So, you're a nomad, are you? And you'd like to know where you fall. Or maybe you've never really thought about it, how this form of living began in the first place. Well, you're in luck because I've done the work for you. There are, generally, three classifications of nomads: hunter-gatherers, pastoral, and peripatetic. Though these groups have been applied throughout history with a connotation of less-civilized means of subsisting and aren't normally attributed to substantial populations within industrialized cultures, they still exist in their essence and if you travel consistently, then you likely fall into one of these groups.
HUNTER-GATHERERS
Origin and Historical Denotation: Historically, the hunter-gatherer is the oldest form of nomadic culture known to the modern man. As the name suggests, this class of the nomad based its livelihood on following resources as they became accessible. They moved from site to site, pursuing game and seasonal vegetation. Ancestrally, this was the mode of subsistence for all modern humans up until around 10,000 years ago.
Modern Application: Extrapolating this idea into our modern world will find that there are many members of the industrialized world that still follow this method of maintaining a livelihood. From traveling construction workers to the burgeoning occupation of ESL (English as a Second Language) instructors, there still exists a notably-sized population of individuals who subscribe to the nomadic lifestyle, hunting and gathering employment opportunities and their means of subsistence.
PASTORALISM
Origin and Historical Denotation: Traditionally, pastoral nomads moved between pastures, feeding their flocks and enhanced by the development of secondary products from their animals. Among the many advantageous reasons behind this type of nomadic culture were elevated trade opportunities and a primitive understanding of the problem of over-grazing.
Modern Application: Though this is the smallest of nomadic classes to survive mass industrialization, there still exists a form of pastoralism in our modern world, interestingly enough. In Western North America, many cattle ranchers still endorse the ideas of their historical counterparts, disagreeing with the "farm and fence" methods of their competition. And though they are not subsistence pastoralists, they are business men and their occupations depend on their form of pastoralism.
PERIPATETIC
Origin and Historical Denotation: Peripatetic nomads are the newest form of travelling cultures to have arisen in contemporary societies, having first gained a foothold in classical antiquity. This definition is attributed to migrating populations engaged in craft and trade based commerce, often consisting of multilingual populations, speaking one or more languages of the local sedentary populations and travel often takes place with the legislative boundaries of a single territory.
Modern Application: Today, the most apparent individuals who are members of this group have carried on the historical traditions of this culture by offering their respective crafts throughout the country and other parts of the world. Among these include visual artists, musical artists, as well as backpack journalists.
Nomadic cultures and travel have long been a cornerstone of our contemporary societies and have managed to stay weaved in the fabric of our culture for thousands of years. So, whether it be an elective style of life, or a matter of necessity, we ought to enjoy the wonderful gifts our ancestors have planted throughout history and continue to cultivate its positive impact throughout the world. Because the world isn't as scary and lonely as you think.
