Tag Archives: Baggara nomads

Photo 76 – UBB-HAA-592

A Fur woman is standing with her baby on the alluvial soils of wadi Aribo. Note the acacia albida trees  (Fur: “kurul”, Arabic: “haraz”) in the background. The acacia albida trees are a characteristic feature of the lower wadis of Western Darfur. During the dry season the pods of the acacia albida provide nutritious food for the cattle of the Baggara Arab nomads who in this season camp on the harvested fields under the trees. The dung from the cattle serves to fertilize the fields of the Fur farmers who cultivate them in the rainy season. In the rainy season the acacia albida trees shed their leaves. This photo is from the dry season.

Wadi Aribo, near Zalingi, Western Darfur.

Photo: Gunnar Haaland, 1966

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Photo 80 – UBB-HAA-283

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

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Photo 91 – UBB-HAA-393

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

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Photo 94 – UBB-HAA-62

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

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