Characteristics of Nomads
Frustrated tears stung my eyes. Why was this so hard? It seemed like our coworkers were having such different experiences relating to the country than we were. As we made friends with this nomadic tribe, we found ourselves faced with a strict list of unspoken rules that we needed to adhere to in order to achieve a basic acceptance in their families and homes. Our freedoms as a family and as individuals were not even a consideration with these potential friends from this nomadic community. If we were to make any progress in relating to them, we had to go the entire distance toward them. They would not and could not come our way. So we rolled up our sleeves and started learning. But it was frustrating that our coworkers working with stationary people in cities were not coming up with the same roadblocks.
It wasn’t until our first Nomadic Peoples Network (NPN) conference in California that we began to understand that our challenges were not about religion or country, but about nomadism. We started to see that nomads all over the world are different. And this understanding gave us the courage to move against the current of our coworkers’ experiences working with different people groups, against the broader culture of the area, and even contrary to the national sense of pride. We began thinking like nomads, and that opened all kinds of doors for us — and enriched our lives more than words can say. So, how are nomads different?
Some herd sheep and goats, while others herd camels or horses. Many dwell in the desert, while others live in high, alpine valleys. Many have settled in cities just to find an education for their children. Nomads live all over the world and vary greatly in religion, values, skin color, language, and culture. But they share four unique characteristics. These characteristics set them apart and influence the ways they think and act on every level.
First, nomads do not function as individuals the same way that settled peoples might. They make decisions as a group, move as a group, take group sensibilities into consideration. They maintain group values and culture. Tribal leaders make decisions for the group, that each person must adhere to, if they are to maintain acceptance. Nomads are not individualistic.
Also, nomads view mobility as a resource. While many people would view seasonal moving as a hardship, nomads tend to think of it as a needed resource for survival. They have the opportunity to move to places where life is optimal for a given period of time, enjoying the resources of that land — water, grass, shade, cool/warm weather, etc. Since they live in harsh environments, mobility is necessary for survival and maintaining their livelihood. They tend to view any place as temporary, even after they may have settled. Many settle for a period of time, but then resume nomadic life, if conditions change.
While nomads are not individualistic, they are autonomous. Nomads make decisions outside of whatever decision their local/national government may be making. They view themselves as separate from and outside of that system.
Finally, nomadic groups think of themselves as distinct from the other groups that may be surrounding them. Even those who have settled in cities, primarily think of themselves within the context of their tribe, rather than with the neighbors and people surrounding them. Many maintain their separate tribal identity and language for several generations after settling.
Once we began to work within their framework, we found open doors and acceptance in many families. We actually had to start limiting the number of families we could relate closely to, just because we didn’t have the time to attend all the weddings and funerals of every extended family! The cost was high — we gave up most of our autonomy, individual thinking (privacy), sense of “home” in one place, and even became a rather awkward part of their distinct group, but it was so very worth it. The special relationships continue across miles and years, and now, after many years, they are coming into the hearing of the Word.
Frustrated tears stung my eyes. Why was this so hard? It seemed like our coworkers were having such different experiences relating to the country than we were. As we made friends with this nomadic tribe, we found ourselves faced with a strict list of unspoken rules that we needed to adhere to in order to achieve a basic acceptance in their families and homes. Our freedoms as a family and as individuals were not even a consideration with these potential friends from this nomadic community. If we were to make any progress in relating to them, we had to go the entire distance toward them. They would not and could not come our way. So we rolled up our sleeves and started learning. But it was frustrating that our coworkers working with stationary people in cities were not coming up with the same roadblocks.
It wasn’t until our first Nomadic Peoples Network (NPN) conference in California that we began to understand that our challenges were not about religion or country, but about nomadism. We started to see that nomads all over the world are different. And this understanding gave us the courage to move against the current of our coworkers’ experiences working with different people groups, against the broader culture of the area, and even contrary to the national sense of pride. We began thinking like nomads, and that opened all kinds of doors for us — and enriched our lives more than words can say. So, how are nomads different?
Some herd sheep and goats, while others herd camels or horses. Many dwell in the desert, while others live in high, alpine valleys. Many have settled in cities just to find an education for their children. Nomads live all over the world and vary greatly in religion, values, skin color, language, and culture. But they share four unique characteristics. These characteristics set them apart and influence the ways they think and act on every level.
First, nomads do not function as individuals the same way that settled peoples might. They make decisions as a group, move as a group, take group sensibilities into consideration. They maintain group values and culture. Tribal leaders make decisions for the group, that each person must adhere to, if they are to maintain acceptance. Nomads are not individualistic.
Also, nomads view mobility as a resource. While many people would view seasonal moving as a hardship, nomads tend to think of it as a needed resource for survival. They have the opportunity to move to places where life is optimal for a given period of time, enjoying the resources of that land — water, grass, shade, cool/warm weather, etc. Since they live in harsh environments, mobility is necessary for survival and maintaining their livelihood. They tend to view any place as temporary, even after they may have settled. Many settle for a period of time, but then resume nomadic life, if conditions change.
While nomads are not individualistic, they are autonomous. Nomads make decisions outside of whatever decision their local/national government may be making. They view themselves as separate from and outside of that system.
Finally, nomadic groups think of themselves as distinct from the other groups that may be surrounding them. Even those who have settled in cities, primarily think of themselves within the context of their tribe, rather than with the neighbors and people surrounding them. Many maintain their separate tribal identity and language for several generations after settling.
Once we began to work within their framework, we found open doors and acceptance in many families. We actually had to start limiting the number of families we could relate closely to, just because we didn’t have the time to attend all the weddings and funerals of every extended family! The cost was high — we gave up most of our autonomy, individual thinking (privacy), sense of “home” in one place, and even became a rather awkward part of their distinct group, but it was so very worth it. The special relationships continue across miles and years, and now, after many years, they are coming into the hearing of the Word.