Info For Y'all Songhai (Songhay) People: The Fearless Warriors, Intellectuals Together With The Founders Of Precolonial African Empire Of Songhai

Songhai, every bit good spelled Songhay are peachy ancient fearless warriors, highly intellectual too agro-fishery ethnolinguistic grouping having to a greater extent than than 3 i M m members who inhabit the surface area of the peachy curvature inwards the Niger River inwards Mali, extending from Lake Debo through Niger to the oral fissure of the Sokoto River inwards Nigeria.

Ethnic Songhai girl wears a traditional Songhai headdress made yesteryear artisan Hally Bara inwards Gao, Mali, March 6, 2013.Reuters/Joe Penney

Some nomadic Songhai groups live inwards Mali, Niger, too southeastern Algeria. The Songhai are composed of many related groups, the most of import of which are the Zarma, amongst to a greater extent than than 2 i M m speakers. It is widely assumed that their languages shape a branch of the Nilo-Saharan linguistic communication family.

Songhai adult man from Mali

The Songhai formed i of the peachy empires of Western Africa. Since the mid-1400s, the Songhai take away hold been known every bit peachy too fearless warriors. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 multi-talented people, they used their extensive organizational skills to conquer their neighbors too prepare a regime for i of the 3 peachy medieval West African empires. Ultimately, the ancestral lands grew to comprehend over lx miles from each banking concern of the upper curvature of the Niger River inwards what is today eastern Republic of Mali too western Niger.

Songhai girl, Niger

Songhai social club traditionally was highly structured, comprising a virile soul monarch too nobility, gratis commoners, artisans, griots (bards too chroniclers), too slaves. Marriage could live polygynous, cross cousins beingness preferred partners. Descent too succession are patrilineal. Cultivation, largely of cereals, is practiced intensively alone during the rainy season, from June to November.

Cattle are raised on a modest scale, too angling is of some importance. As a effect of their advantageous location at the crossroads of western too fundamental Africa, the Songhai take away hold traditionally prospered from caravan trade. Many immature Songhai take away hold left abode for the coast, specially modern Republic of Ghana.

Professor Ahmed Baba (1556-1627), highly distinguished intellectual inwards ancient Timbuctu

The Songhai had a peachy warrior similar Emperor Sonni Ali Ber and amid its most noted scholars was Ahmed Baba—a highly distinguished historian oftentimes quoted inwards the Tarikh al-Sudan and other works.
Morgan Freeman and Kimberly Elise are some notable descendants of the Songhai.

Holleywood instrumentalist Morgan Freeman draw his ancestry to Songhai people

The Songhay are proud of their heroic yesteryear too celebrate it inwards song, dance, too epic poetry. Singing, dancing, too praise-songs, performed yesteryear griots (both virile soul too female), are fundamental to the celebration of births, marriages, too holidays. Epic poesy is every bit good performed on secular too religious holidays. Poetry performances are oftentimes broadcast on national radio.

Actress Kimberly Elise draw her ancestry to Songhai people

Akans of West Africa (Ghana too Cote d`Ivoire) too Guans inwards Republic of Ghana take away hold historical affinity, mutual migration stories every bit good every bit some blood relations amongst the Songhai people. In fact Akans too Guans were business office of Songhai people earlier leaving southwards. Akans too Guans settled inwards Gao too Timbuctu for so many years and were business office of Songhai civilization earlier the spread of Islam too the autumn of the empire led them to other emerging empires too afterwards to the Gold Coast (now Ghana).
The Songhai (Gao too Timbuctu) people every bit good hold to encounter Akans (Fantes), specially those inwards Republic of Ghana every bit their blood relatives.

Folklore
The ancestral folk figure Faran Maka Bote is a Songhay civilization hero. His father, Nisili Bote, was a fisherman. His mother, Maka, was a river spirit. Faran grew to live a giant amongst vast magical powers. As an adult he battled a river spirit, Zinkibaru, for command of the Niger River, too won. But he presently became overconfident. Dongo, the deity of lightning too thunder, demonstrated his anger toward Faran yesteryear burning villages too killing people. He summoned Faran too demanded that the giant pay his humble respects yesteryear offering music, praise-poems, too animate beingness sacrifices. Dongo told Faran that if he organized festivals, Dongo would descend into the bodies of dancers too assist the people along the Niger River.

Songhai elder, Mali

Modern Songhay phase similar events, called possession ceremonies. The praise-singers, or sorko, are said to live directly descendants of Faran Make Bote. In this way, Songhay myths are kept live through social too religious activities.

Songhai footling daughter drinking H2O from a plastic cup

Language
Songhai people speak Songhay linguistic communication and it is spoken yesteryear 3 i M m people inwards the Republics of Mali, Niger, too Benin. There are several dialects of Song-hay. Because Mali, Niger, too Republic of Benin are all French-speaking nations, many Songhay people living inwards these states speak French.

Songhai daughter from Timbuctu amongst reading tablet

The dialect of Koyraboro Senni spoken inwards Gao is unintelligible to speakers of the Zarma dialect of Niger, according to at to the lowest degree i report. The Songhay languages are commonly taken to live Nilo-Saharan but this classification remains controversial: Dimmendaal (2008) believes that for at nowadays it is best considered an independent linguistic communication family.
Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 typical greeting is: Manti ni kaani (How did you lot sleep?). One unremarkably replies, Baani sami, walla, meaning, "I slept well, inwards health." At bedtime, i says: Iri me kaani baani, which agency "May nosotros both slumber inwards wellness too peace."

Songhai women carrying their art-wares

History
The Songhai people are descendants of precolonial African empire of Songhai (Songhay). Their original abode is the portion of Dendi (meaning, essentially, ‘south, downstream’) inwards the southward of what is at nowadays the Republic of Niger too the extreme due north of the Republic of Bénin. Dendi was a province of the Songhay empire, whose governor, the Dendi-fari, was i of the highest ranking province officials. It was to Dendi that the askiyas retired after defeat at the hands of Moroccan forces inwards 1591, too from at that spot that they organized resistance. Dendi was an ancient source of warriors for Songhay.

Ancient Songhai man

Given the mobility of the Sorko, it is probable that they were the kickoff Songhay speakers (or speakers of proto-Songhay) to motility upstream from Dendi too to found modest settlements on the banks of the Niger. One such settlement may take away hold been at Kukiya, simply higher upwards the rapids of Fafa too Labbezenga where canoes would take away hold had to live unloaded too carried some distance during the low-water season. At some phase they may take away hold been followed on dry soil yesteryear Songhay-speakers mounted on modest local horses who subdued the
existing agricultural populations—perhaps of Voltaic origin—as they went.

Kukiya would take away hold attracted settlement every bit a natural way station on the river route, too yesteryear the fact that it was unopen to the northern trammel of rain-fed agriculture, that is, if rainfall at that fourth dimension (somewhere inwards the kickoff millenium) was roughly the same every bit at the nowadays day. These incoming Songhay horsemen would take away hold established command over the Sorko at that spot and, spell forming a symbiotic human relationship amongst them, would take away hold made them the inferior partner. This procedure may take away hold been mythologized inwards the legend of the alleged Yemeni brothers who arrived at Kukiya, i of whom killed the river god (symbolized every bit a fish), too assumed that god’s seat of authorization over the local folk.

Songhai people of Timbuctu

Later, when North African traders arrived on the banks of the Niger at the oral fissure of the Tilemsi valley—probably inwards the early on 9th century—they began yesteryear doing line of piece of job concern amongst Sorko encamped on the contrary bank. As this developed into to a greater extent than regular trading, per–haps involving grain transported from southward of Kukiya, the Songhay chiefs at Kukiya were encouraged to motility due north to dominate this trade, too settle themselves on the left banking concern at what became Gao (or Kawkaw inwards the traders’ parlance). The settlement
flourished, too North African traders established a permanent settlement for them–selves at Sane, some 5 miles upwards the Tilemsi valley on the correct banking concern of a wadi. By the 10th century the Songhay settlement at Gao had developed into a modest kingdom that had established its hege–mony over the peoples living along the merchandise routes that radiated out from Gao: northwards towards T!dmakkat, eastwards towards Aïr, too westwards towards Ancient Ghana.

Emperor Sonni Ali Ber of Songhai

This kickoff Songhay kingdom could flourish because it lay at a crossroads of merchandise routes leading on the i manus to North Africa, too on the other to Egypt. The raison d’être of both routes was the gold-dust that these Mediterranean-based merchants obtained from Ancient Ghana. The merchants could every bit good convey southwards that precious commodity, salt, on which the Gao rulers seem to take away hold maintained a monopoly; they may every bit good take away hold brought the larger Barbary horses which could live cross-bred amongst local horses to make a breed that was both stronger too ameliorate adapted to local conditions, therefore facilitating domination of neighbouring peoples. One by-product of such domination would take away hold been slaves, which could live bartered
amongst the North African merchants for to a greater extent than horses or for other goods.
With the reject of Mali, the kingdom of Gao reasserted itself every bit the major kingdom inwards the Sahel. The people of Songhay were farmers too fisherman who who lived along the Niger River of West Africa. After centuries of resistance, they came were converted to Islam some the 1200s. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 Songhay kingdom inwards the portion of Gao had existed since the eleventh century AD, but it had come upwards nether the command of Republic of Mali inwards 1325. In the belatedly fourteenth century, Gao reasserted itself amongst the Sunni dynasty. Songhay would non fully eclipse Republic of Mali until the reign of the Sunni king, Sonni Ali, who reigned from 1464-1492.

Sonni Ali aggressively turned the kingdom of Gao into the Songhay empire. Ali based his armed services on a cavalry too a highly mobile fleet of ships. With this military, he conquered the cities of Timbuctu too Jenné, the major cities of the Mali. The Berbers, who had ever played such a crucial purpose inwards the downfall of Sahelian kingdoms, were driven from the region. Roughly some the same twelvemonth Christopher Columbus had reached the western hemisphere, Askia Muhammad Touré (1493-1528), established the Askia dynasty of Songhay. Muhammad Touré continued Sonni Ali's majestic expansion yesteryear seizing the of import Saharan oases too conquering Republic of Mali itself. From at that spot he conquered Hausaland. The vastness of Askia Mohammed's kingdom covered most of West Africa, larger than all of the European states combined. With literally several M cultures nether its control, Songhay ranked every bit i of the largest empires of the time.

In monastic enjoin to maintain his large empire Muhammad Touré farther centralized the regime yesteryear creating a large too elaborate bureaucracy. He was every bit good the kickoff to standardize weights, measures, too currency, so civilization throughout the Songhay began to homogenize. Muhammad Touré was every bit good a fervent Muslim; he replaced traditional Songhay administrators amongst Muslims inwards monastic enjoin to Islamicize Songhay society. He every bit good appointed Muslim judges, called qadis , to run the legal scheme nether Islamic legal principles. These programs of conquest, centralization, too standardization were the most ambitious too far-reaching inwards Africa at the time. It is of banknote that spell the urban centers were dominated yesteryear Islam too Islamic culture, the non-urban areas were non Islamic. The vast bulk of the Songhay people, some 97%, followed traditional African religions.

Under the leadership of Askia Mohammed, Timbuctu in i trial once again became a prosperous commercial city, reaching a population of 100,000 people. Merchants too traders traveled from Asia, the Middle East too Europe to commutation their exotic wares for the golden of Songhay. Timbuctu gained fame every bit an intellectual middle rivaling many others inwards the Muslim world. Students from diverse parts of the world came to Timbuctu's famous University of Sankore to study Law too Medicine. Medieval Europe sent emissaries to the University of Sankore to witness its first-class libraries amongst manuscripts too to cosult amongst the learned mathematicians, astronomers, physicians, too jurists whose intellectual endeavors were said to live paid for out of the king's ain treasury. Pictured higher upwards is a mosque at Timbuctu. (Photo courtesy of WSU)
Unfortunately for Songhay it was to live its rattling size that would atomic number 82 to its downfall. Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 vastly spread empire, it encompassed to a greater extent than territory than could truly live controlled. After the reign of Askia Duad, dependent area peoples began to revolt. Even Songhay's massive army, said to live over 35,000 soldiers, archers too cavalry, could non hold order. The kickoff major portion to declare independence was Hausaland; too then much of the Maghreb (Morocco) rebelled too gained command over crucial golden mines. The Moroccans defeated Songhay inwards 1591 too the empire chop-chop collapsed. In 1612, the cities of Songhay brutal into full general disarray too i the greatest empires of African history disappeared from the world phase forever. Not since this time, has whatever African patch rose to prominence too wealth every bit did mighty Songhay.

Songhai adult woman amongst her child

Economy
The Songhay economic scheme used to live some long distance trade, tabular array salt too gold. In modern times, Songhay people are proficient traders, farmers too fishermen. They engage inwards tillage of Sorghum, millet too basis nut. Others are mostly involved inwards angling inwards the River Niger.

Songhai people

Songhay are good known for weaving blankets too mats. The elaborate cotton fiber blankets (terabeba) woven yesteryear men inwards the town of Tera are highly prized throughout the Sahel. Women living along the Niger River weave palm frond mats that characteristic geometric designs.

Songhai pots

Food
The staple of the Songhay diet is millet. It is consumed inwards 3 ways: every bit a pancake (haini maasa), every bit porridge (doonu), or every bit a glue (howru). Millet glue is made yesteryear mixing millet flour inwards a pot of boiling H2O until the mixture stiffens. This glue is consumed at the eventide meal. It is topped yesteryear a multifariousness of unremarkably meatless sauces made from okra, baobab leaf, or peanuts. Songhay flavor their sauces amongst ginger (tofunua), hot pepper (tonka), too onion flour amongst sesame (gebu). Influenza A virus subtype H5N1 recipe for a meatless sauce follows:
Peanut too Greens Stew
*Ingredients
4 Tablepoons oil
1 onion, chopped
½ loving cup chopped peanuts
2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter
1 tomato, chopped
¼ loving cup love apple tree paste
3 cups finely chopped spinach or Swiss chard (wash kickoff too trim down coarse stems too fibers)
¼ teaspoon ruby pepper
Pinch of salt
Pinch of pepper
*Directions
Heat 2 tablespoons petroleum inwards large skillet over medium heat. Add onion too peanuts. Cook for almost 3 minutes, stirring constantly, until onion is soft.
Add 2 to a greater extent than tablespoons of petroleum too heat.
Stir inwards peanut butter, tomato, love apple tree paste, spinach, ruby pepper, salt, too pepper. Reduce heat.
Cover too simmer for almost thirty minutes, stirring occasionally.
Serve over millet or rice.
Adapted from Carole Lisa Albyn too Lois Sinaiko Webb. The Multicultural Cookbook for Students. Phoenix, Ariz.: Oryx, 1993.

Fady Diarra, 25, wears a traditional Songhai beaded caput roll inwards Gao, Mali, March 6, 2013. (Joe Penney/Reuters)

Religion
Almost all Songhay are practicing Muslims. They pray 5 times a day; avoid alcohol too pork; give away the one-month fast of Ramadan; too essay to the best of their powerfulness to brand the hajj, the rattling expensive pilgrimage to Mecca.

Songhai Muslim Imam

However, Islamic practices take away hold non excluded traditional beliefs carried frontward from ancient times. Traditional Songhay life is seen every bit a continuous passage across unsafe crossroads. To assist them, the Song-hay regularly consult diviners (fortune tellers) too other traditional religious specialists, such every bit sohancitarey (sorcerers), sorkotarey (praise-singers to the spirits), too zimatarey (spirit-possession priests). These specialists must serve long apprenticeships to original cognition of history, plants, words, too practices.

Ceremonies
Songhay people give away the secular holidays of the countries inwards which they live. They every bit good celebrate such major Islamic holidays every bit Muhammad's birthday, the halt of the Ramadan fast, too Eid al-Adha (or tabaski), which commemorates Abraham's biblical sacrifice of a ram. For tabaski, people slaughter i or 2 sheep too roast them. They feast on the roasted mutton too offering raw too cooked meat to needier people who come upwards to their door.

The famous malia vocalizer Khaira ARBY wearing many golden ornaments typical of the Songhai people amid which many golden discs every bit pilus ornament too temporal decoration

Rites of passage

Most Songhay rituals marker major life-cycle events follow Islamic models. However, some practices acquire dorsum to the days earlier Islam was introduced to sub-Saharan Africa. Birth, for example, is seen every bit a fourth dimension of danger for both mothers too their children. During too at in i trial next childbirth, men are kept from the woman parent too child. Mother too kid are presented to line of piece of job solid unit of measurement too neighbors for the kickoff fourth dimension at the bon chebe (literally, "showing the head"). This is when the kid is named. In the past, immature boys underwent ritual circumcision at a relatively belatedly age. These days, circumcisions are performed on toddlers yesteryear physicians inwards hospitals.

Once a duo is ready to marry, the groom asks the permission of the bride's father. He is expected to pay his hereafter father-in-law a bride-price, which today is a fixed total of money. He is every bit good expected to give his hereafter married adult woman too her line of piece of job solid unit of measurement many gifts. The expense of spousal human relationship makes it hard for immature men to afford to marry. The spousal human relationship ceremony is marked yesteryear the presentation of gifts. There is every bit good an Islamic contract (kitubi) that binds married adult man to wife.

Divorce is quite mutual amid the Songhay. Men initiate formal divorce yesteryear consulting a Muslim cleric too proclaiming, "I divorce thee" 3 times. Women initiate divorce informally yesteryear leaving their husbands, who too then proclaim their divorce inwards the wife's absence.

When Songhay die, they are buried chop-chop too without fanfare. Mourning lasts for xl days. The line of piece of job solid unit of measurement receives regular visits from relatives too friends. During these visits people accolade the soul who died yesteryear talking almost his or her life.

Songhai Gao lady

Clothing
Rural too urban Songhay men today have on a combination of traditional too Western clothing. They to a greater extent than often than non have on trousers too a loose-fitting shirt that they have on untucked. Younger men mightiness have on used jeans too tee-shirts they purchase at the market. Some men, however, prefer to have on the traditional, cotton fiber three-piece outfit. It consists of draw-string trousers, a long-sleeved loose-fitting shirt amongst an opened upwards neck, too a boubou (long, total robe).
Most Songhay women rarely, if ever, have on Western clothing. They have on long wrap-around skirts (pagnes) too matching tops.