5 © Springer International Publishing Switzerland 2015 D.F. Shmueli, R. Khamaisi, Israel’s Invisible Negev Bedouin, SpringerBriefs in Geography, DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-16820-3_2 Chapter 2 Bedouin: Evolving Meanings The term Bedouin is connected with seasonal nomadic behavior in arid deserts. Other definitions are associated with the terms meaning ‘the beginning’ ( al-Badia or Badia), alluding to the Bedouin being original or indigenous. Today, most of the Bedouin in the Negev live in sedentary dwellings; two-thirds dwell in towns (2014), and less than 5 % work in agriculture or grazing. The Bedouin are Arab and Muslim, yet differentiate themselves from the larger Arab minority, affiliating themselves specifically as Bedouin. The origin of this term, its meaning, the Bedouin context, and consequences are the focus of this chapter. Between Ethnicity and Lifestyle The term Bedouin 1 in general and in the Israeli context in particular require reex- amination in order to describe the new reality of this community. The term refers to “a nomadic Arab of the desert,” describing the Arabs of the early seventh century 1 The Bedouin (/ ˈb ɛd ʉ. ɪn/, also Bedouins ; from the Arabic badw or badawiyyīn /badawiyyūn plurals of badawī ) are a part of a predominantly desert-dwelling Arabian ethnic group traditionally divided into tribes or clans, known in Arabic as ʾashāʾir ( ). The Bedouin form a part of, but are not synonymous with, the modern concept of Arabs. Bedouins have been referred to by various names throughout history, including Qedarites in the Old Testament and “Arab” by the Assyrians (ar-ba-a-a being a nisba of the noun arab , a name still used for Bedouins today). While most Bedouins have abandoned their nomadic and tribal traditions for a modern urban life- style, they retain traditional Bedouin culture with concepts of belonging to ʿašāʾir , traditional music, poetry, dances (like Saas), and many other cultural practices. Urbanized Bedouins also traditionally organize cultural festivals, usually held several times a year, in which they gather with other Bedouins to partake in, and learn about, various Bedouin traditions—from poetry recitation and traditional sword dances to classes teaching traditional tent knitting and playing traditional Bedouin musical instruments. Traditions like camel riding and camping in the deserts are also