Accra:Jazan Across the valleys, mountain slopes, and plains of Jazan Region, herders continue to practice the herder's call, known locally as tarwi'at al-ra'i. This oral tradition is instrumental in guiding their flocks and preserving generations of knowledge about the land, its seasons, and its terrain.
According to Saudi Press Agency, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture's branch in the region reports that Jazan has 7,876,221 head of livestock tended by 23,405 herders. Sheep make up the largest share at 4,067,961, followed by goats at 3,598,621, cattle at 130,161, and camels at 79,478. Herding necessitates more than just providing food and water; it involves understanding grazing grounds, animal behavior, and the ability to navigate rugged terrain. This expertise, passed down through generations, is vital in sustaining livestock farming as a source of livelihood, economic stability, and food security in rural areas.
The herder's call is an integral part of this traditional knowledge. Herders employ different calls for various situations, such as guiding their flocks toward pasture or bringing them home, with animals responding accordingly.
In the ravines of Balghazi in Al-Aidabi Governorate, Mohammed Al-Ghazwani, a passionate advocate of folk heritage, maintains this tradition. His calls resonate with a rhythm familiar to herders, preserved in the region's collective memory. Al-Ghazwani believes the call enriches herding with a cultural dimension rooted in local knowledge and traditional ways of life, and its sound has become indivisible from the pastures, reflecting the deep bond between people, their livestock, and the land.