Daju
Encyclopedia
The Daju People are a group of seven distinct ethnicities speaking related languages (see Daju languages
) living on both sides of the Chad-Sudan border and in the Nuba Mountains
. Separated by distance and speaking different languages, at present, they generally have little cultural affinity to each other.
The traditional area identified with the Daju are the Daju Hills in the southern portion of the Marrah Mountains
located in the Darfur
province of Sudan
. As the Marrah Mountains are the only area in Darfur that has a temperate climate and thus could support large populations, a Daju state arose perhaps as early as the 12th century. Very little is known of this kingdom except for a list of kings and several mentions in Egyptian texts. The Daju appear to be the dominant group in Darfur from earliest times vying for control with their northern Marrah Mountain
rivals, the agricultural Fur people
.
, west of the Nuba Mountains and as far west as Chad
. The Egyptian historian Al-Maqrizi
, writing about 1400, described "Taju" as being a fairly powerful kingdom lying between Kanem
and the Nile kingdoms. The Daju people are said to have settled in a long belt stretching from South Kurdufan
westward through Darfur
and into Chad
.
According to tradition, the Daju dynasty was conquered by the Sokoro
-speaking Tunjur people in the 14th century who moved from the west via the kingdoms of Bornu
and Wadai. The Daju were scattered with the Daju King escaping westward with some of his people and establishing a small new kingdom in the Dar Sila Area in Chad, now the home of the people known as the Dar Sila Daju. Other Daju moved eastward eventually settling in what is now South Kurdufan province near Muglad
just north of Abyei
and west of the Nuba Mountains. Records indicate that they consisted of two distinct Daju groups although it is uncertain if the migration displaced non-Daju peoples or if one of the groups was indigenous to the area. There is one source that indicates that both the Ngok Dinka
and the Messiria
admit that the Daju were the indigenous people of Muglad. They were eventually displaced by the Messiria from the north and were forced south into Abyei
where they were defeated by the Ngok Dinka
. One group was driven westward (possibly the ancestors of the Njalgulgule people) and the other group, consisting of Dar Fur Daju, were driven east into the Nuba Hills settling near Lagowa where they developed their own distinct dialect of the Nyala language
.
The Tunjur introduced Islam
to the region which had previously been pagan and over time adapted Arabic as their administrative language. In 1596, contol of Darfur passed into the hands of the Keira dynasty
through intermarriage between the last sultan of the ruling Tunjur dynasty, Ahmad al-Maqur and its more populous vassals the Fur people
. The resulting Fur-dominated Darfur Sultanate continued on until 1898.
The remaining Daju people exist in the following distinct groups:
There are also two groups located in the Nuba Mountains
and due to their sharp linguistic differential from each other as well as the other Daju languages, it is generally agreed that they come from a very early migration (perhaps 2,000 years ago) out of the Daju Urheimat
in the Marrah Mountains
. There they carved out their own small territory in the midst of the original inhabitants of the eastern Nuba Mountains, the Kordofanian tribes, as well as amongst later migrating tribal/linguistic groupings: the Nyimang
tribes, the Temein tribes, and the Kadugli
tribes. The migration of the Hill Nubian tribes in the Nuba Hills is generally seen as coming after the main Daju migration. The Nuba Mountains have generally been an area of "retreat" for persecuted groups seeking security hence the significant linguistic diversity.
The Daju were primarily farmers, concentrating on cereal grain production, like millet, sorghum, and corn (maize). They also do some hunting as well as gathering honey, berries and wild fruits.
Women are the house-builders typically making round houses with cone roofs although in the towns, houses tend to be rectangular. Women also sow the crops, ground the grain, and cook the meals. Traditionally, community chores were shared, with young people being given work assignments in the village. Daju women are reported to whiten their teeth with sticks and tattoo their eyelids, gums and lips with acacia thorns. Similar to other traditional African tribes, they often remain bare-breasted among relatives.
The Dar Daju Daju and the Dar Sila Daju are predominantly muslim
but they still practice many of their traditional religious customs including the building of straw shrines to their traditional high god Kalge whom they equate with Allah of Islam.
The religion of the Dar Fur Daju would be classified as Animism. The Dar Fur Daju observe two annual festivals by lighting fires and celebrate the traditional grain harvest by pouring out water and beer beneath a sacred tree or stone.
Daju languages
The Daju languages are spoken in isolated pockets by the Daju people across a wide area of Sudan and Chad, in parts of the regions of Kordofan, Darfur, and Wadai. They belong to the Eastern Sudanic subfamily of Nilo-Saharan....
) living on both sides of the Chad-Sudan border and in the Nuba Mountains
Nuba Mountains
Nuba Mountains is an area located in South Kordofan, Sudan. The area is home to a group of indigenous ethnic groups known collectively as the Nuba peoples. In the 18th century, Nuba Mountains became home to the kingdom of Taqali that controlled the hills of the mountains until their defeat by...
. Separated by distance and speaking different languages, at present, they generally have little cultural affinity to each other.
The traditional area identified with the Daju are the Daju Hills in the southern portion of the Marrah Mountains
Marrah Mountains
The Marrah Mountains or Marra Mountains is a range of volcanic peaks created by a massif that rises up to 3,000 m. It is located in the center of the Darfur region of Sudan, specifically within Dar Zagahawa and neighboring areas. The highest point is Deriba Caldera...
located in the Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
province of Sudan
Sudan
Sudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
. As the Marrah Mountains are the only area in Darfur that has a temperate climate and thus could support large populations, a Daju state arose perhaps as early as the 12th century. Very little is known of this kingdom except for a list of kings and several mentions in Egyptian texts. The Daju appear to be the dominant group in Darfur from earliest times vying for control with their northern Marrah Mountain
Marrah Mountains
The Marrah Mountains or Marra Mountains is a range of volcanic peaks created by a massif that rises up to 3,000 m. It is located in the center of the Darfur region of Sudan, specifically within Dar Zagahawa and neighboring areas. The highest point is Deriba Caldera...
rivals, the agricultural Fur people
Fur people
The Fur are an ethnic group from western Sudan, principally inhabiting the region of Darfur where they are the largest tribe....
.
History
The Daju empire is said to have spread its control as far east as KurdufanKurdufan
Kurdufan , also spelled Kordofan, is a former province of central Sudan. In 1994 it was divided into three new federal states: North Kurdufan, South Kurdufan, and West Kurdufan...
, west of the Nuba Mountains and as far west as Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
. The Egyptian historian Al-Maqrizi
Al-Maqrizi
Taqi al-Din Ahmad ibn 'Ali ibn 'Abd al-Qadir ibn Muhammad al-Maqrizi ; Arabic: , was an Egyptian historian more commonly known as al-Maqrizi or Makrizi...
, writing about 1400, described "Taju" as being a fairly powerful kingdom lying between Kanem
Kanem Empire
The Kanem Empire was located in the present countries of Chad, Nigeria and Libya. At its height it encompassed an area covering not only much of Chad, but also parts of southern Libya , eastern Niger and north-eastern Nigeria...
and the Nile kingdoms. The Daju people are said to have settled in a long belt stretching from South Kurdufan
South Kurdufan
Southern Kordofan is one of the 15 wilayat or provinces of Sudan. It has an area of 158,355 km² and an estimated population of approximately 1,100,000 people . Kaduqli is the capital of the state...
westward through Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
and into Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
.
According to tradition, the Daju dynasty was conquered by the Sokoro
Sokoro language
Sokoro is an Afro-Asiatic language spoken in central Chad. Dialects are Bedanga and Sokoro.- References :* -External links:**...
-speaking Tunjur people in the 14th century who moved from the west via the kingdoms of Bornu
Bornu Empire
The Bornu Empire was an African state of Nigeria from 1396 to 1893. It was a continuation of the great Kanem Empire founded centuries earlier by the Sayfawa Dynasty...
and Wadai. The Daju were scattered with the Daju King escaping westward with some of his people and establishing a small new kingdom in the Dar Sila Area in Chad, now the home of the people known as the Dar Sila Daju. Other Daju moved eastward eventually settling in what is now South Kurdufan province near Muglad
Muglad
Muglad is a town in West Kurdufan State in the center of Sudan. It is the center town of the Messeria tribe who arrived in the area in 1770.- Transport :It is served by a railway station on the Waw branch of Sudan Railways....
just north of Abyei
Abyei
The Abyei Area is an area of in Sudan accorded "special administrative status" by the 2004 Protocol on the resolution of the Abyei conflict in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the Second Sudanese Civil War. The capital of Abyei Area is Abyei Town...
and west of the Nuba Mountains. Records indicate that they consisted of two distinct Daju groups although it is uncertain if the migration displaced non-Daju peoples or if one of the groups was indigenous to the area. There is one source that indicates that both the Ngok Dinka
Dinka
The Dinka is an ethnic group inhabiting the Bahr el Ghazal region of the Nile basin, Jonglei and parts of southern Kordufan and Upper Nile regions. They are mainly agro-pastoral people, relying on cattle herding at riverside camps in the dry season and growing millet and other varieties of grains ...
and the Messiria
Messiria
The Messiria known also under the name of Misseriya Arabs are a branch of the Baggara Arabs tribes. Their language is the Sudanese Arabic. Numbering over one million, the Baggara are the second largest people group in Western Sudan, extending into Eastern Chad. They are primarily nomadic cattle...
admit that the Daju were the indigenous people of Muglad. They were eventually displaced by the Messiria from the north and were forced south into Abyei
Abyei
The Abyei Area is an area of in Sudan accorded "special administrative status" by the 2004 Protocol on the resolution of the Abyei conflict in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement that ended the Second Sudanese Civil War. The capital of Abyei Area is Abyei Town...
where they were defeated by the Ngok Dinka
Dinka
The Dinka is an ethnic group inhabiting the Bahr el Ghazal region of the Nile basin, Jonglei and parts of southern Kordufan and Upper Nile regions. They are mainly agro-pastoral people, relying on cattle herding at riverside camps in the dry season and growing millet and other varieties of grains ...
. One group was driven westward (possibly the ancestors of the Njalgulgule people) and the other group, consisting of Dar Fur Daju, were driven east into the Nuba Hills settling near Lagowa where they developed their own distinct dialect of the Nyala language
Nyala language
Nyala can refer to 2 different languages:*Nyala language – a Nilo-Saharan_language language spoken in Sudan*Nyala dialect – a Luhya language from Bantu group spoken in Kenya...
.
The Tunjur introduced Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
to the region which had previously been pagan and over time adapted Arabic as their administrative language. In 1596, contol of Darfur passed into the hands of the Keira dynasty
Keira dynasty
The Keira dynasty were the rulers of the Sultanate of Darfur from the seventeenth century to 1916. Originally the Keira clan were perhaps regional rulers in the Tunjur state, with Sulayman traditionally seen as the founder of the Darfur state...
through intermarriage between the last sultan of the ruling Tunjur dynasty, Ahmad al-Maqur and its more populous vassals the Fur people
Fur people
The Fur are an ethnic group from western Sudan, principally inhabiting the region of Darfur where they are the largest tribe....
. The resulting Fur-dominated Darfur Sultanate continued on until 1898.
Geography
As a result of their defeat at the hands of the Tunjur and then dominance by the Fur, the Daju were displaced from much of their territory and now exist in several distinct pockets in the Sudan and Chad.The remaining Daju people exist in the following distinct groups:
- Beygo numbering 850 (1978) living in Southern Darfur in the SudanSudanSudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
southeast of NyalaNyalaThe Nyala is a Southern African antelope. It is a spiral-horned dense-forest antelope that is uncomfortable in open spaces and is most often seen at water holes. Nyalas live alone or in small family groups of up to 10 individuals.The male stands up to 110 cm , the female is up to 90 cm ...
in the hills east of Kube. The BeygoBeigoBeigo is an extinct East Sudanic language once spoken in Sudan by the Baygo tribe, numbering some 850 in the late twentieth century...
language is now extinct with most of the remaining population speaking Arabic
- Dar Daju Daju numbering 34,000 (1993) and living in the GueraGuéraGuéra may refer to:* Guéra Prefecture* Guéra Region* Guéra Department...
region of ChadChadChad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
. They speak the Daju Mongo languageDaju Mongo languageDaju Mongo is an Eastern Sudanic language, one of three closely related languages in the area called "Daju" Daju Mongo is an Eastern Sudanic language, one of three closely related languages in the area called "Daju" Daju Mongo is an Eastern Sudanic language, one of three closely related languages...
.
- Dar Fur Daju numbering 80,000 (2007) and living in Southern Darfur in the SudanSudanSudan , officially the Republic of the Sudan , is a country in North Africa, sometimes considered part of the Middle East politically. It is bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the...
in the Daju Hills 40 km northeast of NyalaNyalaThe Nyala is a Southern African antelope. It is a spiral-horned dense-forest antelope that is uncomfortable in open spaces and is most often seen at water holes. Nyalas live alone or in small family groups of up to 10 individuals.The male stands up to 110 cm , the female is up to 90 cm ...
. They speak the Nyala languageNyala language (Sudan)The Nyala language, also known as Dar Fur, Darfur Daju, Beke, Dagu, Daju Ferne, and Fininga, is an Eastern Sudanic language of Darfur, Sudan, one of three closely related languages in the area called "Daju" . It is spoken near Nyala, the capital of South Darfur province...
. Much of this population has fled to Chad as a result of the Darfur ConflictDarfur conflictThe Darfur Conflict was a guerrilla conflict or civil war centered on the Darfur region of Sudan. It began in February 2003 when the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army and Justice and Equality Movement groups in Darfur took up arms, accusing the Sudanese government of oppressing non-Arab Sudanese in...
. There is also a small population of Dar Fur Daju near the city of Lagowa in the Nuba Hills.
- Dar Sila DajuDar SilaDar Sila is the name of the wandering sultanate of the Dar Sila Daju, a multi-tribal ethnic group in Chad and Sudan. The number of the persons in this group exceeds 50,000. They speak the Sila language, a Nilo-Saharan language. Most members of this ethnic group are Muslims.-Location:Geographically,...
numbering 63,100 (2000) and living in southern ChadChadChad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
in the OuaddaiOuaddaïOuaddaï may refer to:* Ouaddaï Prefecture* Ouaddaï Region* Ouaddai Empire* Ouaddai plateau*Ouaddaï highlands...
region. They speak the Sila languageSila languageThe Sila language, also known as Dar Sila, Dar Sila Daju, Bokor, Bokorike, Bokoruge, Dadjo, Dajou, Daju, and Sula, is an Eastern Sudanic language, one of three closely related languages in the area called "Daju" . It is spoken in Chad near the Darfur border, with migration into Sudan...
.
- NjalgulguleNgulguleNgulgule is an ethnic group of South Sudan. They speak Njalgulgule, a Nilo-Saharan language. Most of them are Muslims. The population of this group may exceed 1,000....
numbering 900 (1977) and living in one village in southern Sudan near the confluence of the Sopo River and Boro River. They speak the Njalgulgule language. They are likely a later out-migation resulting from the collapse of the Daju empire.
There are also two groups located in the Nuba Mountains
Nuba Mountains
Nuba Mountains is an area located in South Kordofan, Sudan. The area is home to a group of indigenous ethnic groups known collectively as the Nuba peoples. In the 18th century, Nuba Mountains became home to the kingdom of Taqali that controlled the hills of the mountains until their defeat by...
and due to their sharp linguistic differential from each other as well as the other Daju languages, it is generally agreed that they come from a very early migration (perhaps 2,000 years ago) out of the Daju Urheimat
Urheimat
Urheimat is a linguistic term denoting the original homeland of the speakers of a proto-language...
in the Marrah Mountains
Marrah Mountains
The Marrah Mountains or Marra Mountains is a range of volcanic peaks created by a massif that rises up to 3,000 m. It is located in the center of the Darfur region of Sudan, specifically within Dar Zagahawa and neighboring areas. The highest point is Deriba Caldera...
. There they carved out their own small territory in the midst of the original inhabitants of the eastern Nuba Mountains, the Kordofanian tribes, as well as amongst later migrating tribal/linguistic groupings: the Nyimang
Nyimang
Nyimang is an ethnic group of the Nuba Mountains in Kordofan in Sudan and one of the ethnicities called "Nuba". They speak Nyima languages, of the Nilo-Saharan language family. Their population may exceed 100,000. Most are Muslims.-Communication:...
tribes, the Temein tribes, and the Kadugli
Kadugli language
Kadugli, also Katcha-Kadugli-Miri or Central Kadu, is a Kadu language or dialect cluster spoken in Kordofan. Stevenson treats them as dialects of one language, and they share a single ISO code, though Schadeberg treats them as separate languages.There are five rather divergent dialects, on the...
tribes. The migration of the Hill Nubian tribes in the Nuba Hills is generally seen as coming after the main Daju migration. The Nuba Mountains have generally been an area of "retreat" for persecuted groups seeking security hence the significant linguistic diversity.
- Logorik numbering 2,000 (1971) and living in the central Nuba Mountains. They speak the Liguri language.
- ShattShattShatt is an ethnic group in South Sudan. They speak Shatt, a Nilo-Saharan language.Most members of this ethnic groups are Muslims. The population of this ethnic group likely exceeds 10,000.- References :...
number 15,000 (1984) and living in the Nuba Hills southest of the capital Kadugli. They speak the Shatt languageShatt languageThe Shatt language is an Eastern Sudanic language of the Daju family spoken in the Shatt Hills in northern Sudan. It is one of several languages in the area which go by that name.-External links:*...
.
Customs/Religion
The Dar Sila Daju in Chad are arranged in clans with each male-led clan having its own role in society. The Sultan is chosen from one and his advisors are drawn from another. The Sultanship is primarily serves the role of religious leader but also remains a symbol of tribal identity and unity.The Daju were primarily farmers, concentrating on cereal grain production, like millet, sorghum, and corn (maize). They also do some hunting as well as gathering honey, berries and wild fruits.
Women are the house-builders typically making round houses with cone roofs although in the towns, houses tend to be rectangular. Women also sow the crops, ground the grain, and cook the meals. Traditionally, community chores were shared, with young people being given work assignments in the village. Daju women are reported to whiten their teeth with sticks and tattoo their eyelids, gums and lips with acacia thorns. Similar to other traditional African tribes, they often remain bare-breasted among relatives.
The Dar Daju Daju and the Dar Sila Daju are predominantly muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
but they still practice many of their traditional religious customs including the building of straw shrines to their traditional high god Kalge whom they equate with Allah of Islam.
The religion of the Dar Fur Daju would be classified as Animism. The Dar Fur Daju observe two annual festivals by lighting fires and celebrate the traditional grain harvest by pouring out water and beer beneath a sacred tree or stone.