Modernity has benefited society through adding many conveniences to our lives. Our drive for evermore convenience has added to the consumerist culture that we live in. In addition, it has pushed traditional lifestyles to the fringe. However, being on the fringe does not mean extinction, as there are still places where you can experience life before electronics and urban sprawl. But even in these societies, modernity finds a way to be useful. This list covers the most well known nomadic cultures from different regions of the world.
Mongolia
Like many countries around the world, much of Mongolia is gradually modernizing. Motorized vehicles are slowly replacing the venerated horse. The growing sprawl of the nation’s capital and largest city, Ulaanbaatar, is pushing ger (a traditional Mongolian tent known in the West as a yurt) communities to the outskirts. These communities are cut off from the city’s water supply and sewage system. Mongolians live in gers by choice, holding steadfast with the traditional way of life. There is an article by TimeTravelTurtle where a contributor visits a ger of a 72-year old woman. Oddly enough she has the modern essentials of a fridge, a T.V. set, and a flip phone, which she keeps in her pocket.
Saharan/Sahelian Africa
This region in Africa constitutes Algeria, Burkina Faso, Libya, Mali, and Niger. This area was traditionally territory occupied by the Tuareg people. Following the end of African colonialism, their land was split between the nations of the region. Farming and drought has steadily invaded traditional pastureland to where many Tuareg have difficulty adjusting to a more sedentary lifestyle. So most Tuareg today combine herding with other activities such as caravan trading. A three-week journey with the Tuareg introduces any traveler to Tuareg practices such as an afternoon tea ceremony, and not relying on your vision to navigate the endless desert.
Scandinavia
The northern regions of Scandinavia are the home of the Saami people. The Saami people make a living fishing, hunting, and herding reindeer. Though today, many have moved to warmer southern provinces and urban areas where they are employed in different sectors such as service and industry. An American photographer documented her experience living in Kautokeino, Norway. She listened to a joik a song of reverence, which is regarded as one of the oldest music traditions of Europe. She also learned the different ways of cooking reindeer.
The Arctic
The Inuit are an indigenous group whose culture spreads across northeastern Russia, Alaska, Northern Canada and Greenland. The Inuit, like many indigenous groups in North America, have and are constantly battling with changing climatic conditions, commercial fishing and whaling, and status in countries like Canada. The Inuit have implemented modern technology like global positioning systems (GPS) to detect moving ice and snowmobiles and other motorized vehicles in lieu of dogsleds and paddle canoes. That said, the Inuit still stick to traditional food (such as caribou and seal), traditional clothing, and family traditions regarding adoption and shelter, only with a few changes.
The American Great Plains
The heart of America is home to many Native American cultures, collectively called the Plains Indians. The land they occupy stretches from the Canadian border in the north to the state of Texas in the south. Six language families are spoken within the area ranging from Algonquin languages of the Blackfoot and Arapaho, to the Siouan languages of the Crow. Like Central Asia, the Great Plains comprises of vast grasslands. Historically, dogs and later horses have been used as means of mobility. Teepees and even earthen lodges were the primary form of shelter. The former was ideal due to the portable nature of teepees and tribes’ practice of following buffalo.
photo credit: Christopher.Michel Exploration of Sudan via photopin (license)
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