Date of Degree

5-2024

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)

Program

Education

Advisor

Norman St. Clair

Advisor

Lopita Nath

Advisor

James Simpson

Abstract

Introduction: My study aimed to explore the phenomenon of the deterioration of culture and language in an indigenous population due to the establishment of large development projects. I focused on the historical displacement and forced relocation faced by the Nubian population in Egypt as an example. My study highlighted the role of women in preserving the Nubian language. I used Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis (IPA) as an approach to explore the shared lived experiences and strategies that Nubian women have used to persist in their culture and language after forced displacement.

Context: Nubian women are the children’s main resource for learning Nubian culture and language (Khalil, 2020). The burden of raising children and teaching them language and culture lies only on women in developing countries (Ginsburg, et al., 2017). North African and Middle Eastern women are more affected by the consequences of development projects and the construction of large dams. Women are usually at the frontline of crises in the developing world, and they have been most severely affected, bearing the greatest responsibility for adjusting their lives to ensure family stability and to overcome crises such as relocating or resettlement (Sikka, 2021).

Research Problem: The research problem in my study is a combination of a major phenomenon, which is the deterioration of Nubian culture and language, and four related issues: marginalization of the indigenous population, resettlement impact, women’s challenges in maintaining language and culture, and children lacking connection to their Nubian heritage. The study was conducted in “Dahmeet,” a Nubian Village in Kom Ombo, Egypt. I conducted 21 individual and focus group meetings through Zoom. My findings are built on the feminism theory of the Women In Development approach - WID for Escobar, and the critical race theory; Educating the Poor for Paulo Freire.

Results: The result of my study produced the following findings: Nubians were exposed to many cultural challenges and deeper social shifts, such as forced assimilation and scattering. The original distinctive ecology of Nubia was erased as the communities moved further away from the river. Social features and customs that were unique to that relationship were destroyed. When the river and related green surroundings were removed from Nubians’ daily lives, the social behaviors centered on such an environment vanished (Gabr, 2017). Resettlement exacerbated poverty in the already impoverished Nubian community in general, and the relocation prevented Nubian women from being partner breadwinners of their families as in old Nubia. Women's role in farming diminished following relocation due to the distance between their homes and agricultural land. I concluded that Nubian women, after the establishment of the Aswan High Dam, bore the biggest burden in terms of adapting to the new life.

Reflection: My experience during the research was unique. Having a group of indigenous women agree to be interviewed online was challenging but rewarding. Some participants expressed shyness by laughing and hiding their faces, especially those who wore the Niqab. However, some showed courage and eagerness to share, particularly the older and more educated among my participants. The impact of the interviews on my previous knowledge about Nubians made me believe more in the Nubian cause and solidified my beliefs and determination to address their situation. I also corrected some of my knowledge about Nubians, such as their way of dressing, spoken language, and the representation of the Nubian image in Egyptian mainstream media.

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