About South Sinai

History

South Sinai has recently become a popular tourist destination, but the land has a rich and interesting history. It holds sites sacred to Islam, Christianity and Judaism, which attract pilgrims and visitors from all over the world. These include Jebel Musa (Mount Sinai), upon which Moses is believed to have received the Ten Commandments, and St Katherine’s Monastery, one of the world's oldest Christian monasteries and a World Heritage site. The Monastery buildings have been occupied continuously since they were built in the 6th century CE. They enclose what are said to be the remains of the Burning Bush, and house a mosque as well as the chapel holding the relics of St Katherine of Alexandria. In the 7th century CE, during the spread of Islam across the region, the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) himself decreed that the monks in the Monastery should be granted special protection by Muslims. Indeed, the Monastery has enjoyed a close relationship with the Jebeliya Bedouin living in and around St Katherine for many hundreds of years.

Sinai’s strategic, historical and religious significance has led the region to be the source of much conflict, most recently between Egypt and Israel in a struggle lasting from 1948 until the final withdrawal of Israeli troops in 1982. Sinai was occupied by Israel for fifteen years and during this time life changed dramatically for many of its people. Economic change, rapid settlement and an increased availability of migrant labour led many to move away from traditional livelihoods, such as agriculture, hunting and fishing. In the years since 1982, when Egyptian control resumed fully, South Sinai underwent further change, experiencing massive commercial development through tourism as well as substantial foreign investment. This has encouraged an explosion of tourist centres on the coast, where the coral reefs and sunshine are a year-round attraction to visitors. While it was hoped that indigenous Bedouin communities would benefit from these developments, in reality the lack of water and infrastructure away from the coast means that the South Sinai Bedouin remain among the poorest people in Egypt.

The Bedouin

The term ‘Bedouin’ literally means ‘people of the desert’. Bedouin groups are found all over North Africa and the Middle East and there are eight Bedouin tribes in South Sinai. Bedouin peoples are traditionally nomadic, but most today live only semi-nomadic or sedentary lives. Until recently, livelihoods were based upon agriculture, hunting or fishing, with wage work as a secondary income source whenever it became available. Around St Katherine, for example, Jebeliya Bedouin families have traditionally lived by herding flocks of sheep and goats and by keeping beautiful mountain gardens in which to grow fruit, nuts and vegetables.

However, wider changes across South Sinai, such as political upheaval, the creation of Protected Areas and an increasing lack of water have meant that many people now rely on wage work. Some Bedouin have successfully adapted to these changes but many, especially those far from the tourist trail, have been left behind by the tourist boom. Research undertaken by the Mo'assessa's Chair, Hilary Gilbert, and Mohammed Khedr shows that many Bedouin today live in serious poverty; up to half the population survives on an income level around or below $1 per person per day. Unfortunately, the relatively small number of Bedouin people and their remote and dispersed settlement mean that official statistics on their status are rarely collected. As a result, policy-makers and aid agencies often fail to recognize their needs.

The changes experienced by the Bedouin are in many ways typical of tribal societies having to adapt their way of life to meet new challenges and needs. Many Bedouin worry, though, that their traditions and identities may be forgotten as new generations are subject to modern pressures and influences. There is a danger, too, that with increasing tourism and external influence in South Sinai, Bedouin tradition will become absorbed into mainstream culture. Sensitive development programmes which focus on education and sustainable work, compatible with local norms, will be required to deal with these challenges.

The Environment

The landscape and wildlife of South Sinai are unique. Inland, the dramatic mountains of the desert shelter rare plants and animals, including the almost mythical Sinai leopard and the world's smallest butterfly, the Sinai Baton Blue. Egypt’s highest mountains are found within the St Katherine Protectorate, a national park established to safeguard its biodiversity. The landscape is changeable, moving from very dry, rocky desert to magnificent oases, and this is reflected in the diversity of the species found there. South Sinai has a high proportion of endemic species, which means that much of its wildlife is unique to the area.

Out towards the coast are some of the most beautiful coral reefs in the world. South Sinai’s shores run into the Red Sea, and tourists come year-round to view the fabulous sharks, fishes and corals there. Again, many species are endemic to the region, making their effective conservation crucial. To this end, the government has established twenty-seven Protected Areas across Egypt, of which five are to be found in South Sinai. If you would like to learn more about the flora and fauna of Egypt, you can visit www.biomapegypt.org.

The most important environmental issue in South Sinai is water. The expansion of the tourist trade and the changing climate has highlighted water scarcity as a big problem here. In previous decades, rainfall was greater, populations were smaller and water resources were carefully monitored and controlled by the Bedouin groups who used them. Indeed, the sustainable use of environmental resources is a significant part of Bedouin culture and identity. But the last ten years have seen the amount of rain in South Sinai fall dramatically. The traditional gardens kept by the Jebeliya Bedouin have not been able to survive this drought. In addition, the fast growth of the tourist trade has placed a strain on the water resources that do remain. While water is brought in from the mainland, the supply is currently too centralized and expensive to have an impact on many Bedouin families. Because of this, one focus of the Foundation's work is on improving Bedouin access to water.