Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa, Vol. 1 (of 5) : $b being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s Government, in the years 1849-1855Barth, Heinrich
History
Travels and discoveries in North and Central Africa, Vol. 1 (of 5) : $b being a journal of an expedition undertaken under the auspices of H.B.M.'s Government, in the years 1849-1855
Barth, Heinrich
Africa, Central -- Description and travel; Africa, North -- Description and travel
that place, the Kél-tellek and the Makamúmmasen.
As I said above, the ruling class of the Azkár constitutes by far the
smaller part of the population of the country, while the great mass of
the population of these regions consists of a subject or degraded tribe
called Imghád, or, in the Arabic form, Merátha or even Metáthra. This I
formerly considered to be a gentile name; but I found afterwards that it
is a general epithet used by all the different tribes of the Imóshagh to
denote degraded tribes. The singular form of the name is Ámghi[78],
which is the counterpart of Amóshagh, as it means “servile,” while the
latter means “free.” The Imghád of the Azkár differ a great deal from
the ruling tribe, particularly the women; for while the Imóshagh are
tolerably fair, a great many of the former are almost black, but
nevertheless well made, and not only without negro features, but
generally with a very regular physiognomy, while the women, at least in
their forms, approach more to the type of the negro races. But as for
their language, I must confess that I am not able to decide with
confidence whether it sprang originally from a Berber dialect or the
Háusa language[79]: many of the people, indeed, seem to be bilingual;
but by far the greater part of the men do not even understand the Háusa
language. I am persuaded that they were originally Berbers who have
become degraded by intermixture with the black natives.
The Imghád of the Azkár, who altogether form a numerous body, being able
to furnish about 5000 armed men, are divided into four sections,—the
Batánatang or Ibétnaten, the Fárkana or Aférkenén, Segígatang, and
Wárwaren, which latter name, I think, very naturally calls to mind the
Latin “Barbari,” a name which, according to some ancient authors,
belonged to certain tribes of Northern Africa[80], and may fairly
explain the origin of the name Berber, though it is to be remarked that
“_war_,” a syllabic with which a great number of Berber names begin,
seems to signify “man.” Of these four divisions the last three seem to
live principally in and around the small town of Bárakat, a few miles
south of Ghát, and in and around Jánet or Yánet, about thirty miles
S.S.W. from Égeri. Neither the population of the town of Ghát nor that
of the town of Bárakat is at present formed by these Imghád; but I
should suppose that in former times they were also the privileged
inhabitants of Ghát itself, which at present is occupied by a very mixed
race, so well described by the late Mr. Richardson. These two favoured
spots of the desert seem to be left entirely to these people as tenants,
on condition that they take care of the plantations and of the gardens,
and gather the fruit, of which they are bound to give a portion to their
masters. Some of the noble Imóshagh, indeed, seem to have a great many
of these people at their disposal. The Batánatang or Ibétnaten, reside
principally in a valley called Tesíli, while another section of them
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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