The Nubians are of a darker complexion than most Egyptians and belong
to the Ethiopic (formerly so-called Hamitic) race, forming two groups speak-
ing different Kushitic languages. The Egyptian Nubians belong to the Kenuz
group and were called barabra (singular barbari) by the Egyptians, indicating
by this name that they were unable to understand them. Since the gradual
submersion of their homeland due to the construction of the first Aswan
Dam at the beginning of the twentieth century Nubian men have been
migrating, mainly to Cairo and Alexandria, in search of a livelihood. The
majority of them initially worked as servants and as cooks in the villas of
the pashas and beys, of diplomats and other foreigners, for the Nubians were
highly appreciated for their cleanliness and honesty. Many of them also held
jobs as uniformed waiters and janitors at renowned tourist hotels. Today
the educational standard of the Nubians is higher than that of the rest of
the population, so that they can find employment in a variety of specializa-
tions, though a high percentage of them, especially in Aswan, are active in
the tourist industry. Even after their resettlement in Kom Ombo, migration
to Cairo continued. So many of them employed landless fellaheen from the
Nile valley to cultivate the land they had been given, in order to be able to
take up employment in town, although usually leaving their wives behind to
manage the farms and look after the families. Since evacuation from their
homeland the Nubians have been trying to secure rights of occupancy on
the banks of the Aswan water reservoir. However, owing to the hazard of
water pollution, the resettlement of human communities there has become
a highly controversial issue.