| Songhai Songhaytarey (meaning, "Songhai Homeland") | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Country |  Niger |
| Region | Tillabery Region (Southwestern Niger) |
The Songhai (also Songhay, Songhaytarey ([soŋaj]), ([soŋaj-tah-ʀai̯])) is an area in the northwestern corner of Niger's Tillabéri Region populated mainly by the Songhaiborai. It is considered the heartland of the Songhai people and the sanctuary of their ancient pantheon and priestly class and the place in which the original lineage of the Sonni dynasty retreated after the coup d'etat of 1493 creating a secret society of magicians, the Sohance.
History
The Songhay Empire grew out of a polity that was formed in this region of present-day Niger. This polity flourished in present-day Mali and replaced the Mali Empire as the major West Sudanese power with its capital as Gao. After being vanquished by incursions from Morocco, the Songhay state withdrew to its original homeland which is this region.
The first settlers to move back here from Gao were the Sonni dynasty in 1493 followed by the Askia dynasty in 1591 who also settled here and further south in the Dendiganda and established smaller kingdoms after the invasion of the Songhai Empire by the Saadi dynasty of Morocco.
The nobles of the towns in this region trace their ancestry to two groups of Songhay nobility: the Si or Sonni Hamey (offspring of Sonni Ali Ber) and Mamar Hamey (offspring of Mamar or Maamar, that being the vernacular name of Askia Mohammad I). The primary dialect spoken in this region is Songhoyboro Ciine.
References
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- Idrissa, Rahmane; Idrissa, Abdourahmane; Decalo, Samuel (June 2012), Historical Dictionary of Niger By Rahmane Idrissa, Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo, Scarecrow Press, p. 334, ISBN 9780810860940, retrieved 2021-04-14
- Bornand, Sandra (2005), Le discours du griot généalogiste chez les Zarma du Niger, Volume 1, KARTHALA Editions, pp. 59 "Ce phénomène s'explique probablement par sa double origine: son père et sa mere sont originaires du pays sonay et c'est avec son pére qu'il a appris sa profession" and Page 171 "Cet instrument ne se trouve qu'en pays sonay, plus précisément vers Koulikoira", ISBN 9782845866256, retrieved 2021-04-27
- Levtzion, Nehemia (2007). "The Western Maghrib and Sudan". In Roland Oliver (ed.). The Cambridge History of Africa. Vol. 3. Cambridge University. pp. 331–462.
- Idrissa, Rahmane; Idrissa, Abdourahmane; Decalo, Samuel (2012), Historical Dictionary of Niger By Rahmane Idrissa, Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo, Scarecrow Press, p. 173, ISBN 9780810860940, retrieved 2021-04-14
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- Idrissa, Abdourahmane; Decalo, Samuel (2012), Historical Dictionary of Niger by Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo, Page 310, Scarecrow Press, ISBN 9780810870901, retrieved 2021-03-17
- Olivier de Sardan, Jean-Pierre (2000), Unité et diversité de l'ensemble songhay-zarma-dendi
- Bernussou, Jérôme (8 June 2020), "Chapitre I. Les nouveaux axes de l'historiographie universitaire : « histoire totale » et « histoire politique », à partir des années 70", HISTOIRE ET MÉMOIRE AU NIGER, Méridiennes, Presses universitaires du Midi, pp. 41–112, ISBN 9782810709519, retrieved 2021-03-30
- Idrissa, Rahmane; Idrissa, Abdourahmane; Decalo, Samuel (2012), Historical Dictionary of Niger By Rahmane Idrissa, Abdourahmane Idrissa, Samuel Decalo, Scarecrow Press, p. 174, ISBN 9780810860940, retrieved 2021-04-14
- Idrissa, Abdourahmane (2020), Historical Dictionary of Niger By Abdourahmane Idrissa, Rowman & Littlefield, p. 575, 361, 448, 179 "Soney", ISBN 9781538120156, retrieved 2021-04-14