THE RESETTLEMENT OF THE EGYPTIAN NUBIANS

THE RESETTLEMENT OF THE EGYPTIAN NUBIANS
A Study of their Built Environment

  • Author: Wael Salah Fahmi
  • ISBN: 978-1-938681-00-4

Wael Salah Fahmi was trained as an architect at Cairo University and received my PhD in Planning and Landscape from the University of Manchester (UK). He is an Associate Professor at the Architecture Department, Helwan University in Cairo. Through his studio, Urban Design Experimental Research Studio (UDERS), he explores deconstructive experimentation within urban spaces, post modern spatiality and representation of city imaging employing narratives, digital photo imaging, video stills and architectural diagrams. He has published five books and various chapters in edited volumes, mainly on Greater Cairo’s urban growth problems and housing crisis, the rehabilitation of historical Cairo, the cemetery informal settlements and the garbage collectors’ community, and Cairo's 19th century and early 20th century contested European Quarter and architectural heritage.

Description

Generally, construction of dams is regarded as means of economic progress in many countries. However, major consequences of such projects are the inundation of upstream areas and the resettlement of entire communities in newly built environments where they experience dramatic transformation in their lifestyles. The present study takes the Nubian resettlement experience after the creation of Lake Nasser that submerged their old settlements, along the river Nile.

Following their resettlement, the design of the newly-built environment disrupted the Nubian traditional lifestyles and patterns of privacy mechanisms, territoriality and social interaction. However, the inadequacy of the newly-built environment was mainly attributed to the Nubians' transfer from spacious homes in the old villages to compact contiguous houses in the new settlements. The arrangement of these resettlement state built houses, distributed on the basis of household size, has further resulted in the fragmentation and the dispersion of traditional kinship-based neighborhoods. Within an inter-disciplinary approach, the study is based on theoretical, historical and conceptual themes and on empirical research. It sets out to examine the households' responses towards, and adaptation mechanisms with, the newly-built environment. The thesis looks critically at the achievements of imposed top-down planning of built environments in meeting the socio-cultural and economic needs of those resettled. The empirical research was based on the sampling of three villages from the northern Kenuzi Nubian region. Physical, social and behavioral surveys were undertaken within a framework of two stages of resettlement houses.

The research demonstrated that the relationship between the Nubian culture and the newly-built forms has changed, transforming the concept of the house from a social control mechanism to a physical structure that signified the upward social mobility and economic achievements of its households. Their adaptation process was mainly influenced by socio-cultural and economic factors as a result of their urban migration and resettlement experiences. Differential responses ranged from high income and acculturated households (urbanites) who introduced major structural modifications and spatial changes, to low income and enculturated (female headed) households (localites) in houses with minor functional changes. Different patterns of territoriality and social interaction outside localites' houses, contrasted with the private lifestyles characteristic of urbanite households. The thesis, therefore, revealed an emerging pattern of acculturation, and socio-economic stratification within Nubian households that determined their degree of adaptation. Accordingly, the elements (home ranges, core areas, territories, jurisdictions and personal spaces) that constituted the socio-spatial patterns of the newly-built environment were identified, reflecting different value systems, expectations and evaluations of the newly-built environment.

The study calls for more in-depth study of resettlement schemes and specifically their built environments using multi-dimensional conceptual frameworks that employ different techniques of data analysis. Furthermore, the study views the imperative need for a serviced settlement (site and service approach) integrated within a comprehensive social policy, rather than the provision of housing, mainly in the old lands by the shores of Lake Nasser. It is centrally important to develop traditional earth-construction materials (mud-bricks) and appropriate building technologies that would provide low cost and responsive housing.

More concern with environmental issues should be given with respect to innovations such as the processing of wastes recycled for use as energy and fertilizers. There is a need to involve grass root or NGOs, together with more community participation in the design process and the implementation of built environments that meet peoples' socio-cultural and economic needs.

Table of Contents

List of Tables 9
List of Figures 11
List of Plates 12
Dedication 14
Acknowledgements 15
Abstract 16
CHAPTER ONE:
INTRODUCTION
18
1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM 19
1.2 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY 21
1.3 WIDER AIMS OF THE STUDY 22
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE AND LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY 23
1.5 THE STUDY APPROACH AND HYPOTHESES 24
  1.5.1 The theoretical approach to resettlement and rural-urban migration 24
  1.5.2 The historical approach to traditional and newly-built environments 29
  1.5.3 The conceptual approach to the adaptation process to the newly-built environment 30
     1.5.3.1 The spatial dialectic perspective to the study of the house 32
     1.5.3.2 The social dialectic perspective to the study of privacy 33
1.6 THE EMPIRICAL RESEARCH 34
  1.6.1 Methodological considerations 35
  1.6.2 Techniques of analysis 36
1.7 RESEARCH ORGANIZATION 37
CHAPTER TWO:
RESETTLEMENT IN THEORY AND PRACTICE
41
2.1 PROBLEMS OF URBAN GROWTH AND APPROACHES TO DEVELOPMENT 41
2.2 APPROACHES TO RURAL DEVELOPMENT 47
2.3 DEVELOPMENT PROBLEMS AND PLANNING IN EGYPT 50
  2.3.1 Population growth 50
  2.3.2 Rural-urban migration 51
  2.3.3 Development planning since 1952 53
     2.3.3.1 Horizontal expansion of new land 54
     2.3.3.2 Newly reclaimed land and new communities 56
2.4 RESETTLEMENT SCHEMES IN PERSPECTIVE 58
2.5 PLANNING STAGE - RESETTLEMENT OF THE NUBIANS 1960-64 65
2.6 TRANSITION STAGE -PROBLEMS OF RESETTLEMENT 1964-672. 66
  2.6.1 Physiological and psychological problems 66
  2.6.2 Socio-cultural and economic problems 67
2.7 INITIAL ADAPTATION STAGE-RESPONSE TO RESETTLEMENT 1967-75 69
  2.7.1 The new settlement theory 70
2.8 ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT STAGE - CONSEQUENCES OF RESETTLEMENT 1975-90 72
  2.8.1 Settlers-administrators relationship 73
  2.8.2 Rural-urban relationship 76
  2.8.3 Acculturation process 81
2.9 CONCLUSION 83
CHAPTER THREE:
HISTORICAL APPROACH TO THE STUDY OF THE NUBIAN BUILT
ENVIRONMENT-OLD AND NEW
85
3.1 SOCIAL AND SPATIAL ORGANISATION OF TRADITIONAL NUBIAN SETTLEMENTS 86
3.2 SOCIO-SPATIAL PATTERNS OF TRADITIONAL NUBIAN SETTLEMENTS 91
3.3 PHYSICAL DETERMINISTIC APPROACH TO THE TRADITIONAL NUBIAN HOUSE 96
  3.3.1 The effect of climate 96
  3.3.2 The effect of materials and construction technology 96
  3.3.3 The effect of site choice and topography 97
3.4 SOCIO-CULTURAL APPROACH TO THE TRADITIONAL NUBIAN HOUSE 100
  3.4.1 The effect of socio-economic activities 101
  3.4.2 The effect of family structure and residence pattern 101
  3.4.3 The effect of privacy, territoriality and social interaction 102
     3.4.3.1 Internal arrangements and privacy control 102
     3.4.3.2 External arrangements and territoriality and social interaction 103
     3.4.3.3 Dialectic dimension of the old Nubian house 106
3.5 THE CONCEPT OF HOME AND HOUSE IN BUILT ENVIRONMENTS 107
3.6 THE NEWLY-BUILT SETTLEMENTS IN THE NUBIAN RESETTLEMENT SCHEME 109
3.7 THE NEW NUBIAN RESETTLEMENT (STATE-BUILT) HOUSES 115
  3.7.1 First stage of resettlement- Planning stage (1960-1964) 115
  3.7.2 Second stage of resettlement- Transition stage (1964-1975) 123
3.8 CONCLUSION 126
CHAPTER FOUR:
CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK OF THE NUBIANS' ADAPTATION PROCESS
TO THE NEWLY-BUILT ENVIRONMENT
128
4.1 ENVIRONMENT-BEHAVIOR RELATIONS 129
4.2 THE CONCEPT OF 'FIT' AND 'ADEQUACY' IN THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT 132
4.3 THE CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK TO THE NUBIANS' ADAPTATION PROCESS 134
  4.3.1 Functional response to the newly-built environment 135
  4.3.2 Attitudinal response to the newly-built environment 137
  4.3.3 Behavioral response to the newly-built environment 140
     4.3.3.1 Privacy as an interpersonal interaction process 141
     4.3.3.2 Privacy as a boundary regulation process 143
4.4 CONCLUSION 149
CHAPTER FIVE:
METHODOLOGICAL CONSIDERATIONS AND SAMPLING OF VILLAGES
151
5.1 METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO THE STUDY OF PEOPLE AND THEIR BUILT ENVIRONMENT 151
5.2 THE STUDY METHODOLOGY 155
  5.2.1 The pilot survey 156
  5.2.2 The main survey 157
     5.2.2.1 First stage: the 'socio-physical survey 159
     5.2.2.2 Second stage: the social survey (household survey) 160
     5.2.2.3 Third stage: the behavioral survey 161
5.3 SAMPLING STRATEGY 162
  5.3.1 Sampling of the Kenuzi Nubian region 162
  5.3.2 Sampling of resettlement villages 164
  5.3.3 Stratified sampling of housing stages 173
  5.3.4 Cluster sampling of housing compounds 173
  5.3.5 Stratified random sampling of houses 174
  5.3.6 Sampling of the village of Daral Salam 175
5.4 TECHNIQUES OF ANALYSIS 176
  5.4.1 'Socio-physical analysis 176
  5.4.2 Attitudinal analysis 177
  5.4.3 Behavioral analysis 177
5.5 CONCLUSION 178
CHAPTER SIX:
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE RESETTLED COMMUNITIES IN THE NEWVILLAGES
181
6.1 URBAN MIGRATORY PATTERNS IN THE NEW VILLAGES 181
  6.1.1 Historical migration patterns 182
  6.1.2 Types of migration patterns 184
  6.1.3 Characteristics of migrants in the new villages 185
     6.1.3.1 Position of migrants in the households 188
     6.1.3.2 Destination of migrants 190
     6.1.3.3 Occupational status of migrants 192
     6.1.3.4 Migrants' acculturation and affiliation with their villages 193
6.2 SOCIO-DEMOGRAPHIC STRUCTURE OF THE NEW VILLAGES 195
  6.2.1 Gender and age structure 195
  6.2.2 Size and structure of family households 199
6.3 SOCIO-ECONOMIC ORGANISATION OF THE NEW VILLAGES 206
  6.3.1 Education in the new villages 207
  6.3.2 Economic activities in the new villages 209
  6.3.3 Agricultural activities in the new villages 211
     6.3.3.1 Landholding in the new villages 214
     6.3.3.2 Migration and farming practice 214
6.4 SOCIO-CULTURAL AND ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS OF THE HOUSEHOLDS
  IN THE NEW VILLAGES
218
6.5 CONCLUSION 220
CHAPTER SEVEN:
FUNCTIONAL CHANGES IN THE NEWLY-BUILT ENVIRONMENT
222
7.1 GENERAL PATTERN OF THE NEWLY-BUILT ENVIRONMENT 223
7.2 STRUCTURAL MODIFICATIONS AND CONSTRUCTION PROCEDURES
  IN THE NEWLY-BUILT ENVIRONMENT
228
  7.2.1 Patterns of structural modifications and self built housing construction 229
  7.2.2 Forces affecting the process of structural modifications and construction procedures 232
7.3 STRUCTURAL MODIFICATIONS IN STATE BUILT HOUSES 246
  7.3.1 Internal structural modifications 253
     7.3.1.1 Horizontal structural modifications 253
     7.3.1.2 Vertical structural modifications 260
  7.3.2 External structural modifications 264
7.4 SPATIAL CHANGES IN STATE BUILT HOUSES 271
7.5 SELF BUILT HOUSES 277
  7.5.1 Types of self built houses 278
  7.5.2 External features and structural additions in self built houses 283
7.6 PATTERNS OF DIFFERENTIATION IN FUNCTIONAL CHANGES 288
7.7 CONCLUSION 291
CHAPTER EIGHT:
ATTITUDINAL RESPONSE TOWARDS THE NEWLY-BUILT ENVIRONMENT
296
8.1 GENERAL ATTITUDES TOWARDS THE NEWLY-BUILT ENVIRONMENT 298
8.2 SATISFACTION WITH FUNCTIONAL CHANGES 299
8.3 SATISFACTION WITH SPATIAL REQUIREMENTS AND ORGANISATION 303
8.4 SATISFACTION WITH SPATIAL DOMAINS 310
  8.4.1 Internal private domains 310
     8.4.1.1 Domestic spaces 310
     8.4.1.2 Working (service) spaces 311
     8.4.1.3 Animal spaces 312
     8.4.1.4 Private open spaces 312
   8.4.2 Internal semi-private domains 313
     8.4.2.1 Guestroom 313
     8.4.2.2 Entrance area 314
  8.4.3 External open semi-private and semi-public domains 314
8.5 ATTITUDES TOWARDS SOCIAL ASPECTS 316
  8.5.1 The arrangement of compounds in relation to privacy control 316
  8.5.2 The arrangement of compounds in relation to social interaction 318
8.6 ATTITUDES TOWARDS ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS 320
  8.6.1 Landscape and open spaces 320
  8.6.2 Maintenance of infrastructural services 320
8.7 EXPECTATIONS FROM THE NEWLY-BUILT ENVIRONMENT 321
8.8 CONCLUSION 323
CHAPTER NINE:
BEHAVIORAL ADAPTATION TO THE NEWLY-BUILT ENVIRONMENT
328
9.1 ACTIVITY SYSTEMS IN THE NEWLY-BUILT ENVIRONMENT 330
  9.1.1 Individual activities 333
  9.1.2 Household (group) activities 336
  9.1.3 Household socialization 339
  9.1.4 Household domestic work 345
  9.1.5 Farming related activities 352
9.2 ACTIVITY DENSITY IN THE NEWLY-BUILT ENVIRONMENT 355
9.3 SPATIAL-ACTIVITY ZONING RELATIONSHIPS 364
  9.3.1 Spatial zoning relationship 368
  9.3.2 Activity zoning relationship 372
9.4 SOCIO-SPATIAL PATTERNS IN THE NEWLY-BUILT ENVIRONMENT 376
9.5 CONCLUSION 386
CHAPTER TEN:
EVALUATION OF THE NUBIAN RESETTLEMENT SCHEME AND ITS
NEWLY-BUILT ENVIRONMENT
389
10.1 A SYNTHETICAL VIEW OF THE RESEARCH FINDINGS 390
  10.1.1 Socio-cultural consequences of the Nubian resettlement
       and urban migratory experiences
391
  10.1.2 Historical development of the Nubian old and newly-built environments 392
  10.1.3 Adaptation process of the Nubians to the newly-built environment 393
10.2 EVALUATION OF THE STUDY APPROACH 397
  10.2.1 Theoretical approach to resettlement and migration processes 397
  10.2.2 Historical and conceptual approaches to built environments 404
10.3 METHODOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS 406
10.4 FUTURE PROJECTIONS AND POLICY RECOMMENDATIONS 408
BIBLIOGRAPHY 416