This is, however, not necessarily the only explanation for pastoral movement, e.g.
different pastures have different growing seasons and the nomads move accordingly. Movement patterns are empirically constituted, and one of the main reasons given for why pastoralists in Africa move is the seasonality of pastures, i.e. Īs indicated above, however, discussing movement patterns of nomadic pastoralists with reference to typologies like transhumance and semi-sedentary is an intellectual sterile enterprise. The term mobility has to comprise both seasonal and daily movements along with who participates in the actual moving, making it possible to conceptually distinguish nomadic pastoralism from transhumance.
Although the word ‘nomad’ refers both to mobility and to a pastoral base of subsistence, it is common to distinguish between nomadism as referring to mobility, and pastoralism as a mode of subsistence. The word ‘ nomad’ is derived from the Greek word nemo, which roughly means, “to pasture”. While the term “nomadism” has been applied to any society that is not settled in permanent dwellings, etymologically it implies a pastoral subsistence base. In addition, since it involves everyone in the various aspects of production, it distinguishes nomadic pastoralists from shepherds in Western Europe or the American cowboys who also make a living by herding animals.Īs Barfield states: “ Heidi is not the story of a Swiss nomad girl even though she herded cows and goats each summer”. There are many examples of societies being nomadic, but not pastoral, and pastoral societies that are not nomadic.