Opportunity Call: Shadowing the Shepherds

As a member of the Abu Jabal Bedouin tribe I come from a heritage of shepherds. Generations of my ancestors moved nomadically throughout the region herding their flocks of sheep and goats, and significant amounts of Bedouin culture has been built on the backs of these animals and their traditionally mobile living. It’s a narrative that has changed drastically in the past century. Under the restrictions of nation-state borders, urbanization and government policies, nomadic peoples in the Middle East have widely adjusted to a life of settlement. My Abu Jabal relatives now have permanent homes and modern jobs, but the Bedouin identity remains. It’s this identity that I have been taking time and effort to explore.

I am currently taking a masters course on Cultures of the Middle East and North Africa and my term paper has required me to conduct a cultural study on a particular ethnographic group. For many reasons it made a lot of sense to examine the Abu Jabal tribe, and particularly the shepherds. While much has changed for the Abu Jabal community, there remains a remnant of families continuing the traditional occupation of shepherding. With notepad, pen, and shepherding stick in hand I set out to capture the Shepherd in his own words, actions and work environment.

Shepherding is a phenomenal practice; one of the oldest occupations in history. In the Biblical narrative of Genesis we read that Adam and Eve’s son Cain was a “tiller of the ground” and their other Abel “a keeper of sheep.” While farming has been transformed throughout human history with advancements of technology and technique, shepherding has remarkably endured in a near-original form. Today in Lebanon we can find shepherds leading their flocks throughout the lands just as shepherds have done for many thousands of years. It’s a reminder that in the midst of monumental change, some things look very similar today to the way they did in ancient times. The goal of my project is to explore how occupation shapes the identity of a certain group of shepherds in their particular context.

In addition to interviews, a significant portion of my field research has consisted of participation; for a very brief period I have attempted to become a shepherd. Even before this project I had a desire to shadow my relatives as they go out shepherding. It’s part of my heritage (my father was a shepherd) and throughout the scriptures we see spiritual reference after reference to this specific occupation. With motivations both educational and personal, I set out to walk in the shepherd’s shoes.

I won’t give you all my analysis of the experience (I’m still working away at the paper) but shepherding is a wonderful and fascinating activity. I joined a group of shepherds of various ages/experiences and listened to them share about their motivations, joys, challenges, and hopes of being a shepherd. I also heard a lot of yelps, whistles, clicks and grunts, all of which make up a sophisticated language between the shepherd and his animals. There are commands for going, coming, waiting and even drinking. The many hours a shepherd spends with his flock each day are full of interaction as they jointly navigate the hazards of their environment in search of pasture. The main dangers are not products of nature, however, but products of urbanization. Rapid development, human encroachment, highways zipping with speeding cars, and mounting pollution are some of the many factors placing great pressure on the shepherds in Lebanon. They are enduring, but I wonder how many days remain for this endangered workforce. Like the Cowboys of the American West, I fear the shepherds of Lebanon are on their way to a place of memory and lore.

Even so, this research was not a time to despair a cultural death but to celebrate a heritage. It was also a chance to enter into one of the most interactive Bible studies experiences I could ever conceive. The scriptures are full of lessons, stories, metaphors, and poetry rooted in shepherding. Many faith heroes, including Jacob, Moses, and David, forged much of their life experiences and character while living as shepherds. From Psalms 23 to Luke 15 to John 10, we see God consistently referencing the experience of the shepherd to communicate his heart for his people. The days I spent researching an ethnographical study were in fact opportunities of profound reflection and worship. I watched with great intrigue as the shepherds care for their sheep with daily work and effort. How wonderful to know that I have a Shepherd who cares so much that he would lay down his own life for mine. (John 10:11) I’m not sure what kind of academic results this project will produce, but the personal impact has been very much worthwhile. Not only have I had the privilege of engaging in a fascinating topic of study, but I engaged with a special group of people carrying out an honest and admirable occupation. I hope my shepherding days are not over, and I wish with all my heart that the future generations of Abu Jabal shepherds aren’t either.