A group of nomadized Fur watering a donkey (Fur: “lel”) at their camp in the area of Jebel Si. Note the seasonal huts made of branches in the background. They are very different from the tents used by nomadized Fur in western Darfur. In the Jebel Si area nomadized Fur farmers do not change ethnic identity.
Jebel Si area, Northern Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1969
The camp site of a Fur farmer who has succeeded in accumulating cash for investment in a sufficient number of cattle. Cattle thrive best when they are moved seasonally between different ecological zones. Successful Fur farmers therefore prefer to establish themselves as nomads like the Baggara Arabs when they have enough cows (Fur: “ko”). Note the tent made of straw mats (Fur and Arabic: “birish”) similar to those used by the Baggara nomads.
Lower Wadi Azum, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A woman outside her tent in the camp of nomadized Fur.
Wadi Azum area, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A group of nomadized Fur resting under the shadow of a tree.
Wadi Azum, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A Baggara family outside their tent.
Western foothills of Jebel Marra, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A Baggara Arab man and child riding an ox on their migration from the dry season grazing area in western Darfur to their own rainy season “dar” (homeland in Arabic) in Id el Ghannam, southern Darfur. Note the lance (Arabic: “shalaqaya”) he is carrying.
Amballa, Lower Wadi Azum.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A Baggara Arab woman riding an ox on the group’s movement from the dry-season Fur area to the Baggara rainy season areas further south in Id el Ghannam.
Wadi Azum area, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A Baggara woman loading the family’s household utensils on an ox, preparing to move from the dry season grazing of Western Darfur area to the rainy season areas in Southern Darfur.
Lower Wadi Azum, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A Baggara group moving to a new dry season camp in the Fur area along Wadi Azum. Note the lance (Arabic: “shalaqaiya”) carried by the man. This is a typical weapon used by the Baggara.
Near the town of Zalingi, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
Although the Baggara Arabs are associated with migratory cattle husbandry, it is only the richest who have cattle herds large enough to yield a cash income required to satisfy their consumption needs for grain and other goods. Most Baggaras therefore practice some cultivation in their home area (dar) during the rainy season. This Baggara man is sowing sorghum with the traditional seluka mode (making holes in the ground with the stick to plant the seeds therein).
Gidad, Southern Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1973
A woman of the Umm Jalul Arab camel nomads. The Umm Jalul leave their rainy season grazing areas in Northern Darfur and migrate to the area of the Fur in the dry season when water and pastures are scarce in the north.
Foothills of Jebel Marra, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A woman from the Jumala Arabs of Northern Darfur is setting up the tent in a dry season camp (Arabic: “fariq”), near Wadi Aribo, close to Zalingi.
Wadi Aribo, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1966
A group of Jumala Arab nomads from Northern Darfur migrating through the Fur area of Western Darfur, after the Fur have harvested their fields. In the 1960s and 1970s relations between the Fur and Arab groups, like the Baggara and Jumala, were quite peaceful. From the 1980s tensions were growing, and from the turn of the millenium the Baggarta and Jumala Arabs have been very active in the Janjaweed militias fighting the Fur farmers.
Zalingi area, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1966
At a camp of the Woodabe Fulani nomads during their migration into Fur area towards the end of the rainy season. The Fulani are found in the Sahel/Savannah zone from Senegal to the border of Ethiopia. As cattle herders they compete with the Baggara Arabs for pasture and water.
Southern Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1973
A woman of the Woodabe Fulani is loading the family’s household equipment, preparing to move further north into the Fur area.
Southern Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1973
Fulani herders of the Woodabe tribe lead a herd of longhorn cattle (called “kuri” in Sudan, not to be confused with the “kuri” cattle race of Lake Chad) on the migrations from Central African Republic into dry season pastures in Darfur. The Fulani have a remarkable control over their livestock and can lead them with verbal commands. Note the Fulani clothing that differs from that used by Baggara nomads. The Fulani are in Sudan frequently referred to as “Fellata”, a term that is applied to people coming from West Africa in general. In Darfur, the term “Fellata” is also used for one of the Baggara Arab tribes who have their own district and administration with headquarter in Tullus. Within the Fellata tribe there is a subunit (“omodiya” in Arabic) at Gereida that the Fullani nomads are attached to. To distinguish the Fullani herders from the Fellata Baggara they are usually referred to as Umbororo Fellata.
Tullus district, Southern Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1973
A couple of the Weila Fulani is setting up their tent towards the end of the rainy season. The Fulani nomads generally move into the Fur area before the Baggara Arabs and they are also the first to move southwards as the rain approaches.
Near Nyertete, Western foothills of Jebel Marra, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A Fulani nomad of the Weila tribe is demonstrating his skills as an archer. The typical Fulani weapons are the bow and arrow, in contrast to the lance (Arabic: “shalaqaiya”) that is the typical weapon of the Baggara nomads.
Near Nyertete in the western foothills of Jebel Marra, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
A group of Kinin, a branch of the Tuaregs of the Sahel/sahara zone of North West Africa. They constitute a minority tribal group in Darfur, subsisting by both farming and herding. Like Tuaregs of Algeria some of the Kinin men on this picture cover their face with a veil.
Tawila village between El Fashir and Kebkabiya, Northern Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1969
Selling agricultural crops provides cash income for local Fur farmers. Most selling takes place at the weekly souq (Arabic for “market”), but sometimes in the home of a cultivator. In this photo, a Fur is selling millet (Fur: “sona”) to an Arab trader.
In a village of the western foothills of Jebel Marra, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
The weekly market (Arabic: “souq”) is important in the Fur village economy. In this photo, a Fur woman is selling dried tomatoes (Fur: “futta”) and dried ochre (Fur: “faga kirro” – literally meaning “black ochre”) to an Arab trader at the souq of Amballa.
Amballa, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
Beer plays a very important role in the life of the Fur, not only nutritionally but also symbolically. It is a major item in rituals that serve to indoctrinate ideas of solidarity among community members. To sell beer is considered an act similar to selling sex. Women who sell beer are thus considered like prostitutes (Fur: “azaba”). In this photo, Fur women from the village of Umu in Jebel Marra are engaging in such an “immoral” act (Fur: “ora”). Shameful sales used to take place at a distance from the central market space.
Umu village, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1965
On weekly market days, Fur farmers exchange agricultural products for the nomads’ milk products (e.g. sour milk and butter), and petty traders’ imported goods (e.g. sugar, tea, salt, cloth, shoes).
Zalingi market, Western Darfur.
Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1966.
