he often serves their mutton for lunch it's an old tradition and one that the head of the shamma tribe keeps alive it's rooted in the times when the shammai lived a nomadic life crisscrossing the arab world. until recently the shamma far better early against the islamic states fighters as a result weapons are still commonplace here even if nowadays there are only used for sport. like. the summer among the region's most powerful tribes with millions of members and although the war in syria is not over yet a measure of calm now prevails in the northeast shake a mighty hopes you can help shape post-war politics. who want to solve problems the tribes are important. 1000 percent of people here belong to a tribe whether they're kurdish or christian we all share the same culture of war because these local tribes all have the same traditions and customs. palaces and teller lowell a small village in northern syria. this is where the sham a leader meets petitioners allies and other shakes. together with his advisors he decides on issues affecting the shamas future he also mediates in disputes be