The introduction of modern popular culture, such as
Western-modeled tourism in traditional Bedouin society in
the Sinai, has come at a price. In 2004, for instance, a pow-
erful bomb blast ripped through the southeastern coastal
tourist resort town of Taba. This was seen as a wake-up call
to the growing cultural divisions in the Sinai. On one hand,
there were wealthy resorts that had international facilities and
world-class attractions. But next to these tourist destinations
are poor Bedouin communities that lack even a reliable sup-
ply of water and electricity. The Bedouin lifestyle has been
transformed over the years due to the various shifts in political
power. For instance, when the Israeli occupation began in 1967,
tourism was not a major industry in the Sinai. Traditional folk
culture—including nomadic herding, subsistence agriculture,
and fishing—was key to the Bedouins’ survival. Few cash-
paying jobs existed. Some Bedouins found temporary jobs as
tour guides, but little other employment was available. Today,
the Bedouins are still controlled by local sheikhs, who continue
to exert control over the local culture.