People of Niger - (The Nigerien)
Niger, at the crossroads between Arab-Berber Africa and Sudan-Sahelian Africa is a crucible where people of diverse origins have lived together for thousands of years. Although each of these peoples maintains its own individuality, particularly noticeable in their life-styles, physical features, customs, dress, language and outlook, today they are welded into several quite distinct major groups, each with an internal homogeneity. A first major distinction may be drawn between the black populations, the main settled farmers, and the white populations, principally nomadic.
Nomadic populations live mainly in the northern part of the country and comprise:
* The Tuaregs (8%), to be found within a long strip of land running from the Mali border in the West to Gouré in the East, and
* The Fulani (8.5%), who, together with their herds, are concentrated in the Dosso-Agadez-Maine-Soroa triangle. Some have also settled in the West, around Téra, Say and Niamey and they predominate in certain parts of Maradi, Tessaoua, Mirriah and Magaria Districts, where they live alongside Tuaregs and Toubous.
The Nomads:
The Tuaregs, despite their remarkable cultural and linguistic unity (their writing is called Tifinar and their language, Tamjaq, is related to Tamazight), are split into several tribes in Niger, the main ones of which are the Kel-Aïr, living mostly in the Aïr; the Kel-Gress, today concentrated in the Madaoua and Konni regions; the Iwilli-Minden, who live in the Azawak region; and the Immouzourak, with Tanout as their stronghold.
Tauregs
In historical times, the Tuaregs were fearsome warriors, living mainly from raiding. Their social organization is based on classes: bords, marabouts (Muslim priest) and artisans. Matriarchy is the rule. Women are usually literate, play musical instruments; they value corpulence, and jewelry is an important feature of their attire. Women play an important role in social life, are held in much esteem and consulted on many important issues. Marriages are monogamous, but divorce exists. The traditional shelter is the tent. Clothes are flowing and a veil or cloth is usually worn over the face by adults. The main diet is composed of milk, dates and millet. The Tuaregs, who typically live side by side with Bouzous and Bella, usually raise camels and goats in the Saharan zone, and sheep and cattle in the Sahel. Traditionally they cover considerable distances with their herds, but unfortunately the drought of recent years and the resulting reduction of grazing land, coupled with the development of mining in the Agadez region, is slowly but surely inducing the Tuaregs to lead a settled life. Many engage in market gardening in the oasis and seek temporary employment in the mining areas.
Fulani
The Fulani form the second largest nomadic group in Niger. Like the Tuaregs, they also have long-standing customs and traditions which are very much alive today. But in spite of their great concern to maintain their specific social structure, they have often come under the influence of neighboring populations so much so that the Fulani in one area may differ slightly from those of another, depending on where and with whom they live. Ethnic unity, however, is never destroyed.
Within this major category, there are the Bororodjis, often referred to as Bororo Fulani, living in the Dakoro-Tanout region, who are all nomadic herders spending the entire year seeking good grazing. They practice the cult of beauty and pay great attention to bodily care, expending considerable effort on enhancing the attractiveness of their faces, adding sparkle to eyes and teeth. They have an amazing taste for decoration, though it is mainly the men who spend most of their time in such pursuits. Clothing, on the contrary, is relatively scanty, though here again the taste for decoration is apparent in the amount of jewelry worn: earrings, intricate hairstyles interwoven with coins, bead necklaces and multicolored charms.
Faithful to their ancestral paganism, the Bororos, whose deep attachment to their herds seem to have links with ancient eastern cults, have been only very superficially marked by Islam and usually only accept conversion once passed the age of forty. They therefore have their own particular conception of certain social institutions, such as marriage. The young Bororo must first seduce his fiancée and then arrange to kidnap her from her family. The couple then embarks on a journey which takes them all over the region and sometimes beyond the country's borders. They will decide to settle once the "wife" has become a mother and when she feels that she has traveled enough and is tired of this bohemian existence.
Every year the Bororos organize a traditional and colorful festival known as the Guérewol, which is the occasion for celebrations, engagements, kidnappings of wives, and baptisms.
