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    Growing up Bedouin

    Jordan

    There are [5] photos and [1] story about Jordan

    Having spent six weeks in the company of these people it is hard to ignore the happiness that seems to permeate their daily lives. Smiles are rarely given half-heartedly. This girl was never without a contagious lightness that infected everyone around her and it’s a quality shared to varying degrees in all the Bedouin children. Their mischievous sense of fun is hard to avoid and why would you want to? This photo was taken during a session sewing up the families’ traditional tent, she wouldn’t stop cracking jokes and being funny. If ever there was an inauspicious opportunity to capture happiness maybe a daily chore was it. by: jasondury Views[236] The characters in this image all come from different families however in an afternoon spent chatting at one of their houses you would not guess it. This is a long developed characteristic the Bedouin are typically very proud of. “You, me, him, no matter.” The intimacy of the families comes, they tell me, out of necessity. Nomadic tribes depend on each other for myriad aspects of their lives. This is a quality evidently passed on to the current generation. As the Bedouin are absorbed into the urban populace perhaps the love-thy-neighbour attitude will start to fade. These kids insist that they will always be this way and with any luck the legacy will last. In the meantime they are providing a lasting impression on those who take the time to understand them. by: jasondury Views[558] The current generation of kids will experience a transition from nomadic to urban living but for the time being the freedom of a simple lifestyle offers a great deal of opportunity for spontaneous soccer matches. The sharp gravel consists of granite, quartz and various other sole destroying minerals but these boys play with all the fervour of a world cup match at the smallest opportunity. by: jasondury Views[313] The Jordanian government is increasingly pressuring the Bedouin to adopt an urban existence and along with the allure of consumerism and ostensible affluence that it promises the Bedouin are slowly being drawn from their nomadic lifestyle. Building a school in the area occupied by this tribe has encouraged the families to take a more permanent living arrangement. The appeal of a culture bent on consumerism is both literally and figuratively just over the next hill. As the children grow into young adults they learn by contrast the value of the relaxed and simple lifestyle they’ve always known. At the same time the perceived rewards of the high stress and competitive world that they’re being pushed and pulled towards provide a decision that this generation will have to make. by: jasondury Views[575] There is a striking contrast between the severe landscape and the relaxed people who inhabit it. It’s as if the land itself has coached the Bedouin to accept life on its own terms. Mahmoud (running to the right) lives in the house at the bottom of the photo. He spends much of his day walking up and down the road playing characters to the other families with the debris he finds either side of the road but the highlight for him is when he races his uncles ancient vehicle for the two hundred metres from his house to the next. Toughened bare feet hammering the sharp stone, his uncle laughing affectionately the whole way, amidst all the hardship of the daily jobs he is victorious on a daily basis. by: jasondury Views[289]
     

    Photos: Growing up Bedouin - a generation in transition.

    Thursday, 4 Jul 2013 | Photo Gallery | Scholarship Entry

    Photography for me began when I received my first 35mm film scans. Shot on a 40 year old Yashica (still my favourite), the images showed me how a single photograph could tell a tale - ever since I haven’t stopped showing people what I see. I have often ... Read more >
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    Tags: travel photography scholarship 2013

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