TheImprovement ofTropical and Subtropical Rangelands

DROMEDARY PASTORALISM IN AFRIOA AND ARABIA 263
a particular patrilineal kinship group are in lOme sense regarded
as common property and are marked with one single brand. Each
individual herd owner, however, can dispose ofhis stock as he pleases,
as long as he fulfills his duties to take part in lineage redistribution
of stock to thoee stricken by misfortune. Such redistributions may
be organised by a council consisting of all mature herd owners in the
lineage, or by specially appointed elders or tribal chiefs (Dahl, 1979).
Among the Sakuye, the lineage members were responsible for helping
each other to retrieve lost stock and to make a collection of a nucleus
herd for any member who had lost his camels through misfortunej
this was on the condition, however, that he was not known to have
spent capital (female breeding stock) carelealy (for example, by
eelling it). (Due to the high risks UIOCiated with herd regeneration,
the camel husbandman must show respect for capital expenditure:
the cultural system often streaea this by various semi-ritual taboos
against sales.) When a majority of the camels of the Sakuye people
had been lost, such countermeasures as lineage redistribution were
of course ineffective.
Forma of lineage redistribution may be supplemented with systems
of mutual loans of camelsj in practice, then, the herd that is
managed by one household belongs to many owners. Such a system
of chains of loans has been described by Spencer (1973) for the
Sakuye's neighbors, the Rendille.
~AGEMENTANDLABOR
It is not only the pattern ofherd reproduction that is significantly
different for camels and cattle. Camels are able to move quickly and
to reach distant pastures. Such movements are necessary to achieve
a varied diet. In comparison with cattle, camels require frequent
-salt cures" at licks or on pasture on salty lOils unless there is
access to water with appropriate mineral content. Mobility is also
needed to avoid hygienic problems and tick infestation. Camel calves
are highly vulnerable to ticks, and as a countermeasure the pastoral
camp should not remain more than 10 days at the same place. Cameloriented
IOcieties differ in the degree that the main body ofhousehold
members follows the camel herd in all its movesj but when they do,
much energy is spent on the frequent erection and dismantling of
tents. Camp moves are usually more frequent than among cattle
herders.
Neither mating nor birth can be left to the camels themselves: