Abstract: The paper focuses on the issue of individual change among the Beja tribesmen of Eastern Sudan. The Beja homeland is considered as a "special area". In such a context the paper examines the Beja preparedness to contribute to the development of their area or, alternatively, whether their attitude and behaviour patterns pose a hindrance to the development process. Propositions from two relevant sets of social theories, namely the theories of development and theories related to individual attitudes and behaviour patterns are used as a frame of reference in the Beja context. The validity of the hypotheses from the above theories that consider individuals in typical traditional settings like the Beja one to be fatalistic, tribalistic, secretive, socially distrustful and conformist are tested. The findings of the study are numerous and have far-reaching implications. The Beja community turned out to be very tradition-oriented. They are extremely fatalistic, secretive and tribalistic; a reality which poses a serious problem to decision-makers.