Black nomads of the Sahara

Chapelle, Jean; Schütze, Frieda

Book

Black nomads of the Sahara

Librairie Plon • Paris • Published In 1957 • Pages:

By: Chapelle, Jean, Schütze, Frieda.

Abstract
This is a study of the nomadic Teda (Toubou) living primarily within the boundaries of Libya, northeastern Nigeria, Chad and Sudan, with particular emphasis on those in Tibesti in Chad. After a brief study of early historical contacts between Teda and other non-Teda groups (including Europeans), Chapelle proceeds to a lengthy discussion of the various groups of Teda found within the geographical boundaries mentioned above. These groups consist of the Teda of Tibesti, and the northern and western oases; Borku, Ennedi and Wadai; Bahr-el-Ghazal and Kanem; and the southwest. Information on the Zaghawa people whom the author lumps under Teda in his discussion of the Borku, Ennedi and Wadai division are considered from the standpoint of the Outline of World Cultures to be a Bideyat (MS5) group. Information on this group, therefore, has been subheaded for the MS5 Bideyat file. The remainder of the source deals with the exploitation of the environment, material culture, life cycle events, clan organization and religion. Outside of the discussion on clan organization, there is relatively little other information in this source on other aspects of the social structure or social organization. Despite this, however, the source does represent a fairly well-rounded account of the Teda for the period studied by the author (ca. 1930-1955).

Cultural identity and pride