Sara people

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a Sara woman about 1900

The Sara are an ethnic group in Central Africa.

[edit] In Chad

The Sara are a mostly non-Muslim people who reside in the central African nation of Chad and neighboring countries. They are believed to have migrated to Chad from the Nile river around 500 years ago. About a sixth of them are Christians, with most practicing traditional faiths. Approximately 30% of Chad's southern population is made up of the Sara. Many traditional cultural systems broke down over centuries because of constant riff from the Muslim-slave raiders. Some Sara have exhibited fierce survival skills - the women used to artificially elongate their lips to make themselves unattractive to arab slave raiders.

A Sara girl in 2000

Sara, better known as the descendants of the legendary Sao, are the largest group in Chad. They are a patrilineal society located in the southeast, especially in the Moyen-Chari, Logone Oriental, Logone Occidental, and parts of the Tandjile prefectures, and account for about 1/3 of the country's population. They are Nilotic people who settle in Chad during the 16th Century. They speak a Nilo-Sudanic language and comprise some Twelve (12) Tribes or clans. Included among the Sara are the Gambaye, the Mbaye, the Goulay, the Madingaye, the Kaba, the Sarah-Kaba, the Niellim, the Nar, the Dai and Ngana.

The Sara (Sa-Ra) designation appears to have been given to them by the Arabs, meaning the Sons of Ra. The claim that Sara might mean sons (Sa) of Ra (the ancient Egyptian Sun-God) is plausible, as in fact, it is believed that the Sara lived in the north-east along the Nile River before they saught refuge in the south against northern Arab slave raids. Most Sara are Traditionalist in religion. The total amount of true Christians by some authors is 30%. The Sara are agriculturalists, they are the backbone of the Chadian economy, producing cotton and rice, peanuts, corn, millet, sorghum, and cassava. They lived in most productive part of the country.

WW2 During the colonial period, they became targets for recruitment, forced labor, and the military. In fact, during World War II they were the largest number of Africans to fight in the war. The French often romanticized their tall, physically powerful presence and reffered to them as "La Belle Race" (The beautiful race). (P.B,1894)"the Sara are stouter, and more handsome in aesthetic terms. They are very well shaped and have a very majestic posture, which is a necessary complement to their tall stature."

The Sara people enthusiastically grasped the meagre educational and religious opportunities offered by the French. They since have mastered most diciplines available and now occupy many positions in the civil service.