Bankrupt in the pink city … Corona circumstances force the Bedouins of Petra to return to the caves of their ancestors

Two months ago, 24-year-old Riad and his wife Ghazala, 5 years his junior, took refuge in the cave, unable to pay the rent for their house in a nearby village, after the Covid-19 pandemic wiped out tourism, which is the main source of income in the region.

In a report published in the British newspaper ” thetimes “, writer Louise Callahan said that the Riad Al-Badoul house is a 10-minute walk from the ruins of the ancient Nabatean city of Petra in the depths of the Jordanian desert, but that “house” is in fact a white cave belonging to His grandfather was dug 6 meters deep in sands tones. Read also The keffiyeh … from a Bedouin headscarf to a national symbol and global fashion After visitors and sellers of antiques have been cut off, Karak Castle is alone, and Petra is complaining of absence After the return of air traffic in Jordan .. Will Petra escape the fate of the ghost city?After being the top of the world safe tourism, Petra suffers from Corona and is addressing the Israeli allegations

No fuss of tourists

With trips halted and tourists no longer fuss, some Jordanian villagers have no choice but to take refuge in the ancient city of Nabateans illegally. The riad has spun in the footsteps of dozens of Bedouins who have likewise made the last months. They are returning to their ancestral lands and their traditional way of life. But the Jordanian government considers what they are doing is against the law and endangers the World Heritage site.

Like most young people in the area, Riad used to earn his income from tourists, offering them to ride donkeys for £ 5 (a pound equals $ 1.40) which is enough to pay the monthly rent of £ 120 for a two-room apartment. But the outbreak of the epidemic and the closure of Jordan’s borders caused him to lose his source of livelihood.

Petra is completely deserted

The author pointed out that Petra is almost completely deserted today, as she found, on her last visit to the 9am site, only some local residents under the treasury, which was carved 40 meters high in the pink rocky mountain nearly two thousand years ago as a tomb for a Nabatean king.

Previously, Petra squares used to host about two thousand tourists in the early morning, increasing the number of visitors during the day, reaching about 8 thousand by 6 pm. Now, the city no longer hears the footsteps of visitors, and has moved from a tourist destination crowded with people and souvenir stalls to a deserted desert.

A thriving commercial city built by the Nabateans

In the fourth century BC, Petra was a thriving commercial city built by the Arab Nabataeans from among the vast rock formations in the desert with a limited number of entrances to be a safe haven for them from thieves and protect their wealth.

By the first century AD, the Romans had annexed Petra under their control as they sought to expand eastward. Then they abandoned it after about 600 years due to a number of geopolitical disturbances and a major earthquake.

With the borders partially open, few foreign visitors flocked to enjoy the beauty of Petra, but this did not erase the catastrophic repercussions of the pandemic on the Bedouins in the region, caused by the recession in the past year and a half.

The writer quoted Faisal Salameh Al-Badoul, 31, as saying that “the situation is very bad,” as the 15-year-old worked in a souvenir shop selling scarves and bottles of colored sand. In high season, he was making £ 150 a month, which is enough to take care of his wife and two daughters. But his income has now fallen to nearly zero.

The Bedul tribe claims to have often inhabited Petra. However, many Europeans were not aware of the existence of this landmark until explorers began flocking to it in the 19th century. The first was the Swiss scientist John Louis Burckhardt, who “rediscovered” the ruins in 1812 after disguising himself as an Arab sheikh and convinced the local Bedouins to take it inside. .

Soon the word spread about the magnificent ruins in the desert. During the second half of the last century, tourists began to arrive in increasing numbers. Year after year, countries are becoming more and more dependent on visitors. Today, the older members of the tribe remember Europeans hosting their caves, or taking them camping under the stars.

Petra is on the UNESCO list

In 1985, Petra was classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. As a result, the Jordanian government passed a law prohibiting anyone from living there, required states to move to a nearby village, and gave them subsidized housing and schools. The government said that the aim was to settle Bedouins and integrate them into modern life.

As part of the deal, the Badoul were granted exclusive rights to operate in Petra. Many of them have adapted to live in the village called Umm Sayhoun, and have replaced pastoralism and agriculture by working as a tourist guide or transporting tired tourists on board donkeys.

After decades of leaving the caves, some countries feel that the government has not respected the spirit of the agreement.

The Poles return to the caves

Assistant professor of anthropology Alison Michael – who has studied country relations with the government for years – confirmed that many people are returning to the caves “because they feel that the deal that enables them to work in Petra has been effectively breached” even if not because of the government.

Suleiman Farajat, Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Petra Development and Tourism Region Authority, stated that the movement of some people to live in the caves is due to the lack of housing. But the government was planning to build a new housing complex after consulting with local residents.

Farajat added that the Bedouins’ living in the caves threatens to destroy the site on the one hand, and the education of children on the other hand. Among the lessons they learned from the pandemic was the importance of diversifying income and integrating Bedouin communities with other urban communities.

But many countries still insist on preserving their ancestors’ heritage away from the clamor of villages, and they live in caves whether the government wants them there or not.