I’ve been working with the Bedouin Jebeleya tribe in South Sinai, Egypt to produce a flora field guide. We collaborated to develop an archive of the rich flora of Sinai. Reflecting on the land through the eyes of its keepers, the archive is developed in the form of a field guide. The guide includes photographs of the native plants and herbs which are used as alternative medicine or for personal practices, information on where and when the plants grow, how to pick them and description of its traditional use handwritten by collaborators from the community.
The guide is aimed towards the young generations of the community to practice the cultivation of the land’s harvest. More generations distance themselves from the Bedou’ heritage. Seeking acceptance and opportunities in urban societies instead. Resulting in the disappearance of their heritage. When the economy declines and social injustice rises, cultures disappear, falling into a gap separating generations from inheriting their legacy and by time we lose our identity and sense of belonging. This project sparks dialogue within the community. The pocket-sized guide is being published and distributed to the community with the support of National Geographic and Cultures of Resistance.