Bamboteya.. A disappearing Egyptian lifestyle
The bamboteya are mainly fishermen who have lived in the Suez canal region, and who made their living through selling to foreigners on passing ships besides fishing. They used to be looked at by the state as disobeyers. They
had their own kind of music which depends on an instrument called the semsemeya.
Due to some political circumstances during the last century their life became harder and harder, so they had to adapt to the mainstream culture in Egypt and give up most of their traditions, and thus, the whole lifestyle is disappearing into only their music culture (semsemeya) which is played for tourists.
Comments
This is an intriguing and disturbing trend (of the fading lifestyle of the Bamboteya)
Do you have a photo you can share?
Alyssa
Posted by: Alyssa O'Brien | April 20, 2008 11:15 PM
This reminds me of what I saw during my years in Kenya. Small farmers were being sucked into the cities, where the traditional lifestyle disappeared.
But is it right for me to want to deny them a life they see as better?
Posted by: Joanne Martin | September 30, 2009 06:06 PM
The same happened to the indigenous Maori here in new Zealand, western influence and culture forced them to merge into the western way.
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