Bedouin Culture from a New Perspective. The National Library of Jerusalem will dedicate November 20th (1:30 PM to 9:30 PM) to Bedouin heritage. Entitled Riwak (the exterior of a Bedouin tent), this extraordinary multicultural event combines music, dance, theater, and study. It offers the public the opportunity to explore in depth the many facets and richness of Bedouin culture. Three discussions on Bedouin literary and photographic collections will take place in the afternoon, featuring professors and researchers. Later, an artistic performance expressing the connection between man, the land, and the desert, presented by the Arab-Jewish theater Alyamama and the troupe from the Jerusalem Academy of Music and Dance, will conclude the evening. "The idea of organizing this event at the National Library came from the realization that a library is much more than just a library," says Kaid Abu Latif, artistic director of the Alyamama theater.
"Riwak" was created on the occasion of the arrival at the Jerusalem Library of the collections of Clinton Bailey, Orna Goren, Haim Blank, and the Lost Paradise collection, which document Bedouin society and culture in the Negev, Sinai, and Jordan. Among the collections are songs from the Bedouin tradition that accompany the life cycle, from birth to death, carefully selected by the Shargi music group. Using traditional musical instruments, they will play the sounds of the desert at the National Library and accompany the dance and theater performance, which will take place at 8:00 PM.
Authentic Collections on Bedouin Life
"It seemed very important to us to invite the public to discussions with researchers, professors, and writers about Bedouin culture and its changes from generation to generation, in order to trace its evolution. The Clinton Bailey collection was the first one we received. For 50 years, Clinton traveled through the Negev and Sinai, meeting with Bedouins and documenting traditional Bedouin songs in Arabic. Today, the Bedouins no longer understand this language—it’s incredible to see how much the dialect has changed over the ages," said Samuel Thrope, curator of the Islam and Middle East collections at the National Library of Jerusalem.
The day will begin with a conversation between Clinton Bailey, Samuel Thrope, and Aisha Zeadna, followed by a session on the study of Bedouin dialects, featuring, among others, Professor Uri Shahmon and Professor Emeritus Roni Henkin. Finally, the last session will address the documentation and preservation of culture—past and present—through poetry, with Marvat Abu Dova Farih, Dr. Sami Abu Farih, and writer Saleh Alziadna.
"This is truly a new and very exciting concept we are offering. We hope it will encourage participants to further study Bedouin culture, which is incredibly rich and deeply rooted in the present. Many lessons from it are still highly relevant today," explains Samuel Thrope.
"The Library: A Place that Brings Together History, Identity, and Cultural Memory"
According to Kaid Abu Latif, a Bedouin "cultural farmer" and the driving force behind many coexistence projects in the Negev, the Library "is a center for intercultural encounters and a reservoir of knowledge."
"The connection between academic content and artistic practice allows us to expand the view of Bedouin culture from textual information to an artistic and sensory experience. We wanted to make the learning of Bedouin culture 'alive,' so that the public could not only hear but also feel the culture—which is very difficult to achieve by studying texts alone. We played with the balance between the academic and the experiential: the first part of the event is a study day that provides an in-depth introduction to the fundamental issues of Bedouin culture, such as tribal traditions, poetry, and a worldview connected to nature and the desert. The second part, in the evening, offers an emotional experience through dance, music, and prose," he says.
The National Library aims not only to be a bridge between the different cultures of Israel but also to serve as a stage to showcase them, to an audience coming from all corners of the country. The goal of this day is to reveal aspects of Bedouin culture to visitors that they do not have access to in their everyday lives.
"In general, Israelis associate Bedouins with tents and camels, but in reality, they know almost nothing about the lifestyle and traditions of this community," says Samuel Thrope.
"Events like this are designed to break down stereotypes and barriers, and to prove that Bedouin culture is an integral part of Israeli culture and has a strong influence," says Kaid Abu Latif.
Promoting tolerance and coexistence
This event also brings hope and expectations for the future. In a context of war, where October 7 deeply shook Israeli society, cultural events are an opportunity to bring people together and establish fruitful meetings in order to promote understanding and, above all, knowledge of others.
"We aim to organize similar days in order to create a continuous exhibition of Bedouin heritage, through events that convey Bedouin history. In this way, the younger generation will connect with its heritage and gain a sense of pride and belonging. At the same time, the public will receive tools to understand the values of the community, which can help strengthen ties between different sectors in Israel. Such events open the door to joint initiatives between various cultural and academic institutions, including festivals, collaborations, and shared artistic programs that foster dialogue. Through a deeper understanding of Bedouin culture, we can promote tolerance. The more people are exposed to events like this, the more likely they are to let go of prejudices and build mutual trust," continued Kaid Abu Latif.
On December 18, World Arabic Language Day, a musical event will be held at the National Library in Jerusalem.
"The collaboration we have established with the various organizations including the Rahat Community Center and the Alyamama Theater is very productive and promising. We aim to multiply the initiatives in the future," concluded Samuel Thrope.
This year, the Library celebrates 100 years of the Islam and Middle East collection. On this occasion, events, workshops and conferences will be offered around the collections until October 2025.
To register for Riwak on November 20: https://www.nli.org.il/en/visit/events/riwaq
Caroline Haïat
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