Info For Yous Sara (Kameeni) People: Ancient Sun-Worshiping People Of Africa
The Sara (Kameeni) are an amalgamation of ancient Sun-worshiping, fishery in addition to sedentary agriculturalist Bongo-Bargimi-speaking people of Nilo-Saharan origins residing inwards southern Republic of Chad in addition to Central African Republic. Most Sara are now, in addition to select been for centuries, located betwixt Lake Iro inwards the due east in addition to the Logone River inwards the west.
Sara women of Chad
The Sara are the largest ethnic grouping inwards Republic of Chad alongside 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 4th largest ethnic grouping inwards the country.
The Sara has several sub-tribes, Each tribe is a distinct geographic, political, in addition to endogamous entity. Major tribes are the Kaba, Sar, Nar, Gulay, Ngambay, in addition to Mbay (Mbai). The Ngambay (Ngambai) are the largest subgroup, followed yesteryear the Gulay, in addition to the Sara Majingai-Ngama or Sar.
The Sara Ngambai alive inwards Bebedjia, Gore, Pala, in addition to besides are centered about Moundou inwards the Logone, Mayo-Kebbi, in addition to Logone Oriental prefectures. They beak a linguistic communication called Ngambay in addition to are constituent of the Sara-Bagirmi people cluster. The Sara Majingai-Ngama or Sar people beak a linguistic communication called Sar. They alive about Sarh, Koumra, in addition to 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 beak a linguistic communication called Mbay in addition to are constituent of the Sara-Bagirmi people cluster.
Sara fertility is higher than that of to a greater extent than northerly Muslim peoples, in addition to the expanse inwards which they reside is considerably smaller. This agency that, inwards places, previously depression population densities select 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 slow 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, alongside most practicing traditional faiths i.e. worshiping the Sun.
According to historians the shout out "Sara" (Sa-Ra) appears to select 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 S against northern Arab slave raids. They were located inwards the south, especially inwards the Moyen-Chari, Logone Oriental, Logone Occidental, in addition to parts of the Tandjile regions, they are Nilotic people who are believed to select 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 project in addition to military machine recruitment. In fact, they were the largest grouping of Africans to care inwards World War II. The French oft romanticized their tall, physically powerful presence in addition to 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 do is no longer every bit common.
The Sara people enthusiastically grasped the meagre educational in addition to religious opportunities offered yesteryear the French. Educated Sara people are fluent inwards French every bit a bit linguistic communication today. In the 1970s, François Tombalbaye, the starting fourth dimension President of Republic of Chad in addition to 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 in addition to 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 in addition to briefly served every bit caput of province in addition to was later i of the nine members of the Supreme Military Council, the military machine junta that ruled Republic of Chad betwixt 1975 in addition to 1978 and Fidèle Moungar, Prime government minister of Republic of Chad inwards 1993, president of Action for Unity in addition to Socialism.
Language
The sara beak Bongo-Bagirmi languages which belongs to the larger Nilo-Saharan languages.
The Sara languages incorporate over a dozen Bongo–Bagirmi languages spoken mainly inwards southern Chad; a few are besides spoken inwards the northward 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 in addition to Bryan (1966) consider the Sara to live a dialect cluster of several languages. Most members of the dissimilar Sara languages/dialects consider their spoken language shape distinct languages, but in that location is currently insufficient linguistic communication data to create upwardly one's hear which spoken language varieties demand to live considered distinct languages, in addition to 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, alongside nigh a 1000000 speakers, though Sar (Sara Madjingay) is the glossa 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 in addition to Kaba Na. The term Sara itself is confusing, every bit inside this household unit of measurement in that location exists a linguistic communication named Sar, whose working capital 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 alongside the Eastern Sara Languages is based on lexical comparison. Phonologically in addition to morphologically Gulay behaves to a greater extent than similar a Central Sara Language.
History
The Sara people are thought to select originally migrated from the Nile River Valley centuries agone every bit they sought to escape the mounting raids yesteryear neighboring Arab peoples. Their real shout out Sara may select meant ―sons of Ra.
Sao civilisation: The Sao civilization flourished inwards Middle Africa from ca. the 6th century BCE to every bit slow every bit the sixteenth century CE. The Sao lived yesteryear the Chari River S of Lake Republic of Chad inwards territory that later became constituent of Republic of Cameroon in addition to Chad. They are the earliest people to select 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 one-time Sao. Today, several ethnic groups of northern Republic of Cameroon in addition to southern Republic of Chad but especially the Sara, Kotoko claim descent from the civilization of the Sao.
Sara Chadian soldier
Origins in addition to decline: The Sao civilization may select begun every bit early on every bit the 6th century BCE, in addition to yesteryear the halt of the starting fourth dimension millennium BCE, their presence was good established S of Lake Republic of Chad in addition to close the Chari River. The metropolis states of the Sao reached their apex sometime betwixt the 9th in addition to fifteenth centuries CE.
The Sao's demise may select come upwardly nigh due to conquest, Islamization, or both. Traditional tales say that the Sao westward of Lake Republic of Chad barbarous to "Yemenites" from the east. These invaders made several unsuccessful attempts to conquer the Sao earlier finally succeeding yesteryear resorting to trickery. If true, the newcomers may select been Arab Bedouin or Sayfuwa raiders coming from the due east who moved into the part inwards the fourteenth century. Although some scholars guess that the Sao civilization S of Lake Republic of Chad lasted until the fourteenth or fifteenth century, the bulk persuasion is that it ceased to be every bit a separate civilization sometime inwards the 16th century after to the expansion of the Bornu Empire. The Kotoko are the inheritors of the one-time metropolis states of the Sao.
Little is known nigh the Sao's civilization or political organisation: They left no written records in addition to are known alone through archaeological finds in addition to the oral history of their successors inwards their territory. Sao artifacts demo that they were skilled workers inwards bronze, copper, in addition to iron. Finds include bronze sculptures in addition to terracotta statues of human in addition to creature figures, coins, funerary urns, household utensils, jewelry, highly decorated pottery, in addition to spears. The largest Sao archaeological finds select been made S of Lake Chad.
Sara Tribeswoman Eyes a Photo of a Woman With a Lip Plate inwards a National Geographic Magazine Held yesteryear 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, in addition to Musgum claim descent from the Sao. Lebeuf supports this connector in addition to has traced symbolism from Sao fine art inwards works yesteryear the Guti in addition to 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 alongside i language, race, in addition to religion. In these narratives, the Sao are presented every bit giants in addition to mighty warriors who fought in addition to 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 close 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 alongside their wives, children, other kin, in addition to followers. Villages (gir begi [the gi suffix is a plural marker]) were divided into a release of such tracts of dissimilar clans. Households inwards these villages tended to live dispersed, alongside their circular thatched huts standing inwards the midst of household unit of measurement members' fields, but colonial in addition to postcolonial officials select obliged the relocation in addition to concentration of households along to a greater extent than easily administered roads. In the 1970s most villages had 200 to 300 inhabitants.
Economy
Subsistence in addition to 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 in addition to millets. They fish in addition to heighten chickens, dwarf goats, in addition to a few horses. Plow oxen, introduced during the 1960s in addition to soundless rare, are the alone cattle kept, owing to a high incidence of sleeping sickness. The French, inwards search of a stable furnish of cotton fiber fiber for their textile industry, introduced cotton fiber every bit a cash crop inwards 1928. Postindependence governments select 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 in addition to immediate postcolonial periods. Most cotton fiber is produced yesteryear the Sara, who select added this run to their normal subsistence activities. Raising cotton fiber is to a greater extent than project intensive than growing nutrient crops. Its farm-gate toll has commonly been kept low. It has a vogue to exhaust soils.
Increasingly, manioc is substituted for cereals inwards areas where cotton fiber production is high. Manioc requires less project than do cereals but has less nutritional value. One argue for its popularity may live that it allows project that would select 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 alongside lower nutritional levels.
Industrial Arts. Precolonial crafts included metalworking, pottery, fabric in addition to handbasket weaving, calabash carving, in addition to dissimilar forms of woodworking. All of these are inwards turn down every bit their products are increasingly beingness replaced yesteryear manufactured imports.
Trade. There do non seem to select been indigenous markets amid the precolonial Sara. Merchants from Bagirmi, in addition to to a lesser extent from other Muslim states, circulated inwards the area, commonly exchanging sumptuary goods for slaves. Lack of commercial sense has meant that many small-scale stores in addition to other enterprises inwards Sara towns are owned yesteryear members of northern ethnic groups.
Division of Labor. Little is known of the precolonial partitioning of labor. The contemporary ideal, however, is that a married adult woman should run for her hubby inwards farming in addition to domestic activities. In exchange, he should provide her in addition to her children alongside nutrient in addition to other necessities. In principle, the hubby owns the fields in addition to their harvest, which he doles out. As women grow older, however, they clear in addition to industrial plant life their ain fields, in addition to thence they ain these fields' crops in addition to tin dispose of them every bit they run into fit. Both men in addition to women derive project for their fields from kin, especially children. Gender lonely does non seem to confer wages inwards securing labor. Rather, what counts is the powerfulness to live generous alongside grain, alcohol, in addition to cooked food. Women, it appears, tin live precisely every bit generous every bit men. Thus, men in addition to women effectively possess the same access to ground in addition to labor. This partitioning of project was reported for a Sara grouping alongside 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 human face of yesteryear in addition to 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 yesteryear each clan had its expanse that it farmed to the exclusion of all other clans. The primary dominion regulating access was that clan members could acquire ground yesteryear farming it. Those who were non members of clans could acquire fields precisely yesteryear shout out for whatsoever clan fellow member for permission to farm. Land inheritance was of lilliputian 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, yesteryear virtue of supernatural association alongside land, powerfulness at to the lowest degree partially regulate access to it. Although in that location may select been some Sara alongside chefs de terre inwards this sense, they were rare. The founders of villages, in addition to their descendants, called kwa begi, were sometimes said to "own" the land. Such persons had alone a hazy, moral prestige, however, almost indistinct from that resulting from age, which was irrelevant to ground apportionment. Today in that location is a person, known every bit the chef de carré, who, next consultation alongside 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 in addition to Descent. The Sara combine a cognatic, ancestor-focused, scheme of kinship alongside patricians. The term "gir ka" can, depending on the context, hateful either "ancestor" or "patrician." Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 gir ka is whatsoever ancestor from which a soul 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 run groups, part food, welcome each other every bit members of their residential group, in addition to inwards full general provide mutual support. Persons who stipulate that they part agnatic descent from an ancestor belong to a "gir ka," alongside 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 in addition to other clan affairs, such every bit the taking of vengeance in addition to sacrifices to the spirit (besi ; pl. besigi ) associated alongside the clan. There was absolutely no belief that the dissimilar clans inwards a hamlet were constituent of a mutual organization based upon agnatic descent. Similarly, neither the hamlet itself, nor other villages, were conceived of every bit descent groups jump inwards a single, pyramidal structure, every bit was found amid the Nuer.
Marriage in addition to Family
Marriage. The Sara verb tar agency "to love," but the notion of "tar" carries alongside it an additional connotation of "giving things." The thought that "giving" is intrinsically linked to "deep affection" is a ground of Sara marriage, which tends to live ideally viewed every bit a reciprocal human relationship inwards which a hubby gives grain in addition to 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 dearest each other. Payment of bride-wealth was a status for creating marriages; it gave men rights to their wives' sexuality in addition to children. Polygyny in addition to widow inheritance were practiced. Divorce was possible, although wives, rather than going through the bother of divorce, precisely opened their ain fields, thereby gaining considerable independence.
Domestic Unit. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 married human ideally builds his married adult woman or wives houses next to those of his father's household in addition to thus resides patrilocally alongside his extended family. In fact, such households seem to occur inwards less than one-half the cases studied.
Inheritance. Traditionally, in that location was rarely much to live inherited. Although in that location 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 noesis of how to turn into an animal, how to perform sorcery, in addition to how to command besi spirits—was inherited from manly soul parent to boy or woman parent to daughter. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 alter has occurred alongside honour to the inheritance of surely novel forms of movable belongings that require prior investment, such every bit plows or carts. These tend to live inherited yesteryear children rather than siblings.
Socialization. Child-rearing practices tended to live exacting. Children were expected to acquire to behave. They were punished if they did not. The manly soul initiation ceremony was of import for inculcating gender roles (see "Ceremonies"). Today formal educational activity is real 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 monastic say appears to select been rather egalitarian, alongside some ranking. Cultural notions pertaining to age, gender, in addition to kinship influenced most social activities. The Sara lacked the historic menstruation grades in addition to sets found inwards Nilotic populations. Nevertheless, they strongly believed that juniors should defer to elders. They besides by in addition to large felt that women involved inwards social relations alongside men should defer to the men, although the capacity of this mental attitude to bear upon activity may select been restrained yesteryear attitudes pertaining to appropriate kin behavior. All kin—especially unopen agnates—owed each other assistance. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 hubby powerfulness thence refrain from exercising excessive ascendance over his married adult woman for fright of losing back upwardly from her relatives.
Political Organization
Most precolonial Sara tribes were highly acephalous; however, incessant raiding yesteryear 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 surely Sar, Nar, in addition to Gulay. The most highly elaborated of these, organized about a soul called the mbang (the Barma postindependence term for "sovereign"), was that of the Sar close the town of Bedaya.
The Sara select been extremely of import inwards postindependence Chad. The starting fourth dimension president, François Tombalbaye, was a Sar, in addition to he in addition to 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 in addition to authoritarian Tombalbaye, inwards a bid to strengthen his legitimacy yesteryear reinstating certain, "traditional" Sara institutions, created the Mouvement National pour la Révolution Culturelle et Sociale. For example, officials were supposed to participate inwards manly soul initiation. Tombalbaye was assassinated inwards 1975 inwards a southern coup. By 1978, powerfulness had passed from the S to the north. The 1980s were a fourth dimension of difficulty for the Sara: famine was exacerbated yesteryear oppression.
Social Control
No courts existed amid precolonial Sara at whatsoever level. Family disputes were non settled yesteryear elders, or the hamlet "owners" (kwa begi). In fact, in that location seem to select been no peaceable conflict-resolution mechanisms inwards either the clan hamlet or tribe. Disputes tended to live settled yesteryear some shape of self-help. Divination may live performed at the decease of a soul to discovery the cause. Should the divination dot that a particular private was responsible for the death, in addition to 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 select north-south dimensions. Precolonial wars were fought betwixt Muslim emirates in addition to the Sara every bit the one-time sought slaves amid the latter. Since Chadian independence, the Sara in addition to to a greater extent than northerly peoples select 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 faith was based on notions that dissimilar religious specialists could, yesteryear functioning of appropriate ritual, influence dissimilar supernaturals to restore or keep natural in addition to social well-being. Many Sara inwards contemporary times select converted to Christianity, oft opting for some shape of Protestantism.
There seem to select been 3 major forms of the supernatural. Nuba was a form of otiose god who had created the world. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 besi was a form of "spirit" that was immanent in, symbolized by, in addition to named after natural objects—especially trees—or social activities, such every bit initiation. Besigi interfere inwards peoples' lives yesteryear 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. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 badi, commonly a deceased manly soul parent or mother, tin assault people and, similar a besi, convey misfortune.
Religious Practitioners. There seem to select been iv primary 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; in addition to 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 in addition to social worlds. The most of import ceremonies were initiations, funerals, in addition to those next the harvest. Initiations were of import for a release of reasons, i of which was that they helped define gender relations. Men became initiated (ndo ), whereas women in addition to immature boys remained uninitiated (koy ). As a result, men were thought to select learned how to act, a noesis denied to women.
Arts. Singing in addition to dancing select been in addition to rest an of import constituent of Sara life. Visual arts such every bit sculpture were lilliputian developed.
Medicine. In precolonial times, in addition to 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 in addition to to advise a style of diagnosis.
Death in addition to Afterlife
Many Sara conceived of decease non so much every bit a biological lawsuit every bit a modification inwards social status. Each soul was believed to select 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 alongside 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 4th largest ethnic grouping inwards the country.
The Sara has several sub-tribes, Each tribe is a distinct geographic, political, in addition to endogamous entity. Major tribes are the Kaba, Sar, Nar, Gulay, Ngambay, in addition to Mbay (Mbai). The Ngambay (Ngambai) are the largest subgroup, followed yesteryear the Gulay, in addition to the Sara Majingai-Ngama or Sar.
The Sara Ngambai alive inwards Bebedjia, Gore, Pala, in addition to besides are centered about Moundou inwards the Logone, Mayo-Kebbi, in addition to Logone Oriental prefectures. They beak a linguistic communication called Ngambay in addition to are constituent of the Sara-Bagirmi people cluster. The Sara Majingai-Ngama or Sar people beak a linguistic communication called Sar. They alive about Sarh, Koumra, in addition to 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 beak a linguistic communication called Mbay in addition to are constituent of the Sara-Bagirmi people cluster.
Sara fertility is higher than that of to a greater extent than northerly Muslim peoples, in addition to the expanse inwards which they reside is considerably smaller. This agency that, inwards places, previously depression population densities select 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 slow 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, alongside most practicing traditional faiths i.e. worshiping the Sun.
According to historians the shout out "Sara" (Sa-Ra) appears to select 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 S against northern Arab slave raids. They were located inwards the south, especially inwards the Moyen-Chari, Logone Oriental, Logone Occidental, in addition to parts of the Tandjile regions, they are Nilotic people who are believed to select 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 project in addition to military machine recruitment. In fact, they were the largest grouping of Africans to care inwards World War II. The French oft romanticized their tall, physically powerful presence in addition to 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 do is no longer every bit common.
The Sara people enthusiastically grasped the meagre educational in addition to religious opportunities offered yesteryear the French. Educated Sara people are fluent inwards French every bit a bit linguistic communication today. In the 1970s, François Tombalbaye, the starting fourth dimension President of Republic of Chad in addition to 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 in addition to 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 in addition to briefly served every bit caput of province in addition to was later i of the nine members of the Supreme Military Council, the military machine junta that ruled Republic of Chad betwixt 1975 in addition to 1978 and Fidèle Moungar, Prime government minister of Republic of Chad inwards 1993, president of Action for Unity in addition to Socialism.
François Tombalbaye, the starting fourth dimension President of Republic of Chad in addition to from Sara origins
Language
The sara beak Bongo-Bagirmi languages which belongs to the larger Nilo-Saharan languages.
The Sara languages incorporate over a dozen Bongo–Bagirmi languages spoken mainly inwards southern Chad; a few are besides spoken inwards the northward 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 in addition to Bryan (1966) consider the Sara to live a dialect cluster of several languages. Most members of the dissimilar Sara languages/dialects consider their spoken language shape distinct languages, but in that location is currently insufficient linguistic communication data to create upwardly one's hear which spoken language varieties demand to live considered distinct languages, in addition to 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, alongside nigh a 1000000 speakers, though Sar (Sara Madjingay) is the glossa 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 in addition to Kaba Na. The term Sara itself is confusing, every bit inside this household unit of measurement in that location exists a linguistic communication named Sar, whose working capital 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 alongside the Eastern Sara Languages is based on lexical comparison. Phonologically in addition to morphologically Gulay behaves to a greater extent than similar a Central Sara Language.
History
The Sara people are thought to select originally migrated from the Nile River Valley centuries agone every bit they sought to escape the mounting raids yesteryear neighboring Arab peoples. Their real shout out Sara may select meant ―sons of Ra.
Sao civilisation: The Sao civilization flourished inwards Middle Africa from ca. the 6th century BCE to every bit slow every bit the sixteenth century CE. The Sao lived yesteryear the Chari River S of Lake Republic of Chad inwards territory that later became constituent of Republic of Cameroon in addition to Chad. They are the earliest people to select 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 one-time Sao. Today, several ethnic groups of northern Republic of Cameroon in addition to southern Republic of Chad but especially the Sara, Kotoko claim descent from the civilization of the Sao.
Sara Chadian soldier
Origins in addition to decline: The Sao civilization may select begun every bit early on every bit the 6th century BCE, in addition to yesteryear the halt of the starting fourth dimension millennium BCE, their presence was good established S of Lake Republic of Chad in addition to close the Chari River. The metropolis states of the Sao reached their apex sometime betwixt the 9th in addition to fifteenth centuries CE.
The Sao's demise may select come upwardly nigh due to conquest, Islamization, or both. Traditional tales say that the Sao westward of Lake Republic of Chad barbarous to "Yemenites" from the east. These invaders made several unsuccessful attempts to conquer the Sao earlier finally succeeding yesteryear resorting to trickery. If true, the newcomers may select been Arab Bedouin or Sayfuwa raiders coming from the due east who moved into the part inwards the fourteenth century. Although some scholars guess that the Sao civilization S of Lake Republic of Chad lasted until the fourteenth or fifteenth century, the bulk persuasion is that it ceased to be every bit a separate civilization sometime inwards the 16th century after to the expansion of the Bornu Empire. The Kotoko are the inheritors of the one-time metropolis states of the Sao.
Sara adult woman alongside a lip plate
Little is known nigh the Sao's civilization or political organisation: They left no written records in addition to are known alone through archaeological finds in addition to the oral history of their successors inwards their territory. Sao artifacts demo that they were skilled workers inwards bronze, copper, in addition to iron. Finds include bronze sculptures in addition to terracotta statues of human in addition to creature figures, coins, funerary urns, household utensils, jewelry, highly decorated pottery, in addition to spears. The largest Sao archaeological finds select been made S of Lake Chad.
Sara Tribeswoman Eyes a Photo of a Woman With a Lip Plate inwards a National Geographic Magazine Held yesteryear 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, in addition to Musgum claim descent from the Sao. Lebeuf supports this connector in addition to has traced symbolism from Sao fine art inwards works yesteryear the Guti in addition to 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 alongside i language, race, in addition to religion. In these narratives, the Sao are presented every bit giants in addition to mighty warriors who fought in addition to 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 close 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 alongside their wives, children, other kin, in addition to followers. Villages (gir begi [the gi suffix is a plural marker]) were divided into a release of such tracts of dissimilar clans. Households inwards these villages tended to live dispersed, alongside their circular thatched huts standing inwards the midst of household unit of measurement members' fields, but colonial in addition to postcolonial officials select obliged the relocation in addition to concentration of households along to a greater extent than easily administered roads. In the 1970s most villages had 200 to 300 inhabitants.
Economy
Subsistence in addition to 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 in addition to millets. They fish in addition to heighten chickens, dwarf goats, in addition to a few horses. Plow oxen, introduced during the 1960s in addition to soundless rare, are the alone cattle kept, owing to a high incidence of sleeping sickness. The French, inwards search of a stable furnish of cotton fiber fiber for their textile industry, introduced cotton fiber every bit a cash crop inwards 1928. Postindependence governments select 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 in addition to immediate postcolonial periods. Most cotton fiber is produced yesteryear the Sara, who select added this run to their normal subsistence activities. Raising cotton fiber is to a greater extent than project intensive than growing nutrient crops. Its farm-gate toll has commonly been kept low. It has a vogue to exhaust soils.
Increasingly, manioc is substituted for cereals inwards areas where cotton fiber production is high. Manioc requires less project than do cereals but has less nutritional value. One argue for its popularity may live that it allows project that would select 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 alongside lower nutritional levels.
Industrial Arts. Precolonial crafts included metalworking, pottery, fabric in addition to handbasket weaving, calabash carving, in addition to dissimilar forms of woodworking. All of these are inwards turn down every bit their products are increasingly beingness replaced yesteryear manufactured imports.
Trade. There do non seem to select been indigenous markets amid the precolonial Sara. Merchants from Bagirmi, in addition to to a lesser extent from other Muslim states, circulated inwards the area, commonly exchanging sumptuary goods for slaves. Lack of commercial sense has meant that many small-scale stores in addition to other enterprises inwards Sara towns are owned yesteryear members of northern ethnic groups.
Sara adult woman in addition to a man child showing their elaborate facial marks
Division of Labor. Little is known of the precolonial partitioning of labor. The contemporary ideal, however, is that a married adult woman should run for her hubby inwards farming in addition to domestic activities. In exchange, he should provide her in addition to her children alongside nutrient in addition to other necessities. In principle, the hubby owns the fields in addition to their harvest, which he doles out. As women grow older, however, they clear in addition to industrial plant life their ain fields, in addition to thence they ain these fields' crops in addition to tin dispose of them every bit they run into fit. Both men in addition to women derive project for their fields from kin, especially children. Gender lonely does non seem to confer wages inwards securing labor. Rather, what counts is the powerfulness to live generous alongside grain, alcohol, in addition to cooked food. Women, it appears, tin live precisely every bit generous every bit men. Thus, men in addition to women effectively possess the same access to ground in addition to labor. This partitioning of project was reported for a Sara grouping alongside abundant land. It is possible that such abundance allows for a to a greater extent than egalitarian access to agricultural resources.
Sara human alongside facial tribal marks from Chad
Land Tenure. Perhaps the most of import human face of yesteryear in addition to 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 yesteryear each clan had its expanse that it farmed to the exclusion of all other clans. The primary dominion regulating access was that clan members could acquire ground yesteryear farming it. Those who were non members of clans could acquire fields precisely yesteryear shout out for whatsoever clan fellow member for permission to farm. Land inheritance was of lilliputian 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, yesteryear virtue of supernatural association alongside land, powerfulness at to the lowest degree partially regulate access to it. Although in that location may select been some Sara alongside chefs de terre inwards this sense, they were rare. The founders of villages, in addition to their descendants, called kwa begi, were sometimes said to "own" the land. Such persons had alone a hazy, moral prestige, however, almost indistinct from that resulting from age, which was irrelevant to ground apportionment. Today in that location is a person, known every bit the chef de carré, who, next consultation alongside 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 in addition to Descent. The Sara combine a cognatic, ancestor-focused, scheme of kinship alongside patricians. The term "gir ka" can, depending on the context, hateful either "ancestor" or "patrician." Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 gir ka is whatsoever ancestor from which a soul 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 run groups, part food, welcome each other every bit members of their residential group, in addition to inwards full general provide mutual support. Persons who stipulate that they part agnatic descent from an ancestor belong to a "gir ka," alongside 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 in addition to other clan affairs, such every bit the taking of vengeance in addition to sacrifices to the spirit (besi ; pl. besigi ) associated alongside the clan. There was absolutely no belief that the dissimilar clans inwards a hamlet were constituent of a mutual organization based upon agnatic descent. Similarly, neither the hamlet itself, nor other villages, were conceived of every bit descent groups jump inwards a single, pyramidal structure, every bit was found amid the Nuer.
Marriage in addition to Family
Marriage. The Sara verb tar agency "to love," but the notion of "tar" carries alongside it an additional connotation of "giving things." The thought that "giving" is intrinsically linked to "deep affection" is a ground of Sara marriage, which tends to live ideally viewed every bit a reciprocal human relationship inwards which a hubby gives grain in addition to 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 dearest each other. Payment of bride-wealth was a status for creating marriages; it gave men rights to their wives' sexuality in addition to children. Polygyny in addition to widow inheritance were practiced. Divorce was possible, although wives, rather than going through the bother of divorce, precisely opened their ain fields, thereby gaining considerable independence.
Domestic Unit. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 married human ideally builds his married adult woman or wives houses next to those of his father's household in addition to thus resides patrilocally alongside his extended family. In fact, such households seem to occur inwards less than one-half the cases studied.
Inheritance. Traditionally, in that location was rarely much to live inherited. Although in that location 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 noesis of how to turn into an animal, how to perform sorcery, in addition to how to command besi spirits—was inherited from manly soul parent to boy or woman parent to daughter. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 alter has occurred alongside honour to the inheritance of surely novel forms of movable belongings that require prior investment, such every bit plows or carts. These tend to live inherited yesteryear children rather than siblings.
Socialization. Child-rearing practices tended to live exacting. Children were expected to acquire to behave. They were punished if they did not. The manly soul initiation ceremony was of import for inculcating gender roles (see "Ceremonies"). Today formal educational activity is real 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 monastic say appears to select been rather egalitarian, alongside some ranking. Cultural notions pertaining to age, gender, in addition to kinship influenced most social activities. The Sara lacked the historic menstruation grades in addition to sets found inwards Nilotic populations. Nevertheless, they strongly believed that juniors should defer to elders. They besides by in addition to large felt that women involved inwards social relations alongside men should defer to the men, although the capacity of this mental attitude to bear upon activity may select been restrained yesteryear attitudes pertaining to appropriate kin behavior. All kin—especially unopen agnates—owed each other assistance. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 hubby powerfulness thence refrain from exercising excessive ascendance over his married adult woman for fright of losing back upwardly from her relatives.
Political Organization
Most precolonial Sara tribes were highly acephalous; however, incessant raiding yesteryear 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 surely Sar, Nar, in addition to Gulay. The most highly elaborated of these, organized about a soul called the mbang (the Barma postindependence term for "sovereign"), was that of the Sar close the town of Bedaya.
The Sara select been extremely of import inwards postindependence Chad. The starting fourth dimension president, François Tombalbaye, was a Sar, in addition to he in addition to 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 in addition to authoritarian Tombalbaye, inwards a bid to strengthen his legitimacy yesteryear reinstating certain, "traditional" Sara institutions, created the Mouvement National pour la Révolution Culturelle et Sociale. For example, officials were supposed to participate inwards manly soul initiation. Tombalbaye was assassinated inwards 1975 inwards a southern coup. By 1978, powerfulness had passed from the S to the north. The 1980s were a fourth dimension of difficulty for the Sara: famine was exacerbated yesteryear oppression.
Social Control
No courts existed amid precolonial Sara at whatsoever level. Family disputes were non settled yesteryear elders, or the hamlet "owners" (kwa begi). In fact, in that location seem to select been no peaceable conflict-resolution mechanisms inwards either the clan hamlet or tribe. Disputes tended to live settled yesteryear some shape of self-help. Divination may live performed at the decease of a soul to discovery the cause. Should the divination dot that a particular private was responsible for the death, in addition to 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 select north-south dimensions. Precolonial wars were fought betwixt Muslim emirates in addition to the Sara every bit the one-time sought slaves amid the latter. Since Chadian independence, the Sara in addition to to a greater extent than northerly peoples select 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 faith was based on notions that dissimilar religious specialists could, yesteryear functioning of appropriate ritual, influence dissimilar supernaturals to restore or keep natural in addition to social well-being. Many Sara inwards contemporary times select converted to Christianity, oft opting for some shape of Protestantism.
There seem to select been 3 major forms of the supernatural. Nuba was a form of otiose god who had created the world. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 besi was a form of "spirit" that was immanent in, symbolized by, in addition to named after natural objects—especially trees—or social activities, such every bit initiation. Besigi interfere inwards peoples' lives yesteryear 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. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 badi, commonly a deceased manly soul parent or mother, tin assault people and, similar a besi, convey misfortune.
Religious Practitioners. There seem to select been iv primary 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; in addition to 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 in addition to social worlds. The most of import ceremonies were initiations, funerals, in addition to those next the harvest. Initiations were of import for a release of reasons, i of which was that they helped define gender relations. Men became initiated (ndo ), whereas women in addition to immature boys remained uninitiated (koy ). As a result, men were thought to select learned how to act, a noesis denied to women.
Arts. Singing in addition to dancing select been in addition to rest an of import constituent of Sara life. Visual arts such every bit sculpture were lilliputian developed.
Medicine. In precolonial times, in addition to 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 in addition to to advise a style of diagnosis.
Death in addition to Afterlife
Many Sara conceived of decease non so much every bit a biological lawsuit every bit a modification inwards social status. Each soul was believed to select 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
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