THE PARK – HISTORY
The first humans went through several phases of cultural and economic development, starting with the simplest of all: nomadic life.
The Africans in this region are called Hamites; they originate from the Caucasus, and live in the Horn of Africa, primarily in Somalia, Ethiopia, Western Sahara and parts of Algeria and Tunisia.
As drought spread, the Hamites left the Great Sahara, some settling in the Atlas mountains in Algeria, others returning to the Nile valley.
During these arduous migrations, some Hamites settled near the Red Sea coast. Nowadays they are known as the Beja, and they include the Ababda people who live in Wadi El Gimal.
A typical Beja person is slightly built, with a reddish-brown complexion and a thin nose and lips. Seligman, the famous anthropologist, studied their features and demonstrated the existence of a resemblance with the pre-dynastic Egyptians.
Historically, there was contact between the Beja and the people of the Nile valley. The Ancient Egyptians made use of them as caravaneers, policemen and professional soldiers. They maintained the security of the routes to the mines, quarries and ports of the Red Sea, policing trade and working in the emerald mines.
The Beja have never been subject to occupation by a foreign aggressor. They adopted the religion of the state of Egypt in the pre-Christian era; some converted to Christianity in the sixth century, and they were subsequently assimilated into the Islamic world in the thirteenth century.
As they live on the margins of the inhabitable land, the Beja have kept virtually all their traditions intact for generation upon generation. This continuity comes from their modest lifestyle and their ability to survive in harsh conditions.
The Ababda do not live in tents like the Arabs. Rather, they build small houses called ‘birsh’ that are made of tree trunks covered with the fibres of the Dom plant. Their diet is based on milk and millet; during ceremonies they also drink a type of coffee called Gabana. They are highly superstitious and have no interest in material possessions. They have a great respect for nature, they are self-sufficient, very hospitable and have a strong tribal unity.
Over the centuries, the Ababda have found various ways to make a living. They make coal from the Acacia, they collect wood and sell it in the nearby towns.
The ancient ships that traded with southern Africa and Asia sailed from the Red Sea ports near Qusseir. The return journey was always made very difficult by the northerly winds around the nearby Tropic of Cancer.
Ptolemy II established a port approximately 200 miles from Qusseir that he named after his daughter Berenice: its location towards the south saved over a month in sailing time in dangerous Red Sea waters, however it required two weeks more to load and transport the goods in caravans to the Nile valley.
The caravan route that linked Berenice and Qift on the Nile passed through Wadi El Gimal. The remains of some of the more famous fortresses and water stations that served the trade routes can still be seen today.
The ancient Red Sea ports have not been in use since the Arabs conquered Egypt, except, in some cases, to transport Muslim pilgrims to Mecca.
The nomadic life went into decline in the twentieth century for economic and political reasons, based on the clash between this lifestyle and modernity.
It is a culture that is endangered, indeed nearly extinct. This is why the Park’s programme of initiatives includes some aimed at protecting the nomadic shepherds, as they are the living proof of how Man can live in harmony with Mother Nature.
