Central Africa Caste systems in Africa

1 central africa

1.1 mandara people
1.2 toubou people
1.3 zaghawa people

central africa
mandara people

the mandara people central african muslim ethnic group found in north cameroon, northeastern nigeria, , southeastern chad. have lived in mountainous region , valleys north of benue river in cameroon, converted islam sometime around 16th century, , have long been part of mandara sultanate.

the mandara society developed socially stratified system, sultan , royalty, farmers, horse breeders, artisans, iron workers , smiths forming distinct endogamous occupation-inheriting castes. caste system among mandara people integrated concept strata have innate pollution , therefore stigmatized, there no evidence islamic belief integrated differences between socially differentiated castes in society have been divinely sanctioned. mandara people featured endogamous slave strata.

toubou people

the toubou people islamic ethnic group inhabiting northern chad, southern libya, northeastern niger, , northwestern sudan.

the toubou people, states jean chapelle – professor of history specializing on chadian ethnic groups, have been socially stratified embedded caste system. 3 strata have consisted of freemen right own property, artisanal castes , slaves.

the endogamous caste of azza (or aza) among toubou have artisanal occupations, such metal work, leather work, pottery , tailoring, , have traditionally been despised , segregated other strata of toubou, hadahid caste in southeastern chad among zaghawa people. marriage between member of blacksmith caste , member different strata of toubou people has been culturally unacceptable. strata locally called kamadja slaves. language used azza people variant of tebu language, mutually intelligible.

zaghawa people

the zaghawa people, called beri or zakhawa, central african muslim ethnic group of eastern chad , western sudan, including darfur. zaghawa mentioned in classical arabic language texts islamic historians , geographers. century in zaghawa people adopted islam has been subject of debate , little consensus, estimates ranging 13th 17th century.

the zaghawa society has been socially stratified , has included castes. upper strata has been of nobles , warriors, below them have been traders , merchants, below whom have been artisan castes called hadaheed (or hadahid). these castes have been endogamous, , inherited occupations have included iron work, hunters, pottery, leatherwork , musicians such drummers. artisan work has traditionally been viewed within zaghawa society dirty , of inferior status, being people different pagan , jewish roots assimilated islamic society.

the term blacksmith has been derogatory term in zaghawa culture, states anne haour – professor of african studies , medieval archaeology, , if born blacksmith 1 blacksmith . non-blacksmith castes of zaghawa neither eat nor associate blacksmith castes. lowest strata has been slaves. social stratification , castes such leatherworker strata within zaghawa people similar found in nearby fur people.