The Future of the Bede
The Future of the Bede The lives of pastoral tribes around the world are rich with culture. As a society, they have managed to survive not only the elements of nature, but also the effects of a changing world. The Bede tribe of Bangladesh is an extraordinary clan of highly mobile nomads that still survive today. By examining the past and present of this tribe’s culture, comparing things such as: migration habits, political and economic trends, and relations with the world around them, we will be able to see the effects of cultural diffusion on these tribes. The question stands: is the diffusion of culture into the untouched and timeless ways of Nomadism causing the destruction or even extinction of the pastoral way of life?
Known to the people of Bangladesh as “water-gypsies”, the Bede are nomads. It is reported that 90% of the Bede are mobile for the duration of their lives (Das). They live the majority of their lives on boats, only setting foot on land to earn money or purchase food supplies. The Bede have always travelled by water, setting up waterside camps when they need to trade goods or during the winter seasons. Their migration habits entail sailing the waters for 10 months a year, with the other two months reserved for marriages and other social functions.
Traditionally, the Bede based their economy on snake charming, practicing ancient and traditional healing techniques, fishing and pearl diving, and selling snake byproducts. The Bede women were the head of the house, going into the villages to perform the once highly regarded practices of traditional healing. Bede men either stay at home on the water to fish and maintain their boats, or they too venture into town to sell snake skins, fish, and river pearls. In 1950, the population of the Bede was around 500,000, with the birth rate being estimated to be 4.2 children per household, according to, “The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Hunters and Gathers”. In the past, staying in contact with sedentary
Known to the people of Bangladesh as “water-gypsies”, the Bede are nomads. It is reported that 90% of the Bede are mobile for the duration of their lives (Das). They live the majority of their lives on boats, only setting foot on land to earn money or purchase food supplies. The Bede have always travelled by water, setting up waterside camps when they need to trade goods or during the winter seasons. Their migration habits entail sailing the waters for 10 months a year, with the other two months reserved for marriages and other social functions.
Traditionally, the Bede based their economy on snake charming, practicing ancient and traditional healing techniques, fishing and pearl diving, and selling snake byproducts. The Bede women were the head of the house, going into the villages to perform the once highly regarded practices of traditional healing. Bede men either stay at home on the water to fish and maintain their boats, or they too venture into town to sell snake skins, fish, and river pearls. In 1950, the population of the Bede was around 500,000, with the birth rate being estimated to be 4.2 children per household, according to, “The Cambridge Encyclopedia of Hunters and Gathers”. In the past, staying in contact with sedentary
Cited: Chopra, Anuj. "River Gypsies Moving to Mainstream." SFGate. 1 May 2009. Web. 4 Dec 2012.