Posted by Tom Cole on April 01, 1999 at 09:02:56:
In Reply to: Nomads, Pastoral and Otherwise posted by Steve Price on March 31, 1999 at 10:47:31:
: Dear Erol,
: I think some of the difficulty here is language. So, at the risk of being pedantic, I will be pedantic.
: Nomads are wanderers, people without a fixed place of residence. There are many kinds, one of which is pastoral.
: Pastoral nomads are those who raise sheep for a living and are nomadic because they migrate between different pastures (note the similar root: pasture, pastoral) in different seasons. For this reason, it isn't possible to be a PASTORAL nomad without having enough animals to be able to earn a living.
: Some more pedantry: Leaders of religious groups are sometimes called pastors as a reference to their role as the one who tends the flock (his/her congregation). Other terms sometimes used are minister, referring to one who cares for the needs of others; priests, referring to their special knowledge of how to deal with the gods. I've heard it said (but would NEVER repeat it) that the relation of priests to gods is not unlike that of lawyers to judges in some legal systems.
: Gotta go hide now.
: Steve Price
The romantic vision of nomadic life expressed in this discussion seems a bit antiquated at this time. I believe Woods (of Vanishing Jewels & Aorta) correctly portrays nomadic existence in very real terms. Many nomadic groups sought better pastures while other members of their families were settled in one place throughout the year. The idea that the word nomad should be equated with someone who is always wandering without any permanent abode is our western romantic vision, not a reality.