Fachi

Region

Fachi is a rural municipality in the department of Bilma in Niger. The following statements are largely based on the two 1983 and 1989 published standard works of anthropologists Peter Fuchs.

• 4.1 The date palms 4.1.1 Dattelhochzeit
• 4.1.2 The date harvest

• 4.2.1 Quality of the soil

• 4.3.1 The Saline work
• 4.3.2 The production
• 4.3.3 The importance of the salt trade

• 4.4.1 The product range of the caravans
• 4.4.2 The Triangular Trade
• 4.4.3 Origin of the caravans
• 4.4.4 The travel time

Geography

Fachi is a Oasenort in the Ténéré desert belonging to the Sahara in the north of the country and is located about halfway between the ( steel ) Arbre du Ténéré and Bilma. The neighboring municipalities are Dirkou in the north, Bilma in the east, and N'Gourti Tesker in the south and Iférouane, Tabelot and Timia in the West. The municipality is divided Fezei in the administrative village Fachi and the waterhole. The main town of the rural community is the administrative village Fachi.

Population

At the 2001 census Fachi had 2,629 inhabitants. For the year 2010 3.984 inhabitants were calculated. In the oasis Fachi the Kanuri dialect Fachi - Kanuri is spoken, which is closely related to the Bilma - Kanuri the oasis Bilma.

Culture and sights

Protection against sieges

The place is surrounded by a consisting of Salztonziegeln city wall with five gates. Inside of the castle Fachi Dada is eight meter high walls and four towers. It served as a refuge for the inhabitants possibility during robberies. The castle has until today every family at least one of the sometimes still used clay granary. As a well is present, the inhabitants were the predatory besiegers advantage over. In the city, a maze of narrow and winding streets leading between the well -built Salztonziegeln flat-roofed houses through.

Architecture

The architecture in Fachi reflects the basic principle of the square in plan, the rooms and the courtyards - all are created in a square shape. Mainly built with clay, but you may not have a two-day rain event serious damage. That is why stones were integrated into the buildings increased. Basically, all the buildings are constructed according to the same scheme. The prosperity is reflected less on the size of the house as the rich features within.

Economy

The date palms

The Kanuri for themselves claim to have planted the first date palms, but probably are those plantations created earlier. Dattelpalmenpflanzungen enjoy high esteem among the Kanuri. Every resident has the oasis of date palms; already a newborn child receives during his naming the first plants. A well-maintained property in date palms is sufficient to ensure food security of a family, ie to acquire the necessary imported staple foods.

Dattelhochzeit

The natural fertilization by the male pollen transfer the wind or insects, is not enough. The fertilization of the female flowers, in Fachi birra, " Dattelhochzeit " called, is an important event that is accompanied by religious events. The fertilization is performed by plugging a male flower branch in female. Each fertilization of the saying: "Allahu akbar fero kwa " ( fero = virgin, kwa = marry, receive ) accompanied. The fertilization of the individual palm is within the discretion of the individual concern of the owner, but the birra is a matter for the whole community.

The date harvest

The date harvest the entire population is from morning to night on the road. One has to climb into the tops of the palm tree to get at the fruit branches - that is the responsibility of men. The cut fruit branch is thrown down and expected of women, children and older men who harvest it immediately. The dates are placed in baskets or sacks in the city. The time of the date harvest is a time of daily disputes, either to the right on fallen fruits, except for the division of the harvest of palm trees that have multiple owners. However, it is also the time of the spontaneous gifts, given the accumulated amounts of generosity in the division in which repayment of a debt, the indulgence of a thief caught in the act.

The Gardens

Gardens can be found in the oasis Fachi between the sand dunes where loamy soil and water can be found in reachable depth. The gardens are secure in the event of an economic crisis caused by the absence of the caravans, the existence of the inhabitants of Fachi. Difficulty of gardening is the removal of the sand, which is above the fertile loamy soil. All other work such as sowing, weeding, watering, harvesting are considered as light work, the women and children can be expected. The harvest volumes are low and the amount of work is great, but the joy of the harvest makes you forget the associated troubles. Each household owns about two to three gardens on average.

Quality of the soil

The quality of the Garden State is divided into " wheat Garden " and " Luzernegarten ". "Wheat Gardens" need a pretty salt-free, especially good soil and salt-free water so that wheat can thrive. They make up about 34 % of used garden country. Irrigated the " wheat Gardens" with a draw well, as they require a lot of water. Alfalfa is the most important crop. The " Luzernegärten " have saline soils and more or less saline well water. Since they require little water, they are watered by hand. They make up about 66 % of the unused garden area.

The salt flats

The Saline work

The salt pans ( mandarins ) of Fachi owe their existence underground salt deposits that are probably caused by the drying out of the Tenere lakes. The groundwater flows through these salt deposits, it removes salt, and stand as a saturated brine at a shallow depth in appearance. In order to develop a Saline, you have to clear away sand and earth so far on the grounds that the brine can freely come to the surface. Due to the low humidity and the constant radiation from the sun, the water evaporates quickly, the salt separates out and is available for the people. The highlight of the salt production is during the hot months ago by May to September. In summer, the workers have to endure in the saline pool temperatures of 70 degrees, what most do not take it any longer than an hour. Saline work is considered in Fachi as the hardest work.

The production

Salt is produced in two grades: White, fully crystallized salt is sold under the name beza. It is intended as an edible salt for human consumption. The second salt quality, called Kantu, has a grayish-yellow color. It is a mixture of different types of salt, and is used as a livestock salt. In Fachi account for about 25% of production on beza salt, 75 % to Kantu salt. To prevent overproduction inquires you in the spring when the caravan entrepreneurs after the anticipated demand for the next caravan period, which begins in the fall.

The importance of the salt trade

The salt is at the center of the caravan trade. " Without salt, there would not Fachi ", one characterizes the elementary meaning of the salt trade in Fachi. The caravans are indeed interested in dates, but only in second place. Although the salt for the economy is of great importance, possession of salt pans gives not nearly the social prestige as the ownership of date palms or gardens. The reason for this is that Saline Saline ownership also means work. Of all the works she is the hardest and dirtiest work that is not really compatible in the opinion of the people of Fachi with the dignity of a free Kanuri.

The caravan trade

Fachi is highly dependent on imports. Many products have to be brought from a distance of over 1,000 kilometers. Due to the partially high dunes trains Fachi is not very accessible to trucks.

The product range of the caravans

The highest rank among all goods evacuate people from a Fachi the grain, their main food. 98% of the introduced cereal is sorghum, which is available as a single grain in large quantities. Second is the need for sheep and goats, which are used as sacrificial animals at religious occasions. The animals must be introduced because small animals does not take place in Fachi due to lack of pastures. Dried meat of goats, sheep, camels, cattle or wildlife is offered as food. Fresh meat is rare, since the transport of animals is tedious and therefore many losses must be taken into account. Grease is fed by Fachi in the form of butter, peanut and palm oil in small quantity is also fat camel offered. However, the fat supply of caravans is not enough, therefore fat is scarce. Further trade goods coming across the path of the salt caravans to Fachi, are dairy products and industrial goods. An important requirement relates to the clothing, and sandals and goat leather shoes. Clay pots are an indispensable part of the household equipment, are not produced in Fachi, they are therefore supplied by the caravans. Charcoal instead of smoldering camel dung or rapidly -burning palm branches are luxury. The beverage tea and sugar are not part of the basic needs, but bring vitality and social prestige. A highly valued luxury items are kola nuts. At parties, especially weddings, perfume is brought.

The triangular trade

Between the Saharan Kanuri, the Tuareg and Hausa a triangular trade takes place. The nomadic Tuareg from Air forth to the oases of the Kanuri, Fachi and Bilma. There they exchange millet and milk products against dates and salt. The received goods transport them to the Sahel markets of the Hausa in the south, where they will receive millet and money for dates and salt. Finally, they return to the air, where the triangular trade can begin again.

Origin of the caravans

The Kel Air caravans coming from the west to Fachi, so-called "West caravans ". The caravans of the Kel Gress, Buzu and Musugu are referred to as " Südkarawanen ". The Daza, Aza Manga also come from the south, but do not count as " Südkarawanen ".

The travel time

The first caravans meet in early September in Fachi. At this time, the date harvest is finished in Fachi and salt deposits are filled. The first caravans benefit from the grain shortage that exists in Fachi, because at this time the stocks are exhausted for the most part. In the months of December and January the caravan season reaches its climax. In February, the number of caravans have been in decline sharply in April and finally come the last caravans. For the months between May and September, the grain stocks in Fachi have sufficient supplies are not expected.

Animal husbandry

Goats and sheep people buy from Fachi of the caravans. They are used in festivals as sacrificial animals. Donkeys are the indispensable riding and pack animals for transport between the city and the gardens and salt. The Prestige animal in Fachi is the horse. You can use it to ride in the gardens, make an excursion or ride a caravan out. Camels can not be maintained, because suitable pastures missing.

Craft

Main professional craftsmen do not exist in Fachi. Nevertheless, there is no lack of men and women who have craftsmanship and utilize this partly as a sideline, partly for their own use. Many women weave mats, tote bags and baskets from the leaves of the date palm. These are very popular and are often sold or given as a " gift ". Most of the clothes are made in Fachi itself. The tailoring is men's work.