Bedouin Camp part 1
I was in the Ammarin tribe's territory -- the only visitor there for the day. The compound was blinding white, scorched by the sun, until I saw a high bluff that cut deep shadows into the ground.
10 km outside of Wadi Musa, and by extension, Petra. Another two kilometers of dirt road, past the red canyon bluffs and wailing herds of horses, goats and camels and it's Bedouin territory.
The taxi dropped me off at the dirt road, where I walked into the territory under a midday sun, backpack thrown on the sand, and found the gate locked. A boy, about twelve, led his goat towards me.
"Hey, what's going on, I asked? What's that?"
"Movie. Amman movie about Bedouin. Living -- you know? We Bedouins" His dirt-caked face was attentive. So that's what it was. The entire tribe was either support or was background for a docu-drama on Bedouin life. I inched closer to the action and took a couple of shots. A man, fake inky beard, was beating a young shepherd boy with a cane.
"Stop!" yelled the director. "Ok, one-two-three.. " The scene repeated itself. Bearded man raises young boy up, then drops him to the ground, where a crew member stopped his fall. Then the caning ensued, again. Two, three, four times. Goats bleated on the rocky outcrops in the background. A few straggling camels, subdued by their handlers, lazed nearby.
I snapped a couple of pictures. Snap. Snap. Click. A young Bedouin called me over to him "Hello -- Asalumu!" He motioned for my camera, for me to take a shot of him. Just before I clicked the shutter, he pulls out from his sack a just decapitated goat's head, all bony white streaked with pink blood. Perfect. He grinned and gave a thumbs up. Snap.
I walked back to the gate, where the kid stood, his goat tethered. "How do I get in?" I motioned towards the lock. "Anyone around?" I wasn't sure if he understood. "Hello?"
"Easy!" he grinned. "No problem!" And just like that, he moved towards the barbed wire fence, pulled the two wires, like taut vipers, back, and scampered through.
Oh well. I tossed my backpack over, inched my way to the barbs, and was on the other side.
I was in the Ammarin tribe's territory – the only visitor there for the day. The compound was blinding white, scorched by the sun, until I saw a high bluff that cut deep shadows into the ground. Under the shade were carpets, on which clumped low tables. A pot of tea brewed. I could make out two boys at rest, one a lump of curves and wrinkles under a thick blanket and one on his haunches smoking. The smoker waved and stood up.
"Konichiwa! Hello! You want tea?"
So there that was. I was in.
ooh interesting... can't wait to see pix of thise part of the world. i have absolutely no expectation or idea of wht i think they will look like.. curious curious.. anyhoo. i'm also still waiting for you to explain how you met your aussie friends again in a diff part of a desert. throw me a bone and splain already! :)
Posted by: jojo | September 07, 2006 at 01:34 PM