BAHA: The tears of sixty-something Banna have still not dried eight months after her dear friend and companion Azza left her. Azza suffered health problems and had to move to Jeddah, leaving behind many memories and a loyal friend of 23 years. It was not only the social life and relations that linked the two women but also their jobs as shepherdesses.
Both elderly women are from the village of Hizna, in Baha province in the south of the Kingdom. Each of the women had different family lives. One of Banna’s two sons drowned in a well while the other moved away, unhappy with his mother’s work tending sheep.
Azza’s only son was more caring but he too left. But at least she was in the place she loved. However, he did move her to Jeddah when her health deteriorated. Both women earned their living by selling sheep on occasions such as Eid. Each lived in a house that was old but they enjoyed their independence.
Their freedom was part of the lifestyle they chose for themselves. They do not wear the hijab nor the abaya and they refuse to cover their faces in keeping with local tradition and practice.
Both were considered to be crossing the red line in their community. The two were also the only shepherdesses in the area. They did not bother to stay at home listening to long religious lectures as other elderly women in the community do. Despite all the challenges they faced, they chose to remain shepherdesses although other women of their age decided to retire and relax at home.
Azza and Banna gave their sheep different names and even named a new generation after their grandchildren. They used to wake up in the early morning and follow the same daily routine. Their day in the village began by performing dawn prayers, followed by driving their sheep out of the marah (sheep and goat pens) located next to their homes.
Azza and Banna cleaned the marah and sold the dung to farmers for agricultural use. The money they made helped feed their animals. Later they washed clothes at the well. They also prepared the meal that they would take with them while tending the sheep. This consisted of Arabic coffee, homemade bread, some dates, fruits and cheese.
Their tasks took about four hours and at 9 a.m., the two friends took over 120 sheep for a long walk. They tied up their dresses, allowing their Sirwal Khat Al-Balda (traditional pants for women) to appear. They also put their red scarves on and placed them on their transparent black scarves. Another plain white piece of cloth was placed on the top of their heads — a traditional way of dressing in the region. The homemade cream they used to protect their skin from the sun made their faces shine in the brightness of the day. Arriving at a suitably grassy location, Banna and Azza then headed to the well and fill their hallas (containers) with water for the sheep. The two would spend their time collecting wood and tending to any newborn lambs. While the sheep grazed, the two ate their meal. At 3 p.m. Azza and Banna put the hallas on their heads and headed for home, carrying the remaining water with them.
In the past the two returned home to take care of their families. After their sons left, they took care of the newborn lambs. Azza believed that the milk of their mothers was not enough for the little creatures. She bought new baby bottles and filled them with baby milk for the young animals. Banna and Azza’s care for their sheep forced them to postpone any family visits until after isha prayers and only until 11 p.m. to ensure they woke up full of energy the next day.
Creeping urbanization was among the problems the two women faced during their 23-year-long job tending sheep. The construction of new buildings limited the space for grazing their sheep. An increasing number of shepherds of different nationalities added to their concerns.
Banna is carrying out her much-cherished job alone after her dear friend left. Whenever she sees Azza’s grandchildren, she cries out to them: “Your grandmother will die and I will not see her again!”
