Desert People

Desert People

What Is a Desert? Would you know a desert if you saw one? Would it have camels or rattlesnakes? Would it have sand or rocks? Earth has many different kinds of deserts, but all deserts are dry. They usually get less than 25. 4 centimeters (10 in) of rain a year. Some deserts are very cold, but most are sunny and hot.

Desert Living How do people stay alive in such hot, dry places? Where do they find food and water? How do they build their homes? For thousands of years, desert people have used what they found in their local areas to get food, water, and shelter. Each desert is different, and each desert has its own solutions. In this book, you will learn about two desert peoples: the Tohono O'odham and the Bedouin. Both of these groups have found ways to adapt and live successfully in their desert homelands.

The Tohono O’odham Tohono O'odham means “ desert people. " The Tohono O'odham are Native Americans who still live in the Sonoran Desert. Long ago, the O'odham slept in round homes made of dried mud, branches, and grass. There was one main room with a fire pit. Families slept on grass mats. Fires gave them light and heat during cold winter nights.

The Sonoran Market The Sonoran Desert can be a difficult place to live. Months may pass without rain. Summer days can reach 49° Celsius (120F). Winter nights can be freezing cold. But, for a desert, the Sonoran is full of life. Historically, the Tohono O'odham lived where 30. 5 centimeters (12 in) of rain fell each year. The rainfall supported many plants and animals. Shady trees, cacti, and flowers all grew there. Many insects, birds, rabbits, and other animals lived there, too.

A Different Kind of Shopping The desert was the Tohono O'odham market. When they needed vegetables, they planted seeds. When they needed water, they went to a spring. When they needed meat, they hunted. Fruits and Vegetables In the early summer, O'odham people planted seeds. In the late summer, the rains flooded the fields. The O'odham grew corn, beans, and other vegetables. In the winter, they grew wheat, peas, and fruits.