Book
The Egyptian Nubian: a study in social symbiosis
American University in Cairo Press • Cairo, Egypt • Published In 1986 • Pages:
By: Geiser, Peter.
Abstract
This document employs survey data in an examination of the extent to which Nubian labor migrants living in Cairo maintained and collectively shared the ideas, prescribed roles, attitudes and sentiments that characterize traditional Nubian society. Findings show maintenance of a strong sense of Nubian ethnic identity and attachment to the village communities that the migrants left behind. Two factors accounted for this continuity. One was the ability of labor migrants to speak Arabic and work for wealthy urbanites while maintaining their own households and building an autonomous ethnic community. The second is the availability of skilled Egyptian farmers interested in leasing the land left behind by migrants for a share of the harvest. This arrangement guaranteed the land tenure security of labor migrants and enabled them earn additional income as absentee landlords. The net effect was a pattern of labor migration that allowed for the continuity of Nubian culture while selectively adopting elements of the dominant Egyptian urban culture.
- Region
- Africa
- Sub Region
- Northern Africa
- Document Type
- Book
- Evaluation
- Creator Type
- Anthropologist
- Document Rating
- 5: Excellent Primary Data
- Analyst
- Teferi Abate Adem ; 2020
- Field Date
- 1961-1965; 1975
- Coverage Date
- 1960-1965
- Coverage Place
- Aswan and Cairo governates, Egypt
- Notes
- Peter Geiser
- bibliographical references (p. 222-229)
- LCCN
- 86215870
- LCSH
- Nubians--Egypt
- Egypt--Social conditions--1952-