People of the veil

by Baron Francis James Rennell Rodd Rennell of Rodd

[Division V.] Unidentified tribes, generic names, etc.

The work of Barth and Jean has been incorporated in these tables; further reference to these authors is therefore omitted. Alternative name forms from these and other sources are given in brackets below the spelling which has been adopted to conform as far as possible with the rules of the Royal Geographical Society’s Committee on names.

(N) and (S) respectively signify “noble” and “servile” tribes.

In many cases no territorial identification is given, as tribes have changed their areas very greatly since 1917-18, nor have they settled down permanently to occupy other ranges since then. When Northern Air was cleared by the French patrols, the tribes were moved south, and for the most part they are therefore now in the neighbourhood of Agades, or in the Azawagh or even further south. But they are arranged in a disorderly fashion and are always moving from place to place; any attempt to give their present areas would be fruitless, since they will probably prove to be only temporary. The process of returning north had already commenced in 1922 and has presumably continued since then. Such locations as are given in the tables refer to periods prior to 1917 unless the contrary is stated.

The left-hand column gives the name of the original tribal stock so far as it has been possible to trace one. The next column gives the names of the tribes and sub-tribes formed by the original group. It is often impossible to state for certain whether large tribes are still to be described as such, or whether they have become independent tribes with subsidiary clans. Thus the whole classification must be considered approximate. It is designed to carry one stage further the system commenced by Barth, and continued by Jean. Where these two authorities are stated to have made mistakes or to have been inaccurate, the brevity of such phrases, occasioned as it has been by the use of a tabular form of arrangement, does not denote more than an expression of different opinion. It is intended to convey no disparagement, but merely to obviate circumlocution. The remarks in the right-hand column are intended to be read in conjunction with the relevant parts of the text of this book to which they are supplementary.

Division I. The People of the King.

Group.	Tribes and sub-tribes.	Notes.
1.
Kel Ferwan.	Kel Ferwan(N.).		From its present name the group wasoriginally in Iferuan (Ighazar) valley, whence probably expelled toW. and S. by Kel Owi. Original name unknown. Possibly notoriginally of same stock as others in division, and perhapsimmigrant from W. Tribes ranged over S.W. Air, N.W. Damergu, and W.Tegama, but since 1917 nearly all the nobles have settled inKatsina, leaving Imghad in old areas. Great raiders westward. About4320 souls according to Jean.
	Irawattan(N.).		At T’intabisgi (S. Talak plain). The only“I name” tribe recorded in the group.
	Kel Azel(N.).		At T’intabisgi.
	Kel Tadele.		Large tribe now partially independent ofKel Ferwan group. Described by Jean as servile and by others asnoble; explanation being probably that both castes occur assub-tribes. Apparently originally an Ahaggar tribe which with itsImghad came to Air; if this was due to conquest by an Air tribe,the confusion of status is comprehensible.
	Kel Tadele(N.).	⎰ ⎱	Talak-Zurika area. They ownZelim and Tuaghet pools in Fadé, a part of which is also theirs.Their chief is Rabidin.
	Tehammam(S.).
	Imuzurak (S.).		W. Tegama and S.W. Air. Some nobles ofthis name in Damergu are wrongly described by Jean as Imghad of theIkazkazan. The Imghad Imuzurak were probably captured from thenoble sept.
	Imuzuran(S.).		At T’intabisgi. The name is abusive,meaning “Donkey droppings.” Reputed very fair skinned.
	Iberdianen(S.)		At Araten.
	(Berdianen)
	Jekarkaren(S.).		At Araten.
	Igedeyenan(S.).		At Azel.
	(Gedeyenan)
	(Iguendianna)
	Isakarkaran(S.).		At T’intabisgi. Both namesare wrongly given by Jean as separate units.
	(Zakarkaran)
	Ideleyen(S.).		At T’intabisgi.
	Ikawkan(S.).		Do.
	Eghbaren(S.).		Do.
			The last eight serviletribes represent nuclei captured in the W. They are of Tuareg, Araband Moroccan origin, but have been assimilated to the People of theVeil.
	Ifoghas(S.).		Tafadek area. Said by Jean to be Imghadof the Kel Ferwan and to have come from the Kel Antassar stock(unidentified) S. of Timbuctoo. They came to Air about 1860 andsettled under the Amenokal; they were allowed to retain nobleprivileges. Their inclusion in the Kel Ferwan group indicates thatthe latter may be of W. origin.
	(Ifadeyen)(?).		Believed to be noble. Included by Jeanamong the Kel Ferwan Imghad, but for a more probable attributionsee Div. I. Group 6.
2.
(Kel Tadek).			No original name is traceable, but thatof “Tamgak” is suggested. They were named from the Tidik (or Tadek)valley N. of Tamgak and the Ighazar. One of the oldest tribes inAir. They possessed the country from Agalenge to Tezirzak in Fadéand N. Air. They had the Kel Fares to E. and Kel Tamat to W., andcovered area from Temed to just N. of Ighazar. Now scattered allover Air. Their chief is Ahodu of Auderas.
	Kel Tadek(N.).		Tadek valley and Gissat. Now scatteredand in small numbers. Their original name is unknown.
	Kel Umuzut(N.).		Agades area, and Damergu.Practically separate from the other tribes in the division.
	(Kalenuzuk)
	Kel Tefgun(N.).		At Tefgun mosque, Ighazar. A smallpersonal tribe of Ahodu’s own family; keepers of the mosque for atleast five generations.
	Kel Aghimmat(?).		Probably a sub-tribe of the KelTadek.
	(Kelghimmat)
	Kel Takermus(N.).
	Kel Garet.		Garet plain, C. Air. Not tobe confused with the Kel Garet of the Kel Geres. From a place S. ofAgellal pronounced “Anigara.”
	Kel Garet(N.).
	Kel Aniogara(?).
	Kel AnuWisheran.
	Kel Anuwisheran(N.).		At Anu Wisheran, C. Air. Very nomadic andancient; now in Tegama.
	Kel Ezelu(N.).		Ezelu valley, S. of above.
	Kel Garet(S.).		A fortuitous collection of Imghad in theGaret valley. The existence of two Kel Garet may be compared withthe two Kel Garet in Div. II. Group 5, with whom there may be someconnection.
	Kel Izirza(N.).
	Izumzumaten(N.).
	Kel Giga(S.).		At Agejir, S. Bagezan. Probablyassimilated to the Ittegen.
	Ittegen(S.).		Large Imghad section of theKel Tadek. Their “I name” is the only one in the Kel Tadek group,and they are probably dependent on some parent tribe, possibly theKel Giga. They have broken away to form a new tribal group, themodern Kel Bagezan (q.v. sub Kel Owi).
	(Etteguen)
	Kel Aggata(?N.).		Have recently joined the Kel Tadek(Groups 3 and 4).
3 and 4.
Immikitan andImezegzil.			The alternative attribution of manytribes to these two groups makes it difficult to distinguish themapart. The reason for the confusion is that both groups occur inareas predominantly Kel Owi, where they form isolated islands ofextraneous people dependent upon the Añastafidet. Both groups wereprobably in occupation of N.E. Air when Kel Owi arrived; latterproved unable to eliminate them completely, and the remnantsconsequently fell under their influence and were thus variouslydescribed as belonging to one or other division. The two groupsperhaps represent a single stock with the Immikitan predominant, but in later times certainlyacquired, as here shown, co-equal status. Immikitan are known tohave been among first Tuareg in Air.
	Immikitan.
	(Amakeetan)
	Immikitan(N.).		Also called Elmiki. Originally, after immigration, in N. CentralAir. Now isolated nuclei of this division live among people of Div.II. There are also Immikitan in Div. IV. Jean has rightly notaccepted popular account that they are Kel Owi owing to recentassociation.
	Kel Tegir (N.).		At Tegir near Assatartar.
	(Kel Teguer)
	Kel Assatartar(N.).		A geographical synonym for theabove.
	Kel Aggata.
	Kel Aggata(N.).		Aggata area. This tribe did not movesouth after the 1917 episode, and thus became affiliated to KelTadek. Their chief is El Haj Saleh at Agades.
	Kel Tadenak(N.).		Placed by Barth at Tadenak, E. ofAgellal, and later by Jean at Intayet on Anu Maqaran valley.
	(Ikaradan)(S.).		Placed by Jean at Aggata, but the wordmeans Tebu in Air Temajegh; the nucleus almost certainly consistsof Tebu living near their masters and not a separate tribe.
	Kel Mawen(?).		Placed by Jean at N’Ouajour,which is probably In Wadjud near Taruaji. No information.
	(Kel Maouen)
	(Kel Assarara)		Wrongly placed by Jean in this groupeither on account of confusion with Kel Assatartar or perhapsbecause Kel Assarara inhabited Assarara area as Immikitan beforethe arrival of the Kel Owi (see above). The only Kel Assararato-day in existence are Kel Owi (q. v.).
Imezegzil.			Originally N. of the Immikitan in theAgwau-Afis-Faodet area before arrival of Kel Owi. Jean thinks onlytwo tribes can be assigned to this group, the Kel Faodet and KelTagunar, but others seem to belong. The group is surrounded by KelOwi, who are especially strong in the originally most importantarea of the tribe, namely Agwau. They are now all in the Agadesarea.
	(Imezegzil)(N.).		No independent Imezegzil survive, but itsexistence is remembered in the Agwau area. Remnants are probablyrepresented by the Kel Afis.
	Kel Afis.
	(Kel Afess)
	Kel Afis(N.).		At Afis, N. Air. They are called the “bigmen,” the Imezegzil. In the wider geographical term, Kel Afisincludes some Kel Owi living in the village. Jean rightly calls KelAfis a separate tribe which probably represents the oldest partsurviving to the Imezegzil.
	Azanierken(S.).		Imghad of the above, but living furtherW. at Tanutmolet in Ighazar. Their “I name” indicates antiquity,and the fact that the Kel Afis possessed such an old tribeindicates that the latter were the parent stock of group.
	Kel Tanutmolet(S.).
	Izarza.		A group of serfs living among Kel Owi atthis village, whose population has come to be called KelTanutmolet, which is also used as a variant for the Azanierken. I have a note thatthese Kel Tanutmolet serfs are also called Izarza, which may be acorrupt form for Azanierken. They are now only two or threefamilies.
	Kel Faodet(N.).		At Faodet in the upper Ighazar.
	Kel Tagunar(?).		At Tagunet in the upper Ighazar.
5.
Imaqoaran.			Originally in W. Central Air. Althoughbelonging to a category of the People of the King, they were nevermuch under his authority.
	Imaqoaran(N.).		In the Agellal area. Verysmall, only five families are said to survive. See Kel Wadigi.
	(Immakkorhan)
	(Kel Agellal)		Are probably in great part Imaqoaran,especially when Kel Agellal is used in a general or geographicalsense (cf. Kel Agellal, Div. III. Group 4).
	Kel Wadigi.
	Kel Wadigi(N,).		In Wadigi valley, E. of Agellal. Smallunimportant group of recent origin, consisting of Kel AgellalImaqoaran, Kel Agellal Ikazkazan, and people from Ighazar.
	Kel Tefis(N.).		At Tefis.
	Kel Areitun(S.).		Imghad of above in Areitun village, W. ofAnu Wisheran (not the Areitun N. of Agellal).
	Kel Sidawet (N.and S.).		At Sidawet village. Asedentary group of mixed parentage and doubtful origin. Alsoascribed to Izeyyakan, but on account of the established origin ofthe Kel Agellal Imaqoaran and Kel Zilalet, whose villages are insame area as Sidawet, they are all probably of the sameparentage.
	(Kel Sadaouet)
	Kel Zilalet (N.and S.).		Zilalet village. Wrongly described as anindependent tribe by Jean.
6.			Both the last are mixed village groups ofpeople of all castes.
Ifadeyen and KelFadé.			No more information is available thanthat given in the preceding chapters (see pp. [399] and [400]).

Division II. The Itesan and Kel Geres.

Note: All these tribes are in the Southland, and their present areas are not, therefore, specified.

Group.	Tribes and sub-tribes.	Notes.
1.
Itesan.		Probably one of the original tribes ofthe Kel Innek who invaded Air from the Chad direction. Being thepreponderant tribe in Air, the Itesan were driven from the countryby the Kel Owi when the latter arrived. Though now in theSouthland, the Itesan still play a prominent rôle in electing theAmenokal of Air.
	(Kel) T’Sidderak.	Named from a group of hills N. ofAuderas.
	Kel Tagei.	“The People of theDûm Palm,” possibly a totemic name or else derived from name of avalley so-called. There are many such in Air, in particular one N.of Auderas is probably responsible for the name. Not to be confusedwith the people in Div. III. Group I.
	(Kel Tagay)
	(? also Tagayes)
	Kel Bagezan.	Originally inhabitingthe mountains so called. Not to be confused with other later KelBagezan.
	(Kel Maghzen- Kel Bagezan)
	Kel Allaghan.	“The People of the Spears.”
	(Alaren)
	(Emallarhsen).	Probably a misreading for “Im” or “InAllaghan” (where the prefix takes the place of “Kel”), andtherefore identical with above.
	(Itziarrame).	Probably a corrupt name, perhaps amistake for the above.
	(Kel) Telamse.	The second isprobably the right form, and is derived from the name of a villageand hills near Auderas.
	(Kel T’ilimsawin)
	Kel Mafinet.	Named after a valley tributary to theAuderas valley.
	Kel Duga.	The second isprobably the right form, and is derived from Mount Dogam, N. ofAuderas.
	(Kel Dogam).
	Kel Uye.	Kel Wadigi, from a valley E. of Agellal,has been suggested as a more correct version. In this case thetribe would more probably belong to the Kel Agellal of the KelUnnar in Group 3, but the derivation is doubtful.
	Kel Manen.	Given by Barth as a tribe of theItesan.
	Imanen.	With the two following tribes they seemto represent the oldest stock of people who invaded Air from the E.These Imanen are obviously of the same stock as the Imanen of theAzger Lemta division of Tuareg in the N.
	Kel Innek.	Are given by Barth as a part of theItesan. While the name may have survived as a tribal name, it ismore properly applicable to all the people who came from the E.when Air was invaded. The existence of such a tribe name among theItesan, whose original name it may have been, is, however, proof ofthe accuracy of Bello’s statement.
	Ijanarnen.	This tribe is givenby Bello as one of those who originally invaded Air from the E. Theoccurrence of such a tribe in the Itesan group, according to Barth,substantiates the supposition made above and in the body of thebook.
	(Ijaranen)
2.
Tetmokarak.
	Tetmokarak.
	(Tedmukkeren)
	Kel Teghzeren.	Kel Teghzeren may be a corruption of “KelIntirzawen” derived from the name of the Asclepias Gigantica. TheKel Teghzeren appear to be the principal tribe of the Tetmokarak,and are possibly the parent group.
	Kel Azar.	Perhaps derived from a place of that namein the upper Anu Maqaran valley, C. Air.
	(Kel) Ungwa.	The origin of thename is doubtful, for “ungwa” seems in Kanuri to mean “village.”The name may be a form of Kel Unnar (see below), another Kel Geresgroup.
	(Oung Oua)
	(Kel Ungwar)
	Tashel.
	(Taschell)
	(Tashil)
	Isherifan.	Of which the Isherifan in Damergu wereprobably a part.
	Kel Atan.
	Tegama.	See also the People of Tegama in theDamergu group. The two septs are probably of the same stock; theyare more fully discussed in the body of the book.
	Kerfeitei.	The second version isperhaps more correct.
	(? Kel Feitei)
	(Kel) Ighelaf.	From a group of wellsin E. Damergu.
	(Ighlab)
	Escherha.
	Inardaf
	Zerumini.
3.
Kel Unnar.		The Kel Ungwa may be the same people, butthere is no information.
	Kel Unnar.
	Tarenkat.
	Alwalitan.	A patronymic, from the common personalname among the Tuareg, Al Wali.
	Gurfautan.	Probably also a patronymic.
	Kel Agellal.	From Agellal in C.Air, and not to be confused with the present Kel Agellal (Div. I.Group 5).
	(Kel Aghellal)
	Kel Taiagaia.	?, unless a corruption in the manuscriptsof European authors of Kel Agellal.
4.
Kel Anigara.
	(Kel) Anigara.	There are two places called Anigara(Aniogara) near Agellal, and this group might be named from eitherof them. The present Kel Aniogara are a sub-tribe of the Kel Garet(in Div. I. Group 2).
	Tafarzas.	No information.
	Zurbatan.	Do.
	Izenan.	Do.
	Tanzar.	Do.
5.
Kel Garet.		Doubtless originally from the Garet Mts.and plain in C. Air, and not to be confused with the Kel Garet ofDiv. I., of whom, however, these people may have been a part whichmoved S. when the Itesan also went.
	Kel Garet.	The people originally inhabiting theplain of that name.
	Kel GaretN’Dutsi.	I.e. the “Kel Garet of theMountain,” who lived in the mountains in the same area.
	Aiawan.	No information.
	Tiakkar.	Do.
	Irkairawan.	Do.
Tadadawa,Kel Tamei.		These are grouped together, largelyperhaps because not enough is known to separate their varioustribes. Their tribes are given without comment, as there is littleavailable on record.
	Tadadawa.	? the Tadara of Barth.
	Kel Tamel.
	Kel Amarkos.
	Kel Intadeini.	Probably from a place Intadeini on theAnu Maqaran, C. Air.
	Kel Ufugum.
	Tegibbut.
	(Tgibbu)
	Iburuban.
	(Iabrubat)
	Toiyamama.
	Irmakaraza.	Perhaps connected with the name AnuMaqaran.