"Things You Wouldn't Know If We Didn't Blog Intermittently."
18 April 2021
Berber tents - updated with video
I originally entitled this "Bedouin tents" (from the via), but reader Rich found and posted in the Comments this outstanding video from the Institute of Nomadic Architecture.
Years ago I was travelling through Morocco on a motorbike. I had a tiny tent set up at a remote campsite near Tiznit. One night there was a huge sandstorm almost destroying my tent, I obviously did not sleep. The owner came to my tent and told me to move to the bedouin tent to at least get some sleep. I did. Inside it was quiet, you couldn't tell there was a storm. Slept like a rose.
The tents are made by hand of goat and sheep hair, so they are fairly expensive, but provide an ideal shelter in the desert. Its loosely woven material lets air come in and the smoke out, so the tent is pleasant in summer; however, when it rains, the fibers get swollen and the tent becomes waterproof.
When I was in Morocco, a local friend said the name Amazigh is preferred to the term Berber, because of French colonization and the association or origin of the name from the French word for barbarian. I'm sure this is a wormhole of complexities and political correctnesses that one could delve deeply, but at the time it seemed respectful to call a group by their preferred name.
Watching the weaving parts, I was reminded of the recent find of what may be the earliest string. Discussion then was on how important its discovery or invention was, maybe as important as any. The tent and clothing looms sure show that. Thanks.
Years ago I was travelling through Morocco on a motorbike. I had a tiny tent set up at a remote campsite near Tiznit. One night there was a huge sandstorm almost destroying my tent, I obviously did not sleep. The owner came to my tent and told me to move to the bedouin tent to at least get some sleep. I did. Inside it was quiet, you couldn't tell there was a storm. Slept like a rose.
ReplyDeleteHow long have they used tents like these? what are they made of? Locally woven, or bartered/bought from elsewhere?
ReplyDeletehttp://discoversinai.net/english/bedouin-tent-in-the-past-and-today/8736
ReplyDeleteThe tents are made by hand of goat and sheep hair, so they are fairly expensive, but provide an ideal shelter in the desert. Its loosely woven material lets air come in and the smoke out, so the tent is pleasant in summer; however, when it rains, the fibers get swollen and the tent becomes waterproof.
Not Bedouin but Berber - similar layout - construction. This series of videos on Nomadic Architecture is amazing. https://youtu.be/wXqXQoJTyuA
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely fabulous video, rich. I'm going to embed it in the body of the post. Thank you so much for finding and posting it.
DeleteWhen I was in Morocco, a local friend said the name Amazigh is preferred to the term Berber, because of French colonization and the association or origin of the name from the French word for barbarian. I'm sure this is a wormhole of complexities and political correctnesses that one could delve deeply, but at the time it seemed respectful to call a group by their preferred name.
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely fascinating!!! TFS
ReplyDeleteWatching the weaving parts, I was reminded of the recent find of what may be the earliest string. Discussion then was on how important its discovery or invention was, maybe as important as any.
ReplyDeleteThe tent and clothing looms sure show that.
Thanks.