BAGIRMI

also spelled Baguirmi, people of mixed origin living on the southern fringe of the Sahara, close to the region of Bornu. Numbering about 415,000 in the late 20th century, the Bagirmi are a mixture of Arab, Berber, and Negro. Most speak dialects of the Fulani language, called Fulfulde, which belongs to the West Atlantic branch of the Niger-Congo family. In the old Kingdom of Bagirmi, the Bagirmi exercised political dominance over many other peoples, and waves of invading peoples kept the Bagirmi almost constantly beleaguered. When King Idris Alawma of Bornu conquered the Bagirmi in about 1600, Islam was introduced; it made scant headway, however, and most people retained their traditional beliefs. The Bagirmi practice hoe cultivation, growing chiefly millet and sorghum. They also keep cattle, goats, sheep, dogs, and chickens. North African influence can be seen in the use of milk, butter, and cheese, as well as in the practices of irrigation and fertilization with manure. The complex social stratification of the Bagirmi includes a privileged nobility headed by a royal family.