Gulf from Nuweiba to Sharm el-Sheikh.
The nomadic lifestyle
Bedouins are used to their limitations, very environmentally conscious and therefore natural protectors of the desert that is an important part of their heritage. They have a system of alliances through which they jointly protect wild plants and animals. They will close a particular valley for three to six months to prevent the herds from grazing everything bare. An example is a tribal law that prohibits the cutting of “green trees” with severe penalties. Bedouins who “kill a tree is like killing a soul”. Bedouins also know their limitations for access to water, sometimes going up to five years without rain and are very aware of the need and use of water.
Traditional handicrafts
Each member of a Bedouin tribe wears clothing to indicate place, social position and marital status, these expressions usually being indicated by embroidery on their cloak, by headdresses and jewelry, worn on special occasions.
Over the past 20 years, craft initiatives have been developed across Egypt that focus on creating income for women who spend most of their time indoors. The rich cultural heritage of Bedouins is showcased in the unique and diverse handicraft designs and products.
It is virtually impossible for women to work outside the home and it is the way for them to contribute financially to the family, apart from their responsibilities such as keeping the house, tending the herds and raising the (many) children.
Unfortunately, the flow of tourists has decreased drastically since 2011 in response to the political upheavals. Fortunately, this situation has changed promisingly over the last five years and there is now a new opportunity to show, share and live the pure and special life in the Bedouin style.
Family life
The Bedouins living in Sinai, the same as all other Bedouins living in Egypt and other Arab countries, are always very proud of their family and ancestors. Some old men know the names and stories of the ancestors of every family that lives among them. Bedouins have always respected genealogy and considered it an important science since pre-Islamic times.
The Bedouins are always very loyal to their immediate family and loyal to their platoon, consisting of a number of families, because every Bedouin family must belong to a group of families that protect and help each other.
North and South Sinai
Two regions that should not be confused with each other. The north borders the Mediterranean Sea, Israel and Palestinian territory. This, in combination with the closer bond between the Bedouins here and residents of Gaza and the lack of tourism as a source of income, makes the northern Bedouins somewhat more rebellious and the region more restless compared to the quiet south Sinai.
Sinai’s desert landscape is characterized by special variation. We hardly encounter the stereotypical image of the vast sandy plain as far as the eye can see. Wherever you stand in Sinai’s desert sands, you are accompanied by beautifully colored and shaped rocks and mountains. Rock types, including limestone, sandstone, granite, basalt, quartzite and schist, alternate, as do wadis, ravines and oases with the occasional Bedouin settlement. People have been walking through Sinai for more than ten thousand years: from trade caravans to pilgrims to Mecca.
There are still many remnants of this former human presence. For example, ancient texts adorn rocks in various places, including Wadi Muqattab, ‘the valley of writings’. In the middle of the desert near Serabit el-Khadim are the ruins of a Pharaonic temple, dedicated to Hathor, ‘goddess of Turquoise’. The Nawamis are of a completely different nature: probably ceremonial tombs for nomadic shepherds from the Early Bronze Age (3100-2200 BC).
Just being in the desert is a special experience. Far away from human civilization, without telephone reception and surrounded by stunning views – of landscape and starry sky – makes a deep impression on most people. In the desert you can really “feel” the silence.