Ethnic Boundary Maintenance among Pastoralists and Farmers in the Western Sudan (Niger)

Relations between pastoralists, farmers & townsmen in eastern Niger take the form of pol'al & econ transactions among ethnic units exploiting various ecologic niches & pursuing diverse strategies: the familiar cultural "mosaic" of southwestern Asia, Sudanic & northern...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of Asian and African studies (Leiden) 1972-01, Vol.7 (1-2), p.105-114
Main Author: Horowitz, Michael M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Africa/African/Africans
Anthropology/Anthropological
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Summary:Relations between pastoralists, farmers & townsmen in eastern Niger take the form of pol'al & econ transactions among ethnic units exploiting various ecologic niches & pursuing diverse strategies: the familiar cultural "mosaic" of southwestern Asia, Sudanic & northern Africa. Herdsmen & farmers attempt to control their exploitative rhythms in order not to compete for land & water at the same time, but a multiplicity of factors makes this coordination a frequently unrealized ideal, with reslutant conflict or potential conflict between them. Basing statements on field data from northern Bornu in 1967-69, it is discussed how ethnic boundaries are maintained & how ethnicity limits the kinds of transactions which occur across them. The argument indicates how the "mosaic" is generated by these exchanges, & why we do not find representatives of all ethnic units distributed in all niches. The principal peoples among whom the confrontations take place are the cattle herding Wodaabe & Tuntunmanko'en & the horticultural Manga & Mobeur. AA.
ISSN:0021-9096
1745-2538
DOI:10.1177/002190967200700109