Naród Libijski

Libyan People

قبائل ليبيا

Arabowie:

The Arabs:

The Libyans are very friendly people, regardless of their ethnic background, colour or social status. They respect privacy and generally will not hassle foreign visitors as is the custom elsewhere in North Africa! The Libyan population is estimated at over 5 million people, plus under 1.5 million immigrants, giving a total of 6.5 million people approximately. The Arabs are the majority inhabitants of Libya, who brought Islam to the region when they arrived during the seventh century AD from Arabia. However, according to recent genetic studies more than 90% of the Arabs in Libya (and in North Africa as a whole) are Arabised Berbers - that is Berbers who adopted the Arab tongue. For example, most of the inhabitants of Benghazi and Musratha (Misrata) are Arabised Berbers. The Arabs of Libya are members of the Sunni sect of Islam. During the eleventh century a political conflict broke out between the ruling dynasties of Egypt, resulting in the arrival of Bani Hilal and Bani Salim from the Arabian peninsula, and it is these two tribes that are originally Arab tribes brought from Arabia to assist the Fatimid rulers. The major Arab cities include Tripoli, Benghazi, Sebha, Sabratha, Musratha, Zawiya, Khums, Albayda, Al-Merj, Darna, Tobruk, Hun and other smaller villages and settlements along the coast and in the interior.

Główne plemiona arabskie w Libii:

The Main Arab Tribes of Libya:

System plemienny jest w dalszym ciągu, bardziej niż gdziekolwiek, podstawą organizacji społeczeństwa libijskiego. Większość libijskich nazwisk nosi piętno nazw plemion, co łatwo identyfikuje członków libijskiej społeczności.

The tribal system in Libya is still a fundamental part of Libyan society, more than anywhere else in the whole region. Most Libyan surnames carry the tribal name and therefore one can easily identify a person's tribe simply by knowing his surname. For example, Col. Gaddafi comes from the Gaddadfa Tribe. There are at least 140 known clans or tribal networks in Libya.

(1) - Libia Zachodnia

(Western Libya):

• Warfallah (Warfalla, Werfella) (قبيلة ورفلة): the largest Arab tribal group in west Libya, consisting of 52 sub-tribes and estimated at around one million people, inhabiting the areas of Baniwalid, Zamazam, Bey, Sirte, Sabha, Dernah, Benghazi and most recently the Misurata District.
  
  
• Az-Zintan: (قبيلة الزنتان): close to the Warfallah tribe: found mainly in the Western Mountain between the Berber towns of Jado and Yefren and Kabaw.
  
  
• Awlad Busayf (West Libya).
  
  
• Maslata: found in the area of Msallata, west Libya.
  
  
• Masrata: found in west Libya, with a large presence in Tripoli.
  
  
• Al-Rijban, Ar-Rujban (Western Mountain, Nafousa Mountain).
  
  
• Al-Majabra, al-Mujabra: south-west of Tripoli, close to the Western Mountain, and in the Jalo area in Cyrenaica in Eastern Libya. The most prominent member of this tribe is the Libyan head of the army Major General Abu-Baker Younis Jaber - one of the original members of the 12 officers of the Revolutionary Command Council led by Gaddafi in 1969.

(2) - Libia Centralna

(Central Libya):

Część centralna odnosi sie do terenów pustynnych pomiędzy Cyrenejką a Trypolitanią, które to od starożytnych czasów były pasem granicznym między dwoma regionami (patrz http://www.temehu.com/Cities_sites/as-sultan.htm).

The central region refers to the desert area between Cyrenaica (East) and Tripolitania (West), which from ancient times was the border area between the two regions (see http://www.temehu.com/Cities_sites/as-sultan.htm).

• Qaddafi, Qadadfah : Gaddadfa, Gadhadhfa, Qathathfa, Gathafi (قبيلة القذاذفه) - centred around Sert [Sirte). An influential ruling tribe in today's Libya, originally found around the present-day Sert in central Libya and Sabha in the south, the present capital of Fazzan. The leader of the September revolution, Col. Mua'mmar al-Qaddafi, belongs to the Al-Qaddafi tribe.
  
  
• Al-Magarha, al-Magariha, al-Megrahi: one of the largest tribe in the central-western region of Libya, and traditionally strong allies of the Gaddadfa tribe. The former Libyan Prime Minister Abdessalam Jalloud belongs to this tribe. Also the release of the alleged Lockerbie bomber Abdelbaset al-Megrahi was secured by Al-Qaddafi family.
  
  
• Al-Magharba (The Westerners).
• Al-Riyyah.
• Al-Haraba.
• Al-Zuwaid.

(3) - Libia Wschodnia:

Eastern Libya:

• Az-Zuwayya, Zuwayya, Zawiya (قبيلة الزوية): the largest and most influential tribe in Eastern Libya (Cyrenaica), largely found in Benghazi, Ejdabiyah, Kufra, Tazerbu (Tazirbu) and the surrounding areas.
  
  
• Bani Salim (Banu Saleem): like their brothers the Bani Hilal of Tripolitania the Bani Saleem tribes were brought from Arabia in the 11th century to assist in the spread of Islam in North Africa by the Fatimid rulers. While the Bani Slaeem settled in Cyrenaica as the first stop to strengthen the forces in the east of Libya the Bani Hilal continued their journey towards Tripolitania.
  
  
• Mesratha, Musratha, Misrata (قبيلة مصراتة): an Eastern Libyan tribe inhabiting a number of towns and villages including Benghazi and Darna (Darneh). The name is the same as the name of the third largest town in Libya: Misuratha, in west Libya.
  
  
• Al-Awagir, al-Waqir: found in the Barqa region of Cyrenaica, with history of resistance against the Italians.
  
  
• Tawajeer: one of the prominent tribes of Cyrenaica.
• Ramla: one of the prominent tribes of Cyrenaica.
• Kargala: one of the prominent tribes of Cyrenaica.
• Kawar: a group of tribes in the region of Kaouar.
• Al-Abaydat, Abdiyat: a group of 15 tribes found in the area of Tobruk
• Drasa:
• Masamir, Masameer:
• Al-Barasa:
• Al-Fawakhir:
• Al-Obeidi
• Farjan: found mainly west of Ajdabiya (Ejdabiyah), Sirte, and also in Zliten further west.

The Berber Tribal Groups of Libya:

The Berbers are the indigenous inhabitants of Libya and the Sahara. There are numerous tribes found in East Libya, West Libya and across the entire Sahara desert where they have been since the beginning of civilisation. Their number is difficult to ascertain, since by their nomadic nature the Tuareg of the Sahara were not fully included in any census. However it was widely estimated that the Berbers constitute between 10% and 23% of the population of Libya, and therefore assuming an average of 17% would give just under one million Berbers. The  Berbers are a Hamitic group of tribes, who share their linguistic ancestry with ancient Egyptian, Chadic and Omotic languages of East Africa. Hamitic languages and Semitic languages (like Phoenician, Akkadian, Hebrew and Arabic) are both members of the Afrasiatic phylum, originally called Hamito-Semitic Phylum.  The majority of the Berbers belong to the Khariji or the Abadite sect of Islam.

The Berbers of Libya can be subdivided into three tribal groups:

The Berber tribes of Libya are made of hundreds of tribes, each of which is made of several clans and sub-tribes. The following summary is only a general description of the main tribal groups, as the divisions and clans of each group require a dedicated study of its own, which is beyond the scope of this summary.

(1) - The Western Berbers:

• Ait Willoul: those tribes inhabiting the coastal city of Zwara or Zuwarah, comprising a group of 12 sub-tribes. The name Zwara is found in various forms including Zuwarah, Zowara, Zuwara, Zwagha and Zouara; and therefore its association with the ancient Zwawa and Hawwara tribes of Tripolitania, as stated by various historians (al-Bakari, 11 century AD), who also asserted that the territories of Zuwarah traditionally included most of Tripolitania, from Tripoli all the way to the Tunisian border. Currently, the Zuwara territories extends from al-Manqoub (about 20 km east of Zuwara) to the Tunisian border (about 60 km west of Zuwara), where the fishing village of Abu-kemmash is still inhabited today by various tribes from Zuwarah city. Among the main sub tribes and clans of Zuwarah are:
  
  
  • Ind Mensor (Elmansori or Almansouri tribe): among the most politically influential of this tribe is Mohammad Almansouri who was the Libyan Minister of Interior during the previous government (Kingdom of Libya). He was very transparent in his methods that he became almost the only member of the kingdom's cabinet who was not arrested nor charged by the revolutionary council of 1969. Almost all of the previous ministers and influential politicians of the king Idris' government were from Western Libya, many of whom were Berbers from Zuwarah, the Western Mountains and other Berber settlements. This was a strategy adopted by the colonial powers to unit Cyrenaica and Tripolitania into what is now known as Libya: they have chosen King Idris himself from Cyrenaica (As-Sanousi clan) to please the Eastern Libyans who also resisted the occupation, and appointed the government ministers from Western Libya for their loyalty and expertise, thereby pleasing both sections of the country.
    
    
  • At-Lellou (At-Lalla tribe)
  • Ind Idris (Al-Edrisi tribe)
  • Ind Esa (Esa tribe)
  • Ind Zeffour (Zfafra tribe)
  • Ind Gezzoul (Legs'sr tribe)
  • Ind A'ettoush (Al-A'tt'oush tribe)
    
    
    • The above sub-tribes include various clans, distinguished by surnames: Al-A'azzabi, Boushwashi,  Bousahmeen, Fdis', Dehhan, Etwinee, Yea'la, H'naya, A'ekkari, En-nayel, Shelghem, Bouzriba, Bousennouga, A'eshshini, Jerrafa, Ben A'ribi, Ghriba, Merkous, Baskal, H'elmi, Boukria'at, Debaba, Malt'i, Boudeeb, Gereb, T'bia'a, Nannees, Annejjar; Alma'rouq, etc.

• Nafousah: a massive group of tribes inhabiting the Western Mountain, also known as Nafusa Mountain, including the towns of Yefren, Kabaw, Jado and Nalut, as well as other small villages and settlements found across the mountain tops. Al-Yaqubi (9^th century) informs us that the territory of the Nafousa extended from southern Tripolitania to the neighbourhood of Kairouan (in Tunisia). Among the most prominent tribes of Yefren is Al-Barouni tribe, among whom Sulaiman Al-Barouni fought the Italian occupation and later established the Tripolitania Republic which never materialised.

(2) - The Eastern Berbers:

• The Eastern Berbers: those tribes inhabiting the oases of Jalo and Aujila (Jalu, Awjla or Awjilah) in Cyrenaica, Eastern Libya. These tribes were part of a larger group of Berber tribes inhabiting the various oases in the Libyan desert in both countries Libya and Egypt, of which only Siwa in Egypt survives to this day. In ancient times all the oases  west of the Nile were inhabited by Berbers (Imazighen), and it is these oases that gave us the name "oasis", from Latin oasis, from Greek, from Coptic ouahe, in turn from Berber-Egyptian wh''t.

(3) - The Southern Berbers:

• Tuareg: Tuareq (الطوارق), Twareq, Twareg, Imushagh, Imuhaq: the Tuareg tribes comprise a large and complex group of nomadic Berber tribes and clans, native to the Sahara desert and its various oases like Ghadames and Ghat. The Tuareg people speak a Berber language, which they call Tamasheght or Tamaheqt, and hence their name Kel Tamaheqt means "the Speakers of Tamazight", meaning: "the Speakers of Berber Language ".

19th Century Tuareg Group (left); various Berber groups (right).

The Tuareg tribes are nomadic by nature and as such their traditional home is the great Sahara herself. The Tuareg are also called the "Blue People of the Sahara" simply because of the indigo fabric which stained their skin blue. The most distinguishable feature of Tuareg people is the "veil", or tagelmoust in Tamasheght, which sadly is slowly disappearing from the lives of modern city Tuareg. The origin of the veil is not understood, but it is possible that its original use was to protect against desert sand and wind during travel from one caravan station to another, and that after few generations it became part of the culture where Tuareg men wear it even while eating inside their tents - they pass food and drinks under the veil. This hypothesis may explain why Tuareg women do not wear the veil, as they do not take part in these caravans and hence they are not exposed to desert sand and wind as their men are.

The name Tuareg, according to the historian Ibn Khaldun and other sources, comes from Berber Targa, the ancient name of Fezzan and a subdivision of Sanhaja Berber group of tribes, who were still inhabiting Fezzan during the time of Ibn Khaldun. The Tuareg people refer to themselves by various names including "Kel Tamashegh" or "Kel Tamaheq" (the People of Berber) and "Kel Tagelmoust" (the people of the Veil). The typical tall Tuareg nomad  is highly dignified, grave, walks with long, slow steps, in unison with his camel, and, like all spearmen, carries himself erect. Their eyes are generally dark and piercing. Captain Denham describes the Tuareg women as having a copper complexion, large black eyes, finely shaped noses, and long plaited hair. Like his forefathers in the days of Herodotus, the modern nomad is conspicuously robust and healthful, eats and drinks sparely by necessity, and can walk 60 miles in two days on a handful of dried dates and a few cupfuls of water. The loneliness of the Sahara tends to intensify the sense of liberty to which the nomad is born heir. This sense of freedom is now in serious danger of becoming extinct.

The Twareg Dance

An old Targi passing by a team of young dancers, at first he fails to imitate them,  but then he succeeds in out-performing their  best; and so, out of shame, forcing the youngsters to  leave the place, one by one. Experience and subtlety is the theme of the dance. The Tuareg are highly spirited nomadic Berber people who originally controlled the whole of the Sahara, including parts of Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso. Tuareg language "Tamasheght" is a member of Berber (Tamazight) which includes about 40 major languages in North Africa. Only a handful of families still live a nomadic life in the Acacus region, but their peace and privacy are now threatened by tourists who seek them as a tourist attraction. Some eco-conscious tourists, however, do show some signs of respect and support, like offering help, fuel, buying some of their traditional hand-made jewellery, and asking them if  they can take photos before doing so.

Berber Tuareg Confederacies:

The Tuareg territories are divided into various federations in Libya, Algeria, Niger, Nigeria, Mali, Mauritania and Burkina Faso; each of which originally had its own traditions and tribal laws. The following map lists the Tuareg confederacies as Saltanate or Sulthanate, meaning "Emirates". Please click on the map for a list of these Tuareg confederacies and political groups (http://www.temehu.com/tuareg-confederacies.htm).

The various political groups of the Tuareg confederacies of North Africa.

The Garamantes of Ancient Libya:

The ancient Berber Garamantes tribes are widely considered as the ancestors of the current Tuareg tribes of Fezzan (Fazzan) in southern Libya.  They had control over a wide area, spanning the entire region from Tibesti to Acacus including the enigmatic Messaks and Wadi Metkhandoush. They initially run their kingdom from the nearby capital Zinchecra then from Germa or Garama (today's Jerma or Germa) in the first century AD, so named after their eponymous ancestor Garamas. Please click on the following link for the full article about Germa and the Garamantian civilisation of ancient Libya (http://www.temehu.com/Cities_sites/germa.htm).

Tebo

The Tebo (or Tebu, Tibu, Tibo, Tibbo, or Tibbos) are a group of tribes found along the southern side of the Harouj mountain and to the east of Fezzan, all the way to the Egyptian border, including the Kofra and Bezzima Oases, as well as south to the Tibesti Massif and across the border in northern Chad, Niger and as far as the Sudan. The Tebo of the Kufra were invaded by the Senussi clans in 1840s, and subsequently some of the inhabitants fled to the southern regions were they joined other Tebo tribes. The principal region of Tebo is Bilma, north of Lake Chad. The number of the Tebo in Libya was estimated to be around 5000 Tebbos, but the larger part of the group live in Chad and Niger. The Tbawi language is a member of the Nilo-Saharan language family. The main Tebo tribes include Kechad (of the towns of Abo and Tibesti), the Febabos (south south west of Aujilah), the Borgou (further south), the tribe of Arno, and the Gunda Tibbo (further southward).   Early explorers remarked that the Tibbos are not like other central African tribes and that they appear to have been infused with other northern races (or tribes). Their bodies are slim and their walk is light and swift. Their facial features include sharp eyes and thick lips, and their hair is not as curly as that of other African tribes. Tebo females are light and graceful, whose striking features include aquiline noses and fine lips. Their hair is plaited on each side of the face.

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The Jews

The Jewish community's existence in Libya goes back to the time of the pharaohs of ancient Egypt. Under the Roman rule the Jews were living in harmony with the native Berbers, until the first century when the Israeli zealot Jonathan incited the poor to revolt in Cyrene (in 73 BC), only to be crushed by the Romans. A second revolt followed in 115 in Cyrene (in Cyrenaica, Eastern Libya), in Egypt and in Cyprus. The number of Jews in Libya during the Italian occupation was estimated at about 25000 Jews, mainly living in the old city of Tripoli (al-h'ara), which was characterised by its narrow and roofed lanes. When the Germans occupied Benghazi the Jews were subjected to an ordeal that saw them persecuted and even deported, and as a result many Jews fled to other North African states and Europe for refuge.

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Immigrants

After the 1969's revolution, Libya witnessed a massive influx of foreign workers, primarily invited to take part in rebuilding Libya. Many of these workers came from Tunisia (construction workers and labour), Egypt (teachers), Palestine (teachers), Yugoslavia and Bulgaria (doctors and nurses). Then after Libya's call for pan-African unity and a common currency, a second wave of immigrants, estimated at one million workers, began to arrive in late 1990s, mainly from other neighbouring African countries like Sudan, Niger, Chad and Mali. High Libyan wages for unskilled workers, which reached nearly $300 a month, were also attracting a large number of immigrants from sub-Saharan Africa and from Asia. It was reported that this wave of legal immigrants eventually led to other waves of illegal immigrants, and soon afterwards Libya became a transit route for organised criminals who smuggle illegal immigrants into Libya and then from Libya into Europe via Sicily and Italy. One of the main smuggling routes was the 800 miles desert route between Niger and Libya, via the cities of Agadez and Timbuktu. With the increase in Libyan unemployment (currently stands at about 35%) and the spread of prostitution and heavy drugs, which never exited in Libya before, many Libyans began to have a second thought about immigration, and thus through the local committees they influenced the General People's Committee, the GPC, which enforces the will of the Libyan people, to react and order a crackdown on the employment of foreign illegal workers in the year 2000, and began a wave of mass deportation of illegal immigrants who had no official visas. As a result, tens of thousands of Nigerians, Ghanaians, Chadians, and many more from Niger, Gambia and Sudan were deported. The total number of illegal workers before the wave of deportation reached approximately 1.5 million worker; while the number of legal workers is estimated at about 3/4 (three quarters) of a million worker.

Related Pages:

• The administrative divisions or municipalities of Libya
• History of Libya
• The Temehu tribes of ancient Libya (and Egypt)