Info For Yous Sara (Kameeni) People: Ancient Sun-Worshiping People Of Africa
The Sara (Kameeni) are an amalgamation of ancient Sun-worshiping, fishery as well as sedentary agriculturalist Bongo-Bargimi-speaking people of Nilo-Saharan origins residing inwards southern Republic of Chad as well as Central African Republic. Most Sara are now, as well as accept been for centuries, located betwixt Lake Iro inwards the due east as well as the Logone River inwards the west.
Sara women of Chad
The Sara are the largest ethnic grouping inwards Republic of Chad amongst a population of over 4 1000000 people constituting approximately 32 pct of the full population. In Central African Republic the Sara people brand upwardly 10 per cent of the population, making it the quaternary largest ethnic grouping inwards the country.
The Sara has several sub-tribes, Each tribe is a distinct geographic, political, as well as endogamous entity. Major tribes are the Kaba, Sar, Nar, Gulay, Ngambay, as well as Mbay (Mbai). The Ngambay (Ngambai) are the largest subgroup, followed past times the Gulay, as well as the Sara Majingai-Ngama or Sar.
The Sara Ngambai alive inwards Bebedjia, Gore, Pala, as well as every bit good are centered about Moundou inwards the Logone, Mayo-Kebbi, as well as Logone Oriental prefectures. They verbalise a linguistic communication called Ngambay as well as are portion of the Sara-Bagirmi people cluster. The Sara Majingai-Ngama or Sar people verbalise a linguistic communication called Sar. They alive about Sarh, Koumra, as well as Moissala inwards the Moyen-Chari Prefecture. They belong to the Sara-Bagirmi people cluster. The Sara Mbai people alive about Moissala inwards the Moyen-Chari Prefecture. They verbalise a linguistic communication called Mbay as well as are portion of the Sara-Bagirmi people cluster.
Sara fertility is higher than that of to a greater extent than northerly Muslim peoples, as well as the expanse inwards which they reside is considerably smaller. This agency that, inwards places, previously depression population densities accept begun to increase.
They brand upwardly 27.7% of Chad's full population (year 1993 Census).
In Chad, the Sara (kameeni) draw their ancestry to the pre-colonial Sao civilization that flourished inwards Middle Africa from the 6th century BCE to every bit belatedly every bit the sixteenth century CE. They are a mostly non-Muslim people — nigh a 6th of the ethnic grouping is estimated to live Christian, amongst most practicing traditional faiths i.e. worshiping the Sun.
According to historians the cry "Sara" (Sa-Ra) appears to accept been derived from Arabic, pregnant the Sons of Ra, the ancient Egyptian Sun-God. The Sara lived inwards the north-east along the Nile River earlier they sought refuge inwards the due south against northern Arab slave raids. They were located inwards the south, especially inwards the Moyen-Chari, Logone Oriental, Logone Occidental, as well as parts of the Tandjile regions, they are Nilotic people who are believed to accept migrated westwards to the Republic of Chad during the sixteenth century because of a constant threat from Muslims.
During the French colonial period, they became targets for forced task as well as armed forces recruitment. In fact, they were the largest grouping of Africans to create do inwards World War II. The French frequently romanticized their tall, physically powerful presence as well as referred to them every bit "La Belle Race" (The beautiful race)
In the past, women would become to elaborate lengths to brand themselves unappealing to slavers. They would insert circular plates inwards their lips inwards monastic say to elongate their mouths. This cultural exercise is no longer every bit common.
The Sara people enthusiastically grasped the meagre educational as well as religious opportunities offered past times the French. Educated Sara people are fluent inwards French every bit a mo linguistic communication today. In the 1970s, François Tombalbaye, the outset President of Republic of Chad as well as from Sara origins, introduced an Africanization aim: the yondo initiation rites of the Sara for all those who wanted to obtain positions inwards the civil service as well as the army, rites that were seen every bit anti-Christian. Other notable Sara people are Noël Milarew Odingar, Chadian officeholder who overthrew Tombalbaye during the 1975 coup as well as briefly served every bit caput of province as well as was later i of the nine members of the Supreme Military Council, the armed forces junta that ruled Republic of Chad betwixt 1975 as well as 1978 and Fidèle Moungar, Prime government minister of Republic of Chad inwards 1993, president of Action for Unity as well as Socialism.
Language
The sara verbalise Bongo-Bagirmi languages which belongs to the larger Nilo-Saharan languages.
The Sara languages contain over a dozen Bongo–Bagirmi languages spoken mainly inwards southern Chad; a few are every bit good spoken inwards the N of the Central African Republic. They are members of the Central Sudanic linguistic communication family. Greenberg (1966) treats all varieties every bit dialects of a Sara language, whereas Tucker as well as Bryan (1966) consider the Sara to live a dialect cluster of several languages. Most members of the dissimilar Sara languages/dialects consider their speech communication shape distinct languages, but at that topographic point is currently insufficient linguistic communication data to create upwardly one's withdraw heed which speech communication varieties demand to live considered distinct languages, as well as which are dialects of other languages.
The most populous multifariousness of Sara proper is Ngambay (Sara Ngambay), a major merchandise linguistic communication of southern Chad, amongst nigh a 1000000 speakers, though Sar (Sara Madjingay) is the clapper franca of Sarh.
The term "Sara Languages", sometimes called "Sara Proper Languages", is distinct from the so-called "Sara Kaba Languages". The latter include Sara Dunjo, Kaba Deme as well as Kaba Na. The term Sara itself is confusing, every bit inside this menage unit of measurement at that topographic point exists a linguistic communication named Sar, whose upper-case missive of the alphabet is Sarh. The term Kaba is likewise confusing. Kaba of Gore is non a Sara Kaba language, but rather a Sara language. Further, the Sara Kaba grouping includes a linguistic communication named Sara Kaba
The Sara languages are:
#West Sara
Ngambay, Laka, Kabba of Gore
#Central Sara (Doba)
Bedjond, Bebote, Mango, Gor
#East Sara
Sar, Nar, Mbay, Ngam, Dagba, Gulay, Horo
The inclusion of Gulay amongst the Eastern Sara Languages is based on lexical comparison. Phonologically as well as morphologically Gulay behaves to a greater extent than similar a Central Sara Language.
History
The Sara people are thought to accept originally migrated from the Nile River Valley centuries agone every bit they sought to escape the mounting raids past times neighboring Arab peoples. Their rattling cry Sara may accept meant ―sons of Ra.
Sao civilisation: The Sao civilization flourished inwards Middle Africa from ca. the 6th century BCE to every bit belatedly every bit the sixteenth century CE. The Sao lived past times the Chari River due south of Lake Republic of Chad inwards territory that later became portion of Republic of Cameroon as well as Chad. They are the earliest people to accept left clear traces of their presence inwards the territory of modern Cameroon. Sometime about the 16th century, conversion to Islam changed the cultural identity of the old Sao. Today, several ethnic groups of northern Republic of Cameroon as well as southern Republic of Chad but specially the Sara, Kotoko claim descent from the civilization of the Sao.
Sara Chadian soldier
Origins as well as decline: The Sao civilization may accept begun every bit early on every bit the 6th century BCE, as well as past times the destination of the outset millennium BCE, their presence was good established due south of Lake Republic of Chad as well as nigh the Chari River. The metropolis states of the Sao reached their apex sometime betwixt the 9th as well as fifteenth centuries CE.
The Sao's demise may accept come upwardly nigh due to conquest, Islamization, or both. Traditional tales say that the Sao W of Lake Republic of Chad savage to "Yemenites" from the east. These invaders made several unsuccessful attempts to conquer the Sao earlier finally succeeding past times resorting to trickery. If true, the newcomers may accept been Arab Bedouin or Sayfuwa raiders coming from the due east who moved into the part inwards the fourteenth century. Although some scholars approximate that the Sao civilization due south of Lake Republic of Chad lasted until the fourteenth or fifteenth century, the bulk watch is that it ceased to be every bit a separate civilization sometime inwards the 16th century afterward to the expansion of the Bornu Empire. The Kotoko are the inheritors of the old metropolis states of the Sao.
Little is known nigh the Sao's civilization or political organisation: They left no written records as well as are known solely through archaeological finds as well as the oral history of their successors inwards their territory. Sao artifacts exhibit that they were skilled workers inwards bronze, copper, as well as iron. Finds include bronze sculptures as well as terracotta statues of human as well as creature figures, coins, funerary urns, household utensils, jewelry, highly decorated pottery, as well as spears. The largest Sao archaeological finds accept been made due south of Lake Chad.
Sara Tribeswoman Eyes a Photo of a Woman With a Lip Plate inwards a National Geographic Magazine Held past times Staff Artist Walter Weber, Kyabe, Chad, circa 1950
Ethnic groups inwards the Lake Republic of Chad basin, such every bit the Buduma, Gamergu, Kanembu, Kotoko, as well as Musgum claim descent from the Sao. Lebeuf supports this connector as well as has traced symbolism from Sao fine art inwards works past times the Guti as well as Tukuri subgroups of the Logone-Birni people. Oral histories add together farther details nigh the people: The Sao were made upwardly of several patrilineal clans who were united into a unmarried polity amongst i language, race, as well as religion. In these narratives, the Sao are presented every bit giants as well as mighty warriors who fought as well as conquered their neighbors
ancient Sara kaba people. Circa 1888
Settlements
Most Sara who are Nar (hereafter reference volition live to the Nar unless otherwise mentioned) reside inwards small-scale villages located nigh streams or along roads. In precolonial times, inwards principle, a hamlet (gir live ) was a distinct expanse inwards which members of a patrician (gir ka ) lived amongst their wives, children, other kin, as well as followers. Villages (gir begi [the gi suffix is a plural marker]) were divided into a position out of such tracts of dissimilar clans. Households inwards these villages tended to live dispersed, amongst their circular thatched huts standing inwards the midst of menage unit of measurement members' fields, but colonial as well as postcolonial officials accept obliged the relocation as well as concentration of households along to a greater extent than easily administered roads. In the 1970s most villages had 200 to 300 inhabitants.
Economy
Subsistence as well as Commercial Activities. The Sara, who alive inwards a moderately well-watered Sudano-Guinean ecological zone, specialize inwards the slash-and-burn tillage of cereals, especially sorghums as well as millets. They fish as well as enhance chickens, dwarf goats, as well as a few horses. Plow oxen, introduced during the 1960s as well as soundless rare, are the solely cattle kept, owing to a high incidence of sleeping sickness. The French, inwards search of a stable render of cotton fiber fiber for their textile industry, introduced cotton fiber every bit a cash crop inwards 1928. Postindependence governments accept continued to emphasize the crop because its sale has brought lxxx pct of the country's unusual exchange. Because of cotton's importance, its production has been mandatory throughout the colonial as well as immediate postcolonial periods. Most cotton fiber is produced past times the Sara, who accept added this function to their normal subsistence activities. Raising cotton fiber is to a greater extent than task intensive than growing nutrient crops. Its farm-gate toll has unremarkably been kept low. It has a style to exhaust soils.
Increasingly, manioc is substituted for cereals inwards areas where cotton fiber production is high. Manioc requires less task than do cereals but has less nutritional value. One argue for its popularity may live that it allows task that would accept been allocated to the growth of cereals to live directed instead to the maintenance or expansion of cotton fiber cultivation. Studies advise that areas of considerable manioc production are those amongst lower nutritional levels.
Industrial Arts. Precolonial crafts included metalworking, pottery, fabric as well as handbasket weaving, calabash carving, as well as dissimilar forms of woodworking. All of these are inwards refuse every bit their products are increasingly beingness replaced past times manufactured imports.
Trade. There do non appear to accept been indigenous markets amid the precolonial Sara. Merchants from Bagirmi, as well as to a lesser extent from other Muslim states, circulated inwards the area, unremarkably exchanging sumptuary goods for slaves. Lack of commercial sense has meant that many small-scale stores as well as other enterprises inwards Sara towns are owned past times members of northern ethnic groups.
Division of Labor. Little is known of the precolonial partition of labor. The contemporary ideal, however, is that a married adult woman should function for her hubby inwards farming as well as domestic activities. In exchange, he should provide her as well as her children amongst nutrient as well as other necessities. In principle, the hubby owns the fields as well as their harvest, which he doles out. As women grow older, however, they clear as well as industrial plant life their ain fields, as well as thus they ain these fields' crops as well as tin give the axe dispose of them every bit they run across fit. Both men as well as women derive task for their fields from kin, especially children. Gender lonely does non seem to confer payoff inwards securing labor. Rather, what counts is the powerfulness to live generous amongst grain, alcohol, as well as cooked food. Women, it appears, tin give the axe live precisely every bit generous every bit men. Thus, men as well as women effectively possess the same access to ground as well as labor. This partition of task was reported for a Sara grouping amongst abundant land. It is possible that such abundance allows for a to a greater extent than egalitarian access to agricultural resources.
Land Tenure. Perhaps the most of import appear of past times as well as nowadays Sara ground tenure, at to the lowest degree inwards regions of depression population density, is the absence of cultural notions producing differential access to land. In the past times each clan had its expanse that it farmed to the exclusion of all other clans. The master copy dominion regulating access was that clan members could acquire ground past times farming it. Those who were non members of clans could acquire fields merely past times bespeak whatsoever clan fellow member for permission to farm. Land inheritance was of picayune importance. Most fields were on virgin bush or long fallows over which no i exercised rights. The French were convinced that all Sara had chefs de terre who, past times virtue of supernatural association amongst land, mightiness at to the lowest degree partially regulate access to it. Although at that topographic point may accept been some Sara amongst chefs de terre inwards this sense, they were rare. The founders of villages, as well as their descendants, called kwa begi, were sometimes said to "own" the land. Such persons had solely a hazy, moral prestige, however, almost indistinct from that resulting from age, which was irrelevant to ground apportionment. Today at that topographic point is a person, known every bit the chef de carré, who, next consultation amongst members of his carré (lit., "plot") selects where its cotton fiber fields volition live located.
Sara adult woman performing a folkloric dance
Kinship
Kin Groups as well as Descent. The Sara combine a cognatic, ancestor-focused, scheme of kinship amongst patricians. The term "gir ka" can, depending on the context, hateful either "ancestor" or "patrician." H5N1 gir ka is whatsoever ancestor from which a mortal is descended inwards whatsoever way. Descendants of a person's ancestors are that person's cognates. Cultural notions specify that such kin should bring together inwards each other's function groups, part food, welcome each other every bit members of their residential group, as well as inwards full general provide mutual support. Persons who stipulate that they part agnatic descent from an ancestor belong to a "gir ka," amongst the term hither used inwards the sense of a patrician that has its house of residence, its gir be. Clans were inwards regulation exogamous. Clan members should participate inwards its funeral ceremonies as well as other clan affairs, such every bit the taking of vengeance as well as sacrifices to the spirit (besi ; pl. besigi ) associated amongst the clan. There was absolutely no belief that the dissimilar clans inwards a hamlet were portion of a mutual scheme based upon agnatic descent. Similarly, neither the hamlet itself, nor other villages, were conceived of every bit descent groups saltation inwards a single, pyramidal structure, every bit was found amid the Nuer.
Marriage as well as Family
Marriage. The Sara verb tar agency "to love," but the notion of "tar" carries amongst it an additional connotation of "giving things." The thought that "giving" is intrinsically linked to "deep affection" is a footing of Sara marriage, which tends to live ideally viewed every bit a reciprocal human relationship inwards which a hubby gives grain as well as a married adult woman provides services inwards exchange. It was believed that kin, especially mother's brother's offspring, were to a greater extent than probable than others to honey each other. Payment of bride-wealth was a status for creating marriages; it gave men rights to their wives' sexuality as well as children. Polygyny as well as widow inheritance were practiced. Divorce was possible, although wives, rather than going through the bother of divorce, merely opened their ain fields, thereby gaining considerable independence.
Domestic Unit. H5N1 married human being ideally builds his married adult woman or wives houses side past times side to those of his father's household as well as thus resides patrilocally amongst his extended family. In fact, such households appear to occur inwards less than one-half the cases studied.
Inheritance. Traditionally, at that topographic point was rarely much to live inherited. Although at that topographic point were rules guiding inheritance of fields, these were rarely applied because ground was abundant. In general, movable belongings went to younger agnates of the deceased. Some supernatural property—such every bit cognition of how to turn into an animal, how to perform sorcery, as well as how to command besi spirits—was inherited from manful mortal parent to boy or woman parent to daughter. H5N1 modify has occurred amongst honour to the inheritance of for sure novel forms of movable belongings that require prior investment, such every bit plows or carts. These tend to live inherited past times children rather than siblings.
Socialization. Child-rearing practices tended to live exacting. Children were expected to larn to behave. They were punished if they did not. The manful mortal initiation ceremony was of import for inculcating gender roles (see "Ceremonies"). Today formal didactics is rattling much appreciated.
Sociopolitical Organization
Social Organization. There was no differential access to the major productive resource, land. Recruitment to the few ritual positions that conferred distinction was restricted to those satisfying the rules of their inheritance. There was no ranking, fifty-fifty inside descent groups. Hence, precolonial Sara club appears to accept been rather egalitarian, amongst some ranking. Cultural notions pertaining to age, gender, as well as kinship influenced most social activities. The Sara lacked the historic catamenia grades as well as sets found inwards Nilotic populations. Nevertheless, they strongly believed that juniors should defer to elders. They every bit good to a greater extent than frequently than non felt that women involved inwards social relations amongst men should defer to the men, although the capacity of this mental attitude to bear upon activity may accept been restrained past times attitudes pertaining to appropriate kin behavior. All kin—especially unopen agnates—owed each other assistance. H5N1 hubby mightiness thus refrain from exercising excessive potency over his married adult woman for fearfulness of losing back upwardly from her relatives.
Political Organization
Most precolonial Sara tribes were highly acephalous; however, incessant raiding past times the to a greater extent than northerly states had transformed nineteenth-century Sara lands into a laboratory of incipient centralization. Chiefdoms had begun to emerge amid for sure Sar, Nar, as well as Gulay. The most highly elaborated of these, organized about a mortal called the mbang (the Barma postindependence term for "sovereign"), was that of the Sar nigh the town of Bedaya.
The Sara accept been extremely of import inwards postindependence Chad. The outset president, François Tombalbaye, was a Sar, as well as he as well as other Sara completely dominated the government, a reality that non-Sara—especially northerners—bitterly resented. Civil state of war began inwards 1966. In 1973 an increasingly hard-pressed as well as authoritarian Tombalbaye, inwards a bid to strengthen his legitimacy past times reinstating certain, "traditional" Sara institutions, created the Mouvement National pour la Révolution Culturelle et Sociale. For example, officials were supposed to participate inwards manful mortal initiation. Tombalbaye was assassinated inwards 1975 inwards a southern coup. By 1978, powerfulness had passed from the due south to the north. The 1980s were a fourth dimension of difficulty for the Sara: famine was exacerbated past times oppression.
Social Control
No courts existed amid precolonial Sara at whatsoever level. Family disputes were non settled past times elders, or the hamlet "owners" (kwa begi). In fact, at that topographic point appear to accept been no peaceable conflict-resolution mechanisms inwards either the clan hamlet or tribe. Disputes tended to live settled past times some shape of self-help. Divination may live performed at the decease of a mortal to discovery the cause. Should the divination dot that a particular private was responsible for the death, as well as so a vengeance party—largely composed of the deceased's agnates—might live formed.
Conflict
Two major types of extrasocietal conflict dominate Sara history. Both accept north-south dimensions. Precolonial wars were fought betwixt Muslim emirates as well as the Sara every bit the old sought slaves amid the latter. Since Chadian independence, the Sara as well as to a greater extent than northerly peoples accept contested for command over the key government. An of import shape of contemporary intrasocietal conflict pits authorities officials against traditional religious specialists inwards local communities.
Religious Belief
Pre-colonial organized religious belief was based on notions that dissimilar religious specialists could, past times surgical procedure of appropriate ritual, influence dissimilar supernaturals to restore or keep natural as well as social well-being. Many Sara inwards contemporary times accept converted to Christianity, frequently opting for some shape of Protestantism.
There appear to accept been 3 major forms of the supernatural. Nuba was a variety of otiose god who had created the world. H5N1 besi was a variety of "spirit" that was immanent in, symbolized by, as well as named after natural objects—especially trees—or social activities, such every bit initiation. Besigi interfere inwards peoples' lives past times bringing misfortune. Some besigi were non powerful; others had the powerfulness to influence entire clans or villages. Badigi (sing. badi ), the dead conceived of inwards their afterlife, were the 3rd shape of the supernatural. H5N1 badi, unremarkably a deceased manful mortal parent or mother, tin give the axe assault people and, similar a besi, select misfortune.
Religious Practitioners. There appear to accept been 4 master copy varieties of religious specialists inwards precolonial times: those who owned a besi; those who presided over initiations, who were called mohgi ; those inwards accuse of harvest festivals; as well as rainmakers. In general, practitioners were non organized into a hierarchical priesthood, except about the mbang at Bedaya.
Ceremonies. Much ceremonial activity was ritual to propitiate besigi or badigi, thereby creating or restoring beneficent natural as well as social worlds. The most of import ceremonies were initiations, funerals, as well as those next the harvest. Initiations were of import for a position out of reasons, i of which was that they helped define gender relations. Men became initiated (ndo ), whereas women as well as immature boys remained uninitiated (koy ). As a result, men were thought to accept learned how to act, a cognition denied to women.
Arts. Singing as well as dancing accept been as well as rest an of import portion of Sara life. Visual arts such every bit sculpture were picayune developed.
Medicine. In precolonial times, as well as soundless largely today, affliction was believed to live the outcome of supernatural actions—either those of a besi, a badi, or a practitioner of sorcery (kuma ). Divination was performed to seat the attacking supernatural as well as to advise a mode of diagnosis.
Death as well as Afterlife
Many Sara conceived of decease non so much every bit a biological lawsuit every bit a modification inwards social status. Each mortal was believed to accept something similar a soul (ndil ). At death, this separated from the body. Provided the proper rituals were performed, however, the deceased did non perish but became a badi. Participation inwards mortuary ceremonies was of import every bit a way of validating a person's membership inwards a clan.
source:http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Sara.aspx
http://worldmap.org/maps/other/profiles/chad/Chad%20Profile.pdf
Sara women of Chad
The Sara are the largest ethnic grouping inwards Republic of Chad amongst a population of over 4 1000000 people constituting approximately 32 pct of the full population. In Central African Republic the Sara people brand upwardly 10 per cent of the population, making it the quaternary largest ethnic grouping inwards the country.
The Sara has several sub-tribes, Each tribe is a distinct geographic, political, as well as endogamous entity. Major tribes are the Kaba, Sar, Nar, Gulay, Ngambay, as well as Mbay (Mbai). The Ngambay (Ngambai) are the largest subgroup, followed past times the Gulay, as well as the Sara Majingai-Ngama or Sar.
The Sara Ngambai alive inwards Bebedjia, Gore, Pala, as well as every bit good are centered about Moundou inwards the Logone, Mayo-Kebbi, as well as Logone Oriental prefectures. They verbalise a linguistic communication called Ngambay as well as are portion of the Sara-Bagirmi people cluster. The Sara Majingai-Ngama or Sar people verbalise a linguistic communication called Sar. They alive about Sarh, Koumra, as well as Moissala inwards the Moyen-Chari Prefecture. They belong to the Sara-Bagirmi people cluster. The Sara Mbai people alive about Moissala inwards the Moyen-Chari Prefecture. They verbalise a linguistic communication called Mbay as well as are portion of the Sara-Bagirmi people cluster.
Sara fertility is higher than that of to a greater extent than northerly Muslim peoples, as well as the expanse inwards which they reside is considerably smaller. This agency that, inwards places, previously depression population densities accept begun to increase.
Sara people
They brand upwardly 27.7% of Chad's full population (year 1993 Census).
In Chad, the Sara (kameeni) draw their ancestry to the pre-colonial Sao civilization that flourished inwards Middle Africa from the 6th century BCE to every bit belatedly every bit the sixteenth century CE. They are a mostly non-Muslim people — nigh a 6th of the ethnic grouping is estimated to live Christian, amongst most practicing traditional faiths i.e. worshiping the Sun.
According to historians the cry "Sara" (Sa-Ra) appears to accept been derived from Arabic, pregnant the Sons of Ra, the ancient Egyptian Sun-God. The Sara lived inwards the north-east along the Nile River earlier they sought refuge inwards the due south against northern Arab slave raids. They were located inwards the south, especially inwards the Moyen-Chari, Logone Oriental, Logone Occidental, as well as parts of the Tandjile regions, they are Nilotic people who are believed to accept migrated westwards to the Republic of Chad during the sixteenth century because of a constant threat from Muslims.
During the French colonial period, they became targets for forced task as well as armed forces recruitment. In fact, they were the largest grouping of Africans to create do inwards World War II. The French frequently romanticized their tall, physically powerful presence as well as referred to them every bit "La Belle Race" (The beautiful race)
In the past, women would become to elaborate lengths to brand themselves unappealing to slavers. They would insert circular plates inwards their lips inwards monastic say to elongate their mouths. This cultural exercise is no longer every bit common.
The Sara people enthusiastically grasped the meagre educational as well as religious opportunities offered past times the French. Educated Sara people are fluent inwards French every bit a mo linguistic communication today. In the 1970s, François Tombalbaye, the outset President of Republic of Chad as well as from Sara origins, introduced an Africanization aim: the yondo initiation rites of the Sara for all those who wanted to obtain positions inwards the civil service as well as the army, rites that were seen every bit anti-Christian. Other notable Sara people are Noël Milarew Odingar, Chadian officeholder who overthrew Tombalbaye during the 1975 coup as well as briefly served every bit caput of province as well as was later i of the nine members of the Supreme Military Council, the armed forces junta that ruled Republic of Chad betwixt 1975 as well as 1978 and Fidèle Moungar, Prime government minister of Republic of Chad inwards 1993, president of Action for Unity as well as Socialism.
François Tombalbaye, the outset President of Republic of Chad as well as from Sara origins
Language
The sara verbalise Bongo-Bagirmi languages which belongs to the larger Nilo-Saharan languages.
The Sara languages contain over a dozen Bongo–Bagirmi languages spoken mainly inwards southern Chad; a few are every bit good spoken inwards the N of the Central African Republic. They are members of the Central Sudanic linguistic communication family. Greenberg (1966) treats all varieties every bit dialects of a Sara language, whereas Tucker as well as Bryan (1966) consider the Sara to live a dialect cluster of several languages. Most members of the dissimilar Sara languages/dialects consider their speech communication shape distinct languages, but at that topographic point is currently insufficient linguistic communication data to create upwardly one's withdraw heed which speech communication varieties demand to live considered distinct languages, as well as which are dialects of other languages.
The most populous multifariousness of Sara proper is Ngambay (Sara Ngambay), a major merchandise linguistic communication of southern Chad, amongst nigh a 1000000 speakers, though Sar (Sara Madjingay) is the clapper franca of Sarh.
The term "Sara Languages", sometimes called "Sara Proper Languages", is distinct from the so-called "Sara Kaba Languages". The latter include Sara Dunjo, Kaba Deme as well as Kaba Na. The term Sara itself is confusing, every bit inside this menage unit of measurement at that topographic point exists a linguistic communication named Sar, whose upper-case missive of the alphabet is Sarh. The term Kaba is likewise confusing. Kaba of Gore is non a Sara Kaba language, but rather a Sara language. Further, the Sara Kaba grouping includes a linguistic communication named Sara Kaba
The Sara languages are:
#West Sara
Ngambay, Laka, Kabba of Gore
#Central Sara (Doba)
Bedjond, Bebote, Mango, Gor
#East Sara
Sar, Nar, Mbay, Ngam, Dagba, Gulay, Horo
The inclusion of Gulay amongst the Eastern Sara Languages is based on lexical comparison. Phonologically as well as morphologically Gulay behaves to a greater extent than similar a Central Sara Language.
History
The Sara people are thought to accept originally migrated from the Nile River Valley centuries agone every bit they sought to escape the mounting raids past times neighboring Arab peoples. Their rattling cry Sara may accept meant ―sons of Ra.
Sao civilisation: The Sao civilization flourished inwards Middle Africa from ca. the 6th century BCE to every bit belatedly every bit the sixteenth century CE. The Sao lived past times the Chari River due south of Lake Republic of Chad inwards territory that later became portion of Republic of Cameroon as well as Chad. They are the earliest people to accept left clear traces of their presence inwards the territory of modern Cameroon. Sometime about the 16th century, conversion to Islam changed the cultural identity of the old Sao. Today, several ethnic groups of northern Republic of Cameroon as well as southern Republic of Chad but specially the Sara, Kotoko claim descent from the civilization of the Sao.
Sara Chadian soldier
Origins as well as decline: The Sao civilization may accept begun every bit early on every bit the 6th century BCE, as well as past times the destination of the outset millennium BCE, their presence was good established due south of Lake Republic of Chad as well as nigh the Chari River. The metropolis states of the Sao reached their apex sometime betwixt the 9th as well as fifteenth centuries CE.
The Sao's demise may accept come upwardly nigh due to conquest, Islamization, or both. Traditional tales say that the Sao W of Lake Republic of Chad savage to "Yemenites" from the east. These invaders made several unsuccessful attempts to conquer the Sao earlier finally succeeding past times resorting to trickery. If true, the newcomers may accept been Arab Bedouin or Sayfuwa raiders coming from the due east who moved into the part inwards the fourteenth century. Although some scholars approximate that the Sao civilization due south of Lake Republic of Chad lasted until the fourteenth or fifteenth century, the bulk watch is that it ceased to be every bit a separate civilization sometime inwards the 16th century afterward to the expansion of the Bornu Empire. The Kotoko are the inheritors of the old metropolis states of the Sao.
Sara adult woman amongst a lip plate
Little is known nigh the Sao's civilization or political organisation: They left no written records as well as are known solely through archaeological finds as well as the oral history of their successors inwards their territory. Sao artifacts exhibit that they were skilled workers inwards bronze, copper, as well as iron. Finds include bronze sculptures as well as terracotta statues of human as well as creature figures, coins, funerary urns, household utensils, jewelry, highly decorated pottery, as well as spears. The largest Sao archaeological finds accept been made due south of Lake Chad.
Sara Tribeswoman Eyes a Photo of a Woman With a Lip Plate inwards a National Geographic Magazine Held past times Staff Artist Walter Weber, Kyabe, Chad, circa 1950
Ethnic groups inwards the Lake Republic of Chad basin, such every bit the Buduma, Gamergu, Kanembu, Kotoko, as well as Musgum claim descent from the Sao. Lebeuf supports this connector as well as has traced symbolism from Sao fine art inwards works past times the Guti as well as Tukuri subgroups of the Logone-Birni people. Oral histories add together farther details nigh the people: The Sao were made upwardly of several patrilineal clans who were united into a unmarried polity amongst i language, race, as well as religion. In these narratives, the Sao are presented every bit giants as well as mighty warriors who fought as well as conquered their neighbors
ancient Sara kaba people. Circa 1888
Settlements
Most Sara who are Nar (hereafter reference volition live to the Nar unless otherwise mentioned) reside inwards small-scale villages located nigh streams or along roads. In precolonial times, inwards principle, a hamlet (gir live ) was a distinct expanse inwards which members of a patrician (gir ka ) lived amongst their wives, children, other kin, as well as followers. Villages (gir begi [the gi suffix is a plural marker]) were divided into a position out of such tracts of dissimilar clans. Households inwards these villages tended to live dispersed, amongst their circular thatched huts standing inwards the midst of menage unit of measurement members' fields, but colonial as well as postcolonial officials accept obliged the relocation as well as concentration of households along to a greater extent than easily administered roads. In the 1970s most villages had 200 to 300 inhabitants.
Economy
Subsistence as well as Commercial Activities. The Sara, who alive inwards a moderately well-watered Sudano-Guinean ecological zone, specialize inwards the slash-and-burn tillage of cereals, especially sorghums as well as millets. They fish as well as enhance chickens, dwarf goats, as well as a few horses. Plow oxen, introduced during the 1960s as well as soundless rare, are the solely cattle kept, owing to a high incidence of sleeping sickness. The French, inwards search of a stable render of cotton fiber fiber for their textile industry, introduced cotton fiber every bit a cash crop inwards 1928. Postindependence governments accept continued to emphasize the crop because its sale has brought lxxx pct of the country's unusual exchange. Because of cotton's importance, its production has been mandatory throughout the colonial as well as immediate postcolonial periods. Most cotton fiber is produced past times the Sara, who accept added this function to their normal subsistence activities. Raising cotton fiber is to a greater extent than task intensive than growing nutrient crops. Its farm-gate toll has unremarkably been kept low. It has a style to exhaust soils.
Increasingly, manioc is substituted for cereals inwards areas where cotton fiber production is high. Manioc requires less task than do cereals but has less nutritional value. One argue for its popularity may live that it allows task that would accept been allocated to the growth of cereals to live directed instead to the maintenance or expansion of cotton fiber cultivation. Studies advise that areas of considerable manioc production are those amongst lower nutritional levels.
Industrial Arts. Precolonial crafts included metalworking, pottery, fabric as well as handbasket weaving, calabash carving, as well as dissimilar forms of woodworking. All of these are inwards refuse every bit their products are increasingly beingness replaced past times manufactured imports.
Trade. There do non appear to accept been indigenous markets amid the precolonial Sara. Merchants from Bagirmi, as well as to a lesser extent from other Muslim states, circulated inwards the area, unremarkably exchanging sumptuary goods for slaves. Lack of commercial sense has meant that many small-scale stores as well as other enterprises inwards Sara towns are owned past times members of northern ethnic groups.
Sara adult woman as well as a man child showing their elaborate facial marks
Division of Labor. Little is known of the precolonial partition of labor. The contemporary ideal, however, is that a married adult woman should function for her hubby inwards farming as well as domestic activities. In exchange, he should provide her as well as her children amongst nutrient as well as other necessities. In principle, the hubby owns the fields as well as their harvest, which he doles out. As women grow older, however, they clear as well as industrial plant life their ain fields, as well as thus they ain these fields' crops as well as tin give the axe dispose of them every bit they run across fit. Both men as well as women derive task for their fields from kin, especially children. Gender lonely does non seem to confer payoff inwards securing labor. Rather, what counts is the powerfulness to live generous amongst grain, alcohol, as well as cooked food. Women, it appears, tin give the axe live precisely every bit generous every bit men. Thus, men as well as women effectively possess the same access to ground as well as labor. This partition of task was reported for a Sara grouping amongst abundant land. It is possible that such abundance allows for a to a greater extent than egalitarian access to agricultural resources.
Sara human being amongst facial tribal marks from Chad
Land Tenure. Perhaps the most of import appear of past times as well as nowadays Sara ground tenure, at to the lowest degree inwards regions of depression population density, is the absence of cultural notions producing differential access to land. In the past times each clan had its expanse that it farmed to the exclusion of all other clans. The master copy dominion regulating access was that clan members could acquire ground past times farming it. Those who were non members of clans could acquire fields merely past times bespeak whatsoever clan fellow member for permission to farm. Land inheritance was of picayune importance. Most fields were on virgin bush or long fallows over which no i exercised rights. The French were convinced that all Sara had chefs de terre who, past times virtue of supernatural association amongst land, mightiness at to the lowest degree partially regulate access to it. Although at that topographic point may accept been some Sara amongst chefs de terre inwards this sense, they were rare. The founders of villages, as well as their descendants, called kwa begi, were sometimes said to "own" the land. Such persons had solely a hazy, moral prestige, however, almost indistinct from that resulting from age, which was irrelevant to ground apportionment. Today at that topographic point is a person, known every bit the chef de carré, who, next consultation amongst members of his carré (lit., "plot") selects where its cotton fiber fields volition live located.
Sara adult woman performing a folkloric dance
Kinship
Kin Groups as well as Descent. The Sara combine a cognatic, ancestor-focused, scheme of kinship amongst patricians. The term "gir ka" can, depending on the context, hateful either "ancestor" or "patrician." H5N1 gir ka is whatsoever ancestor from which a mortal is descended inwards whatsoever way. Descendants of a person's ancestors are that person's cognates. Cultural notions specify that such kin should bring together inwards each other's function groups, part food, welcome each other every bit members of their residential group, as well as inwards full general provide mutual support. Persons who stipulate that they part agnatic descent from an ancestor belong to a "gir ka," amongst the term hither used inwards the sense of a patrician that has its house of residence, its gir be. Clans were inwards regulation exogamous. Clan members should participate inwards its funeral ceremonies as well as other clan affairs, such every bit the taking of vengeance as well as sacrifices to the spirit (besi ; pl. besigi ) associated amongst the clan. There was absolutely no belief that the dissimilar clans inwards a hamlet were portion of a mutual scheme based upon agnatic descent. Similarly, neither the hamlet itself, nor other villages, were conceived of every bit descent groups saltation inwards a single, pyramidal structure, every bit was found amid the Nuer.
Marriage as well as Family
Marriage. The Sara verb tar agency "to love," but the notion of "tar" carries amongst it an additional connotation of "giving things." The thought that "giving" is intrinsically linked to "deep affection" is a footing of Sara marriage, which tends to live ideally viewed every bit a reciprocal human relationship inwards which a hubby gives grain as well as a married adult woman provides services inwards exchange. It was believed that kin, especially mother's brother's offspring, were to a greater extent than probable than others to honey each other. Payment of bride-wealth was a status for creating marriages; it gave men rights to their wives' sexuality as well as children. Polygyny as well as widow inheritance were practiced. Divorce was possible, although wives, rather than going through the bother of divorce, merely opened their ain fields, thereby gaining considerable independence.
Domestic Unit. H5N1 married human being ideally builds his married adult woman or wives houses side past times side to those of his father's household as well as thus resides patrilocally amongst his extended family. In fact, such households appear to occur inwards less than one-half the cases studied.
Inheritance. Traditionally, at that topographic point was rarely much to live inherited. Although at that topographic point were rules guiding inheritance of fields, these were rarely applied because ground was abundant. In general, movable belongings went to younger agnates of the deceased. Some supernatural property—such every bit cognition of how to turn into an animal, how to perform sorcery, as well as how to command besi spirits—was inherited from manful mortal parent to boy or woman parent to daughter. H5N1 modify has occurred amongst honour to the inheritance of for sure novel forms of movable belongings that require prior investment, such every bit plows or carts. These tend to live inherited past times children rather than siblings.
Socialization. Child-rearing practices tended to live exacting. Children were expected to larn to behave. They were punished if they did not. The manful mortal initiation ceremony was of import for inculcating gender roles (see "Ceremonies"). Today formal didactics is rattling much appreciated.
Sociopolitical Organization
Social Organization. There was no differential access to the major productive resource, land. Recruitment to the few ritual positions that conferred distinction was restricted to those satisfying the rules of their inheritance. There was no ranking, fifty-fifty inside descent groups. Hence, precolonial Sara club appears to accept been rather egalitarian, amongst some ranking. Cultural notions pertaining to age, gender, as well as kinship influenced most social activities. The Sara lacked the historic catamenia grades as well as sets found inwards Nilotic populations. Nevertheless, they strongly believed that juniors should defer to elders. They every bit good to a greater extent than frequently than non felt that women involved inwards social relations amongst men should defer to the men, although the capacity of this mental attitude to bear upon activity may accept been restrained past times attitudes pertaining to appropriate kin behavior. All kin—especially unopen agnates—owed each other assistance. H5N1 hubby mightiness thus refrain from exercising excessive potency over his married adult woman for fearfulness of losing back upwardly from her relatives.
Political Organization
Most precolonial Sara tribes were highly acephalous; however, incessant raiding past times the to a greater extent than northerly states had transformed nineteenth-century Sara lands into a laboratory of incipient centralization. Chiefdoms had begun to emerge amid for sure Sar, Nar, as well as Gulay. The most highly elaborated of these, organized about a mortal called the mbang (the Barma postindependence term for "sovereign"), was that of the Sar nigh the town of Bedaya.
The Sara accept been extremely of import inwards postindependence Chad. The outset president, François Tombalbaye, was a Sar, as well as he as well as other Sara completely dominated the government, a reality that non-Sara—especially northerners—bitterly resented. Civil state of war began inwards 1966. In 1973 an increasingly hard-pressed as well as authoritarian Tombalbaye, inwards a bid to strengthen his legitimacy past times reinstating certain, "traditional" Sara institutions, created the Mouvement National pour la Révolution Culturelle et Sociale. For example, officials were supposed to participate inwards manful mortal initiation. Tombalbaye was assassinated inwards 1975 inwards a southern coup. By 1978, powerfulness had passed from the due south to the north. The 1980s were a fourth dimension of difficulty for the Sara: famine was exacerbated past times oppression.
Social Control
No courts existed amid precolonial Sara at whatsoever level. Family disputes were non settled past times elders, or the hamlet "owners" (kwa begi). In fact, at that topographic point appear to accept been no peaceable conflict-resolution mechanisms inwards either the clan hamlet or tribe. Disputes tended to live settled past times some shape of self-help. Divination may live performed at the decease of a mortal to discovery the cause. Should the divination dot that a particular private was responsible for the death, as well as so a vengeance party—largely composed of the deceased's agnates—might live formed.
Conflict
Two major types of extrasocietal conflict dominate Sara history. Both accept north-south dimensions. Precolonial wars were fought betwixt Muslim emirates as well as the Sara every bit the old sought slaves amid the latter. Since Chadian independence, the Sara as well as to a greater extent than northerly peoples accept contested for command over the key government. An of import shape of contemporary intrasocietal conflict pits authorities officials against traditional religious specialists inwards local communities.
Religious Belief
Pre-colonial organized religious belief was based on notions that dissimilar religious specialists could, past times surgical procedure of appropriate ritual, influence dissimilar supernaturals to restore or keep natural as well as social well-being. Many Sara inwards contemporary times accept converted to Christianity, frequently opting for some shape of Protestantism.
There appear to accept been 3 major forms of the supernatural. Nuba was a variety of otiose god who had created the world. H5N1 besi was a variety of "spirit" that was immanent in, symbolized by, as well as named after natural objects—especially trees—or social activities, such every bit initiation. Besigi interfere inwards peoples' lives past times bringing misfortune. Some besigi were non powerful; others had the powerfulness to influence entire clans or villages. Badigi (sing. badi ), the dead conceived of inwards their afterlife, were the 3rd shape of the supernatural. H5N1 badi, unremarkably a deceased manful mortal parent or mother, tin give the axe assault people and, similar a besi, select misfortune.
Religious Practitioners. There appear to accept been 4 master copy varieties of religious specialists inwards precolonial times: those who owned a besi; those who presided over initiations, who were called mohgi ; those inwards accuse of harvest festivals; as well as rainmakers. In general, practitioners were non organized into a hierarchical priesthood, except about the mbang at Bedaya.
Ceremonies. Much ceremonial activity was ritual to propitiate besigi or badigi, thereby creating or restoring beneficent natural as well as social worlds. The most of import ceremonies were initiations, funerals, as well as those next the harvest. Initiations were of import for a position out of reasons, i of which was that they helped define gender relations. Men became initiated (ndo ), whereas women as well as immature boys remained uninitiated (koy ). As a result, men were thought to accept learned how to act, a cognition denied to women.
Arts. Singing as well as dancing accept been as well as rest an of import portion of Sara life. Visual arts such every bit sculpture were picayune developed.
Medicine. In precolonial times, as well as soundless largely today, affliction was believed to live the outcome of supernatural actions—either those of a besi, a badi, or a practitioner of sorcery (kuma ). Divination was performed to seat the attacking supernatural as well as to advise a mode of diagnosis.
Death as well as Afterlife
Many Sara conceived of decease non so much every bit a biological lawsuit every bit a modification inwards social status. Each mortal was believed to accept something similar a soul (ndil ). At death, this separated from the body. Provided the proper rituals were performed, however, the deceased did non perish but became a badi. Participation inwards mortuary ceremonies was of import every bit a way of validating a person's membership inwards a clan.
source:http://www.encyclopedia.com/topic/Sara.aspx
http://worldmap.org/maps/other/profiles/chad/Chad%20Profile.pdf
0 Response to "Info For Yous Sara (Kameeni) People: Ancient Sun-Worshiping People Of Africa"
Post a Comment