Zaghawa is an African ethnic group, mainly living in eastern Chad and western Sudan, including the Darfur province of Sudan. They are seminomadic and obtain much of their livelihood through hearding cattle, camels and sheep, and harvesting wild grains. Several centuries ago, they converted to Islam though they still maintain some of their religious traditions. They have their own language, which is also called Zaghawa, and the breed of sheep that they herd is also called Zaghawa. They, however, refer to themselves as the Bari, while the name Zaghawa was given to them by the nearby Arab peoples, and became more well-known. While they are not very powerful in Sudan, they politically dominate Chad. The current president, Idriss Deby and several former prime ministers of Chad are Zaghawa, as well as many other members of the government.
Last updated: 08-25-2005 07:58:01