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Messiria people
The Messiria (Arabic: المسيرية), also known as Misseriya Arabs, are a branch of the Baggara ethnic grouping of Arab tribes. Their language is primarily Sudanese Arabic, while Chadian Arabic is also spoken by a small number of them in Darfur. Their population estimate varies, perhaps between 500,000 and 1 million in western Sudan, extending into eastern Chad. They are primarily nomadic cattle herders and their journeys are dependent upon the seasons of the year. The use of the term Baggara carries negative connotations as slave raiders, so they prefer to be called instead Messiria.
The term dar means 'land'. The word al or el or el corresponds to the definite article 'the' in English. The term Dar el Misseriya means 'land of the Messiria'. According to Ian Cunnison (1966), the Arab nomads of the Sudan and Chad are of two kinds, 'camelmen' (Abbala) and 'cattlemen' (Baggara). the Term "Baggara" means simply 'cowman' but the Sudanese apply the word particularly to the nomadic cattlemen, who span the belt of savanna between Lake Chad and the White Nile. This belt of territory has been the homeland of the Baggara Arabs for centuries. Ian Cunnison, referenced above said "history and environment together throw light on their distribution". In Sudan, while the Abbala live in the semi-desert part of the region: northern Kordofan and Darfur, the Baggara, by contrast, live on their southern fringes; occupying the area roughly south of 12 degrees north and extending well into flood basins of the White Nile to the south.
In general the Dar el Messiria or their zones can be divided into three areas:
The Messiria in the three different zones have been separated for so long that they have developed localized cultural and social differences. The Messiria in Kordofan know little if anything about the Messiria in Darfur and Chad, but they belong to the same tribe and they have similar tribal divisions and diversities.
In Kordofan, the Messiria occupies the area historically known as West Kordofan, among their well known locations are: Abyei, Babanousa, Muglad, Lagawa, Meiram, and Lake Kailak.
The main divisions of Messiria in Kordofan are Messiria Zurug; literally the name means 'the dark ones' and Messiria Humr; means 'the red ones'. These names: Zurug and Humr do 'not' mean in any way that the Zurug are darker in skin color than Humr, but most likely the Humr are darker than Zurug ones. According to MacMichael (1967), the two divisions have become so distinct that the Humr have ceased to rate themselves Messiria. However, in Sudan today, still they are called Messiria Humr and Messiria Zurug and still they acknowledge their common history and ancestry.
The Messiria Humr pastoralists migrate across the four regions of their homeland (Dar el Humr): Babanousa, Muglad, Goz, and Bahr el Arab.
Still there tribal divisions with each tribes.
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Messiria people
The Messiria (Arabic: المسيرية), also known as Misseriya Arabs, are a branch of the Baggara ethnic grouping of Arab tribes. Their language is primarily Sudanese Arabic, while Chadian Arabic is also spoken by a small number of them in Darfur. Their population estimate varies, perhaps between 500,000 and 1 million in western Sudan, extending into eastern Chad. They are primarily nomadic cattle herders and their journeys are dependent upon the seasons of the year. The use of the term Baggara carries negative connotations as slave raiders, so they prefer to be called instead Messiria.
The term dar means 'land'. The word al or el or el corresponds to the definite article 'the' in English. The term Dar el Misseriya means 'land of the Messiria'. According to Ian Cunnison (1966), the Arab nomads of the Sudan and Chad are of two kinds, 'camelmen' (Abbala) and 'cattlemen' (Baggara). the Term "Baggara" means simply 'cowman' but the Sudanese apply the word particularly to the nomadic cattlemen, who span the belt of savanna between Lake Chad and the White Nile. This belt of territory has been the homeland of the Baggara Arabs for centuries. Ian Cunnison, referenced above said "history and environment together throw light on their distribution". In Sudan, while the Abbala live in the semi-desert part of the region: northern Kordofan and Darfur, the Baggara, by contrast, live on their southern fringes; occupying the area roughly south of 12 degrees north and extending well into flood basins of the White Nile to the south.
In general the Dar el Messiria or their zones can be divided into three areas:
The Messiria in the three different zones have been separated for so long that they have developed localized cultural and social differences. The Messiria in Kordofan know little if anything about the Messiria in Darfur and Chad, but they belong to the same tribe and they have similar tribal divisions and diversities.
In Kordofan, the Messiria occupies the area historically known as West Kordofan, among their well known locations are: Abyei, Babanousa, Muglad, Lagawa, Meiram, and Lake Kailak.
The main divisions of Messiria in Kordofan are Messiria Zurug; literally the name means 'the dark ones' and Messiria Humr; means 'the red ones'. These names: Zurug and Humr do 'not' mean in any way that the Zurug are darker in skin color than Humr, but most likely the Humr are darker than Zurug ones. According to MacMichael (1967), the two divisions have become so distinct that the Humr have ceased to rate themselves Messiria. However, in Sudan today, still they are called Messiria Humr and Messiria Zurug and still they acknowledge their common history and ancestry.
The Messiria Humr pastoralists migrate across the four regions of their homeland (Dar el Humr): Babanousa, Muglad, Goz, and Bahr el Arab.
Still there tribal divisions with each tribes.