These are notes from a panel at Life the Universe and Everything. Any misinformation is the fault of the note taker.

Q: What type of nomads are there?

– Many can travel constantly.
– One panelist’s father will find a place to live a couple of years then move on.
– Group will move each generation.
– One panelist will find a place and stay for summer and another trip to the south or north arctic for the winter.
– There are communities that are being forced to move due to war. And have a hard time finding a permeant home. Jew communities during the Middle Ages were constantly moving and learned occupations that could be done to support themselves.

Q: What are the motivations for moving?

– Find jobs at another place. One presenter has an urge to move every 2 yrs. and have to tell dad don’t have to move.
– Dakota Indians: analysis thought the followed the buffalo or sources of food. They would establish a winter camp and move to a different camp for the summer. Each camp represented a different section of the sky. In each camp, they would do certain ceremonies to maintain the cosmoses.
– A lot of travel pathways were designed to prevent conflict. When one tribe meets an unknown tribe, they talk to find how they may be related to. If not find someone you will duke it out. Tribes will alter travel to avoid meeting with unrelated tribes.
– Some cultures will write rules on walls so the people know what must be done. If not death.
– Some cultures foresee a conflict. They will move apart.
– How did religion play on this?
– Shamanism: are the spiritual leaders they are very traditional. The people would leave a stick or stone to signify a place is sacred. Those sticks and stones can collect through time.

Q: What is the difference between nomads from urban to rural?

– Some people would change their language and actions to merge into the culture they have joined.
– In native cultures, a person’s name is sacred and only used in ceremonies. They will go by a nickname or what they do.
– People build networks such as the place you live but also establish a relationship to other places or groups.
– Dig a well: a community is built around the well. Place in India the city put in pipes in homes so citizens no longer needed to get water from the well. The people got their water from pies and they stopped talking to each other. After a few years, the village elders took out the pipes to restore the community.
– The Aleet (Alaska?)were amazing boat people.

Q: what sources depicted nomadic societies well?

– Firefly shows nomadic culture between planets.
– Voyager’s Star trek is a nomadic example.
– Nomads helped trade between cultures. If certain cities did not treat them well, they stopped going there and that city failed.
Motivations
– The book, Petra: The History of the Rose City, One of the New Seven Wonders of the World, discussed how people would have everyone join into one place and meet and discuss trading and then separate after a few days’ leave.
– Songs from the sky: series of essays talk about the Nekota and the Polynesian.
– The book, When the Wind Was a River,
– Book: Genghis Khan: how Mongol cultures and how they invade. (note taker couldn’t find it.)

Q: how to define nomadic:

– in Hawaii, summer live n beach winter in homes.

Q: What is the correlation of geography that influences nomads.

– Limited resources have a limited size because they are an agrion society. Polynesian seek all islands to find a new place to live on
– Viking may raid or take a family with them.
– Nomads are a small population.