The Zaghawa Ethnic Group of Sudan and Chad: Clans and Traditional Nobility

Abstract

The presented article highlights the issues of the history of the Zaghawa people in Sudan and Chad, as well as major social structures and various clans that make up this ethnic group. Research on Zaghawa clans and their history is still rare in Russia, while the importance and influence of this group on public and political life are becoming more and more noticeable. A significant difficulty in determining the hierarchy of major Zaghawa factions is the identification of the “original” clans, as distinct from the clans which are treated as not having a common origin with the Zaghawa. Moreover, the ethnonyms that are used by different neighbours to designate the Zaghawa are problematic, since the designation of this people by other communities in Sudan and Chad can be contradictory and vague. The Zaghawa clans have their own historical traditions and concepts of clan hierarchy. While preparing the present work, the authors scrutinized research papers and books in multiple languages (including Arabic), as well as the first-hand data obtained during interviews with with the representatives of several Zaghawa clans.