Al-Amin Abu-Manga and I meet Mbororo in Sireu. An interview is conducted with a group of men, including Abdu ʿUmar, who does most of the talking. Since he turns out to be the older brother of Sheikh Baabo ʿUmar, I ask him to convey my greetings to him. The interview is later transcribed in Fulfulde and translated into English.
Armed conflicts with a warlike character have prevented the members of this group from taking their usual route of southward migration. Localities they have frequented in earlier years include the following: Khor Dunya, Agagir, Gargade, Abu Garib, Bagis, Burgub, Bangas, Salbul, Fadumiya, Deral, Jabal Maraf’a, Dunduru (Dindiro on maps), Kukuli, Shali, Lelel. Abuk’uru, Yabus Ghaba, Kubri Yabus ("the bridge over the Yabus"), Gosha, Pampam, and Dugube. From Kubri Yabus, a route is said to lead into Ethiopia, specifically, to Kabanga, Bambashi (Bambesi on map 1, map 2, map 5, and in the following), and Jasira, the farthest point they reach in that direction. Another route leads from Dugubele to Garsuma, Dote, Bailo, Dajo, Kikile, Disa, Mayyut (Mayot), Nyiligel, Jikaw, Telus, Yika, and finally Gambela. They used to arrive in Gambela around May, having left the Damazin area in September. Other people whom we interviewed, and who were also members of Abdu ʿUmar’s group, sometimes stayed on the Sudanese side, in Upper Nile Province, when the conditions were favorable there.
The Mbororo occasionally had to make payments for water to "Burun, Ingessana, Dawwala, Uduk, Koma, and the Southerners." Later, Burun and Uduk used to shoot at Mbororo on sight. This led the Mbororo to avoid these groups by going into Ethiopia. With the proliferation of low level administrative authorities, life has become more difficult for Mbororo, even in the relatively peaceful areas of the Sudan. All types of taxes are extorted from them wherever they go.
For the interview with Abdu ʿUmar and several Fulɓe men belonging to his group (Mbeewe’en) use the link:
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