Sinai Bedouins

The first nomadic tribes arrived to Egypt in 7 CE from Hejaz region of Saudi Arabia — the Sinai Peninsula was not considered an extension of Palestine until 1906. A critical part of the Sinai Bedouins’ culture is the tribal code “urfi,” which established justice within their system. The Sinai Bedouins have a historically tense relationship with the Egyptian government and have been the recipients of particularly harsh treatment after mass casualty events within the region. Due to increased tourism and a subsequent demand to create hotels, many Bedouins were forced to give up their traditional nomadic lifestyle and many experienced unemployment. The Sinai Bedouin dialect differs from that of the Western Bedouin dialect.