Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa : $b Including accounts of Tripoli, the Sahara, the remarkable kingdom of Bornu, and the countries around Lake ChadBarth, Heinrich
History
Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa : $b Including accounts of Tripoli, the Sahara, the remarkable kingdom of Bornu, and the countries around Lake Chad
Barth, Heinrich
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Africa, North -- Description and travel
The tribe which now possesses the country, the Imóshagh or Tuarek of
Ghát, are generally called Azkár or Azgar; but they are named also Hogár
or Hágara, though the latter name is very often employed to denote
another tribe. Upon this point, also, we have received full and credible
information from Ebn Khaldún, who tells us that the name Hogár was formed
from that of Hauwára, and served to designate that section of the great
Berber tribe which had retired into the desert about Gógó; and it is very
remarkable that the Hogár were described just about the same time, in
those same regions, by the traveller Ebn Batúta. Hogár therefore seems
to be the more general name, while Azkár serves to designate a section
of this tribe. However, this name also appears to be an ancient one,
being mentioned already by Edrísi (A.H. 453) as the name of a tribe
evidently identical with that of which we are speaking, the settlements
of which he indicates as being distant twelve days’ journey from Tasáwa,
and eighteen from Ghadámes. It is mentioned about a century later by Ebn
Sʿaid as dwelling in the same place. The Tinýlkum Ibrahim was of opinion
that Azkár means that section of the Hogár who had remained (at some
period unknown to us) “faithful to the established authority.” But this
interpretation of the name, if we consider the early period at which it
occurs, does not seem quite probable, and I suspect that those may be
right who give to the name a more general meaning.
At present the Azkár form but a small part of the population of the
country which they rule, namely, the region enclosed between the desert
bordered by Wady Talíya in the east, the valleys Zerzúwa and Áfara in
the west, the well of Asïu towards the south, and Nijbertín towards the
north, and are not able to furnish more than about five hundred armed
men. In fact, they form a warlike aristocracy of five families, divided
into thirty divisions or fayas, each of which has an independent chief.
The names of the five families are Urághen, Ímanang, Ífogas, Hadánarang,
and Manghássatang. The Urághen or Aurághen, meaning the “Yellows,” or
“golden” (in colour), who seemed to have once formed a very powerful
family, and have given their name to one of the principal dialects of the
Tarkíye or Temáshight, are at present much dispersed, many of them living
among the Awelímmiden, on the northern shore of the Isa or Niger, where
I shall have more to say about them. Even among the Azkár they still
form the most important division, and count at least a hundred and fifty
full-grown men. A large body of them is settled in and about the valley
of Arikím, on the direct road from Múrzuk to Sudán, and about fifty
miles to the south of Ghát. Their original abode is said to have been
at a place called Asáwa, to the south of Irálghawen. But the tribe that
formerly possessed the greatest authority, and which on this account is
still called Amanókalen, or the Sultan tribe, is that of the Ímanang, who
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account