![]() Songhay woman, Niger (1900s) | |
[1][2] | |
Languages | |
---|---|
Songhoyboro Ciine, Koyraboro Senni, Humburi Senni, Tondi Songway Kiini, Koyra Chiini | |
Religion | |
Islam | |
Related ethnic groups | |
Zarma, Tuareg |
Person | Songhaiboro |
---|---|
People | Songhaiborai |
Language | Songhai Sanni |
The Songhaiborai (also Songhai, Songhay, Sonrhaï) are a distinct subgroup within the larger Songhai ethnolinguistic family. Residing predominantly in Niger's Songhai region, Northern Mali, and a minority presence in Burkina Faso. Notably, they trace their lineage to the ruling dynasties of the ancient Songhai Empire.[3]
In Niger and Burkina Faso, differentiating the Songhaiborai from the Zarma people poses a challenge, as both are subgroups within the same language family, sharing a very similar dialect and culture. Despite the significant commonalities, the Songhaiborai may identify themselves and their dialect as "Zarma," emphasizing the shared heritage. However, both groups acknowledge their distinct branches within the same ethnicity, often adopting the collective name "Zarma," making it difficult for outsiders to discern any noticeable differences. Additionally, in Mali, they are recognized as the Koyraboro.[4]
The Songhai originally were the descendants and partisans of the Sonni dynasty that retreated to this area of present Niger after the coup d'état of 1493[5] and that of the Askia dynasty that also moved later to this same region after the invasion of the Songhai Empire by the Saadi dynasty of Morocco in 1591. These two historical events that resulted in the mass exodus of the Songhai emptied Gao and Timbuktu of their Songhai nobles, who find themselves dispersed today in the above-mentioned region of Southwestern Niger.[6][7][8][9]