Dar Sila
Encyclopedia
Dar 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 Muslim
s.
of Chad in the North, Ouaddaï Region
and Assoungha
Department of Chad in the southeast, and Darfur
Region of Sudan
to the west.
which means in Arabic "the white sand dune" upon which the first city was established in Chad.
when Sultan Omar Kasefroge, the last sultan
of Darfur during the Daju rule of this area, who ordered removal of Jabel Daju in order to join the other 99 Daju Jabels. Consequently, many adults and warriors died.
According to Colonel Largeau, Commander in Chief of Goz Beida during the French
invasion of Dar Sila, a manuscript
was found at the palace of the Sultan Moustafa walad Sultan Bakhit tracing the origin of the Daju. It states that the Daju came and ruled Darfur long ago from Yemen
in 619 to 892 until 1212 AD then left Jabel Marra to Hajar Kadjano in 1417 to 1612 A.D.
The above dates suggest that they might have reached Dar Sila in 1613 to 1614 A.D.
A brother of Sultan Ahmed el-Daj called Farouk "Ferne" refused to live in one sultanate in Dar Sila. Therefore he led his clans and soldiers to settle in Mongo
where he established another small sultanate known as Dar Daju in the Guera
Province to the west of Dar Sila.
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...
and 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...
. The number of the persons in this group exceeds 50,000. They speak the Sila language
Sila language
The 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...
, a Nilo-Saharan language. Most members of this ethnic group are 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...
s.
Location
Geographically, Dar Sila is located in southeastern territory of the Republic of Chad. It borders the Salamat RegionSalamat Region
Salamat is one of the 22 regions of Chad with its capital at Am Timan. The region's economy is based on subsistence agriculture, breeding, fishery and cotton.-Demography:The region's population was 308,605 inhabitants in 2009....
of Chad in the North, Ouaddaï Region
Ouaddaï Region
Ouaddaï is one of the 22 regions of Chad and its capital is Abéché. It is composed by the former Ouaddaï Prefecture. Its main ethnic groups are the Arabs and the Maba. The economy is based on subsistence agriculture and breeding...
and Assoungha
Assoungha
Assoungha is one of four departments in Ouaddaï, a region of Chad. Its capital is Adré....
Department of Chad in the southeast, and 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...
Region 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...
to the west.
Capital
Its capital is Goz BeïdaGoz Beïda
Goz Beïda is the main town of the Sila Department, which occupies the south-east part of the Ouaddaï Region region of Chad. It is from Chad's eastern border with Sudan's western Darfur Region. Thousands of refugees from Sudan live in Goz Beïda...
which means in Arabic "the white sand dune" upon which the first city was established in Chad.
History
It is history goes back to DarfurDarfur
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...
when Sultan Omar Kasefroge, the last sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of Darfur during the Daju rule of this area, who ordered removal of Jabel Daju in order to join the other 99 Daju Jabels. Consequently, many adults and warriors died.
According to Colonel Largeau, Commander in Chief of Goz Beida during the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
invasion of Dar Sila, a manuscript
Manuscript
A manuscript or handwrite is written information that has been manually created by someone or some people, such as a hand-written letter, as opposed to being printed or reproduced some other way...
was found at the palace of the Sultan Moustafa walad Sultan Bakhit tracing the origin of the Daju. It states that the Daju came and ruled Darfur long ago from Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
in 619 to 892 until 1212 AD then left Jabel Marra to Hajar Kadjano in 1417 to 1612 A.D.
The above dates suggest that they might have reached Dar Sila in 1613 to 1614 A.D.
Chronology of sultans
Chronology of the Sultans of Dar Sila began with one of Kaseforge's sons, Sultan Ahmed al-Daj. He was followed by Sultan Ibrahim, Sultan Adam, Sultan Hassaballah, Sultan Habib, Sultan Shuaeib, Sultan Salih, Sultan Issa Hajar, Sultan Abd el-Karim, Sultan Abd el-Latif, Sultan El-Haj Bolad, Sultan Ishaq Abu-Risha, Sultan Mohamed Bakhit and his son Sultan Moustafa.A brother of Sultan Ahmed el-Daj called Farouk "Ferne" refused to live in one sultanate in Dar Sila. Therefore he led his clans and soldiers to settle in Mongo
Mongo
-Geographic:* Mongo, Chad, a city* Mongo, Sierra Leone, a chiefdom* Mongo, Indiana, a small town in the United States* Mongo , the fictional setting for the adventures of Flash Gordon-People:...
where he established another small sultanate known as Dar Daju in the Guera
Guéra
Guéra may refer to:* Guéra Prefecture* Guéra Region* Guéra Department...
Province to the west of Dar Sila.