Kurtey people

Kurtey people

ethnic group

Country	Niger

De Kurtey people (var. Kourtey) be small ethnic group wey dem dey find along de Niger River valley for parts of de West African nations of Niger, Benin, Mali, den Nigeria. Dem sanso be found for considerable numbers for Ghana, Togo, Ivory Coast, den Burkina Faso insyd.

Assimilation for Songhai insyd

De Kurtey komot from de movement of Fula people wey dem dey de Niger River valley der for modern Tillaberi Region, Niger for de 18th century insyd, den dema intermarriage plus local Songhai, Zarma, Sorko den odas. While dem retain chaw aspects for Fula traditional culture, de Kurtey assimilate for Songhai-Zarma dema ways of life insyd den dem dey speak Southern Songhay dialect. Sum outside observers dey consider dem subsection of de Songhai people, whiles odas dey describe dem as communities plus distinct histories, cultures, den ethnic self-identification for de larger Songhai speaking social space insyd, wey de Songhai people be one part per.

Customs den demography

Dem today dey number less than 50,000, dem concentrate for islands top den along de Niger river banks wey dey near Sansani, Dessa den Ayorou; for Niamey insyd (especially for Koutoukalé quarter insyd); den for villages wey dey along de lower middle Niger from Gao go northern Nigeria. Sum Kurtey dey continue to mark dema body plus dema traditional facial scarification: small cross wey dey top of each cheekbone. De Kurtey san be one of de six Nigerian ethnic groups wey historically dem carry out female circumcision. Kurtey traditionally dey engage for sedentary cattle raising insyd— legacy of dema Fula ancestry—as well as fishing (lyk Sorko people), tobacco farming, den riverine flood irrigated millet den rice farming.

Relations plus odas

For de 19th century insyd, chaw Muslim Kurtey engage for slave raiding insyd amongst pagan Zarma along de Niger, wey dem earn de Zarma nickname "Thieves of Men". While historically bitter rivals of de Wogo people wey settle for de same area from de middle Niger beginning 1800, de two ethnic groups come turn closely related, dem settle for de same areas, dem dey speak similar dialects, wey dem dey share similar ways of life. Both be Muslims before dem migrate come de area, dem dey enjoy close relations plus de Fula Emirate of Say.

You fi read further

• Jean-Pierre, Olivier de Sardan (1984). Les Societes Songhay-Zarma, Niger-Mali: Chefs, Guerriers, Esclaves, Paysans--. Paris: Editions Karthala. ISBN 978-2-86537-106-8.