Digital nomads are NOT NOMADs!

Where are you in this picture? Bali!

Why not? And what’s the difference?

Do you think you’re a nomad just because you can work from a coffee shop in Bali? Real NOMADs would laugh—and then teach you what mobility truly means.

Here is the issue: “Digital nomads might embrace movement, but for true NOMADs, mobility isn’t merely a person’s lifestyle—it’s a community lifeline.”

For nomads, mobility is a multi-generational identity marker. They identify as “people on the move” even if it seems they are NOT moving. Some nomads are obviously on the move constantly. Others may seem to be settled in one place even over several generations. Still, they think about mobility as a resource, and if the circumstances are right, they would naturally pick up and move again. 

So, let’s review our working definition: NOMADs are Not individualistic, rather the Networking of relationships, both externally and internally, seems built into their DNA. Internally they’re Organized as clans or tribes. They see Mobility as a resource (even if they don’t appear to use it!). They highly value their group's Autonomy. And they see themselves as Distinct from people with a sedentary heritage.

What Does Mobility Mean for NOMADs?

Remember, nomads are Not individualistic. They see mobility as a community resource. Even if only one person moves, in one way or another, the community is connected. Maybe a segment of the society, or even just one young man, takes the animals to summer pastures. In West Africa, the Soninke and Malinke peoples send young men as far away as Marseille, France, to earn money and send it back for their own community development. In Indonesia, the Minangkabau send their young men out in search of something even more valuable:  knowledge. As a result, they are one of the most knowledgeable and influential people groups in all of South East Asia. Property and houses are passed down through the women, who seem quite sedentary, but a man is hardly considered marriageable until he has used the resource of mobility to gain knowledge that he then shares with the community on his return. 

Mobility isn’t about choice or convenience; it’s about survival, livelihood, and identity. It’s tied to the needs of the group—finding grazing land, trading, or navigating seasonal changes. As Gujjar buffalo herders in India are urged by the government to settle down, one man responded, “It’s not that we like to migrate. We tie our buffalo to stakes in the ground, but in the spring they pull the stakes out and start moving toward the lush mountain pastures. If we don’t go with them, we will lose our livelihood.”  

Even “settled” nomads love to recall the freedom that mobility gave them. And they may say, “If conditions were right, we would move again!”

Why Digital Nomads Don’t Qualify

Digital nomads, on the other hand, are typically individualistic, career-driven, and moving for personal convenience or interest. They move out of a personal sense of adventure. They have little regard for connections with extended family. 
True NOMADs are relationally rooted, moving to sustain a group’s way of life. Their whole clan is involved in the process. Where they go and how long they stay are all determined within the community.

Digital nomads seek flexibility and adventure; true NOMADs seek survival.
Digital nomads often travel solo or in loose networks. NOMADs are deeply embedded in tribal or clan systems.
Digital nomadism is a temporary stage for many, while for true NOMADs, mobility is part of their generational identity.

The Hidden Layers of NOMAD Mobility

As alluded to earlier, NOMADs can appear sedentary, yet retain their mobility mindset when only a few are actually moving. 

In many cases, long-term settlement might be due to external pressures such as conflict, policy, or political or economic shifts that cut off traditional migration routes. But their identity as “people on the move” persists, regardless of their current location. Take the Gujjars of North India. While some have been in one place for decades, they still talk about migration routes as if they walked them yesterday.

Why Mobility Seems Sacred to NOMADs

Nomads often talk about mobility as freedom: For NOMADs, movement isn’t just practical—it’s a statement of independence and resilience.

As part of their identity, mobility shapes how NOMADs view themselves and the world around them.

NOMADs have mastered the art of adapting and moving, not just physically, but culturally, blending into or withdrawing from sedentary societies as needed.

Lessons for Us—Reclaiming the Value of Mobility

Ask yourself this question:
“In a world that prizes stability, what can we learn from people who see mobility as a resource for survival and community?”

After 35 years of marriage, and moving an average of 1 1/2 times per year, people are often shocked to learn that Ron's wife hates moving. But, guess what? We’ve heard that from the wives and mothers in nomadic communities as well!  Even for many nomads, the process of moving isn’t the fun part. But, as his wife says, "We had two major reasons for moving. First, the temperature was unbearable in the plains in the summer." She would say, “The nomads who go to high mountain pastures for the summer are the smart ones!” This leads to the second reason:  "Our community is moving. We don’t want to be left behind." 

    So, think about it like this:
    1.    Mobility isn’t about being rootless—it’s about being resourceful.
    2.    True mobility values relationships over locations.
    3.    Mobility requires sacrifice, not just freedom.

Conclusion: Do you think you’re a nomad? Think again.

So, let’s wrap it up. For true NOMADs, mobility is life in community, embracing community autonomy and the mutual responsibility and benefit of existing for each other. (We will address dysfunctional community in another episode). For digital nomads, it’s an individual lifestyle for personal freedom and adventure.

Here are some challenges for you:
What would change in your life if you saw movement not as a personal choice but as a way to support others?

Share this with someone who needs to hear it! Understanding NOMAD mobility isn’t just about “you” or “me”—it’s a lens to rethink how we move, live, and connect in our world.

Have you ever thought about mobility as more than movement? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Go ahead and tag someone who’s a “digital nomad” for their thoughts.