4 DAILY ACTIVITIES OF NOMADS - CULTURE VOCABULARY - 2024

The daily activities of the nomadic peoples are centered on herding, gathering, hunting and fishing. The term nomadic refers to that individual, tribe or town that does not have a permanent settlement, but is mobile, and is dedicated to hunting, gathering or grazing.

Some archaeologists use the concept to refer to any mobile society, while others only use it in the case of herding societies that make seasonal movements in search of fresh grass.

Before the rise of the original civilizations, this practice was the rule. The situation was reversed with the passage of time, and today it is estimated that only about 40 million nomads remain in the world.

This lifestyle is constantly threatened by processes such as industrialization, the exploitation of natural resources or anti-nomadic policies.

Daily activities of the most characteristic nomads

1- grazing

The practice of herding has existed for about 10,000 years when prehistoric hunters learned to domesticate wild animals.

It provides nomads with reliable sources of meat, milk, and dairy products, as well as hides that they can use to protect themselves from the elements.

It is also a way to protect the animals, since the herds are guided to more fertile grasslands, and are safeguarded from other predators.

The type of herd depends on the area inhabited by the nomads. In Africa, they herd cattle, goats, sheep, and camels.

In the tundra of Asia and Europe, the herd usually consists of reindeer. Other animals include horses, musk oxen, and yaks.

In addition to serving for their own consumption, these animals are often commercialized.

2- Hunting

Hunting wild animals is a very important task for the survival of nomadic peoples.

However, their meat consumption represents a maximum of 40% of what they consume. This activity is very risky and unpredictable.

However, as hunting tools have improved, so have both the options for prey and the possibilities to defend against other predators.

The bow and arrow are believed to have been invented and used in Africa, Europe, and Southwest Asia 15,000 years ago.

This meant that hunters could hunt much larger animals, and that this activity could be carried out from a safer distance.

3- Collection

Before agriculture emerged around 12,000 ago in Southwest Asia and Mesoamerica, gathering wild foods was necessary for subsistence.

The local environment always marked, and continues to mark, the strategies to follow in current nomadic peoples.

Generally, this involves the collection of mollusks or insects and of wild plant foods such as fruits, vegetables, tubers, seeds and nuts.

In this type of society, it is common for this activity to be carried out by women, while men are assigned the task of hunting.

Female hunting effectiveness is affected if she has young children or is pregnant.

4- Fishing

Another activity of nomadic societies is fishing, where conditions allow it.

In a recent archaeological study carried out in Mexico, it was shown that nomadic groups went fishing at the coastal site of the municipality of Mexicali 2,500 years ago.

A more current example is the Nukak, in Guaviare, Colombia. The task of fishing is assigned to the men, who use a type of liana to stun the fish, then catching them by hand.

References

1. Shaw, I. and Jameson, R. (2008). A Dictionary of Archeology. Oxford: Blackwell Publishers.
2. Nomadic. (s / f). Royal Spanish Academy. Usual Dictionary. Recovered from dle.rae.es.
3. Nomads of the XXI century. (2007, November 26). BBC World. Recovered from news.bbc.co.uk.
4. Lockard, C. (2007). Societies, Networks, and Transitions: Volume I: A Global History, Volume 2. Boston: Houghton Mifflin.
5. Hunting and gathering culture. (2016, October 10). Encyclopædia Britannica. Recovered from britannica.com.
6. Arce Ruiz, O. (2005). Hunters and gatherers. A theoretical approach. Gazeta de Antropología, 21.