Kanembu

These are nomadic traders and sedentary agriculturists based along the northern shores of Lake Sade of Kasar Wuta and stretching all the way north into the wadis and oases of central Shamsi Desert. They have long facilitated and controlled trade in this region and all trade connecting further south as wealthy merchants and ready allies of Ilnid and Islam al'Rasul. These merchants and the agricultural Kanembu clans are based in the region of Kanem, once home to the longlived and widespread Kanem and Bornu Empires. They are also closely related to the Kanuri people who descend from intermarriage between Kanembu and local tribes after they crushed the local Sao Empire which the Kameeni descend from.

Unlike their Kameeni neighbors, who they've been locked in conflict with throughout many eras, the Kanembu gladly embraced Islam al'Rasul, trade partners with both the Arabiyy and Masryeen in the west and the Turkler in the east. This was accomplished thanks to established Shamsi Camel caravans well prepared for the dangers of the desert and steady trade with their northern Imaziɣen neighbors. Their influence has considerably faded thanks to the Kingdom of Accia as they spread into Alkelbulan, the kingdom making an enemy out of any who allied themselves with Ilnid early in their campaigns. Despite these early conflicts, Kanembu chiefs and merchants remain extremely influential along trade routes and in central Kasar Wuta, especially in Kanem.

Aside from trade, most Kanembu are sedentary agriculturists and pastorialists or influential urban citizens. Traders and their caravans are nomadic while the rest of the Kanembu work the land and raise animals, only the Duu Kanembu practicing artisan trades in specialized clans. Their homeland, Kanem, runs from the shores of Lake Sade up into the cenral reaches of the Shamsi Desert. Many oases and wadis of central Shamsi belong to Kanembu clans, especially those engaged in desert agriculture. Other inhabitants of Kanem are the Toubou, Kanuri, Yedina, Kuri and various smaller Nil-Shamsi ethnic groups all centered around Lake Sade. The lands imediately surrounding Lake Sade are an agricultural and pastorial haven, well irrigated and fertile with rich pasture. Most pastorialists live in lands in northern Kanem while agriculturalists thrive in the richer soils in the south. Agriculturalists are more impacted by drought, sometimes causing strain between north and south Kanem. Even within the Shamsi Desert, many families keep small gardens in fertile wadis and oases. Kanembu export surplus grains north by camel.

Racial Magic

As the most populous people of central Kasar Wuta, the Kanembu have quite the range of Racial Magic they can inherit. However, thanks to their strictly endogomous caste system, these abilities are focused almost exclusively within certain castes. Some even validate their caste system by pointing out that everyone's magic is well suited to their roles within society, that this is the natural order of things. Nomadic merchants tend to inherit Rithaldis, Ilnid and Flithmar magic useful for treking across radiant desert, towering dunes and burning grasslands safely. Meanwhile, those living within small farming villages inherit Maralith, Barnok and, within oases, Aasaru's blessings. Finally, while Duu artisans tend to inherit Flithmar and Martor magic useful for their trade, Kanembu royalty and religious leaders frequently possess Krithda Mental Manifestations.

☀️ Rithaldis ☀️

Manipulation

Able to manipulate, repel and reshape radiant energy present in their environment. This can be sunlight, solar plasma or even ionizing radiation. They are also able to see radiation as solid white particles.

Aura

Able to summon or generate radiant energy from Rithaldis' Plane either from their body or into the area around them. This can include sunlight, solar plasma and radiation. Can roughly control these energies and are immune to damage from radiant energy, magic or natural and can see this energy as a solid white particle.

Eye

Able to see despite, through and able to see radiant energy over a long distances including strong sunlight, solar plasma and ionizing radiation. Can tell details about the energy, even through barriers and obstructions.

Blade

Can generate blades consisting of intense photons and radiant energy, from their body or as bladed weapons, which converts surrounding air into plasma. Essentially they can create radioactive plasma blades. Hotter and more radioactive blades eat up energy quickly.

Pocket

Able to create small portals into Rithaldis' Plane big enough to reach their hand or arm inside and can extract the miniature suns which exist within. These eventually burn up outside the plane.

Shield

Immune to damage or ill effects from both radiant magic and naturally occurring radiant energy. This includes strong sunlight, solar plasma and ionizing radiation.

Flithmar

Manipulation

Able to manipulate, repel and reshape flames present in their environment.

Aura

Able to summon or generate flames from Flithmar's Plane either from their body or into the area around them. Can roughly control these flames and are immune to damage from fire, magic or natural.

Eye

Able to see despite, through and able to see flames over a long distance. Can tell details about the fire like what is burning and the temperature, even through barriers and obstructions.

Skin

Can produce fire from their skin and expand the flames around themselves in different shapes.

Pocket

Able to create small portals into Flithmar's Plane big enough to reach their hands or arm inside and can place or remove small items from the plane. Anything placed inside will burn.

Breath

Can exhale or inhale fire. They can put out any fire around them by inhaling the flames or use this ability like a dragon's breath.

Shield

Immune to negative effects and/or damage from all flame magic and naturally occurring flames. They are totally fireproof.

Step

Can enter and exit Flithmar's Plane via portals and travel the plane freely, without injury. Portals are flames large enough to fit through. They can bring another with them while maintaining contact even extending their elemental protections. They cannot be harmed by flames and can use fire as a solid foothold similarly to one with a Movement manifestation but cannot turn into fire.

Martor

Manipulation

Able to manipulate, repel and reshape metals present in their environment.

Eye

Able to see through and able to see metals over a long distances, even through obstructions. Can tell details about the metal like its composition and qualities too.

Craft

Able to craft metals by hand with great detail and without need for tools or a forge. Also able to purify metals by hand, separating slag and other impurities without a smelter or even heat.

Form

Can convert parts of their body into a specific kind of metal or has this metal incorporated into their magic form in some way. The type of metal differs person to person.

Ilnid

Manipulation

Able to manipulate, repel and reshape sand, quartz and glass present in their environment.

Movement

Able to walk, step or move on or through sand, glass and quartz freely as though these were water or air. They can also briefly transform into sand, travel in a given direction as sand does and reform elsewhere. While they cannot be harmed by sand or glass, they can be restrained using sand magic.

Sense

Able to feel or sense sand, glass and quartz in their environment, feel anything interacting with it and sense details about these materials despite barriers. Cannot be harmed by sand or glass, magic or natural. However, they can be restrained using sand magic.

Breath

Can exhale sand or glass shards and can breath without impediment in sandstorms or while engulfed in sand, quartz or glass.

Maralith

Manipulation

Able to manipulate, communicate with, attract or direct mammals that are present or nearby. These organisms will disperse and/or regain their will when the caster runs out of energy or ceases their control.

Aura

Able to attract nearby mammals or summon a beast companion they have established a bond with or local mammals from Maralith's Plane. They can give these mammals basic commands, having some influence, but these beasts will disperse or return to where they were summoned with.

Form

Their magic form has features of a specific mammal incorporated into it, usually one native to their homeland. They will be able to manifest certain characteristics of this mammal, usually limited to a handful of smaller features or one or two large ones.

Barnok

Manipulation

Able to manipulate, communicate with, influence, direct, attract, repel, alter and enhance, hasten or inhibit the growth of domesticated plants and crops.

Sense

Able to feel or sense crops around them despite barriers. They can tell many things about these, details much clearer by touching the plant versus sensing it from a distance. This can include their health, qualities and uses, the health of the plant, etc. They are also immune to damage from Barnok magic.

Form

Their magic form has features of a specific domesticated plant incorporated into it. They will be able to manifest certain charictarsitics of this plant from their body or transform parts of their body into this plant. Which plant differs by individual but usually is one common to where they live.

Aasaru

Manipulation

Able to manipulate, communicate with, influence, direct, attract, repel, alter and enhance, hasten or inhibit the growth of domesticated plants and crops.

Movement

Able to burst into airborn seeds of local desert species, traveling on the wind and reforming elsewhere. They are also immune to damage from these plants and unhindered by them. Any part of these plants are a solid foothold for them.

Form

Their magic form has features of a specific desert plant incorporated into it. They will be able to manifest certain charictarsitics of this plant from their body or transform parts of their body into this plant. Which plant differs by individual but usually is one common to where they live.

☸️ Krithda ☸️

Aura

Can generate temporary emotions or states related to Krithda in those around them. feelings of or desire for order, sanity, logic, selflessness and 'group over individual' mentality. Thoughts that are structured, logical and sensible fall under this aspect as does a desire for the same.

Binding

Able to bind specific emotions, thoughts or memories related to Krithda. They can either restrict a target's access to these or bind a specific memory, desire or urge for order to a person's mind, leaving them unable to rid themselves of it or forget it.

Touch

Can flood a target's mind with visions of the overarching unity and interconnected nature of the world or grant stability to a target's mind.

Naming Traditions

Family names

There is a division of Kanembu clans between Duu and non-Duu. Non-Duu clans include the N'gijim, Kajidi, Galao, Twari, Bade, Bereu, Kogona, Dieri, Rudou, Sarao, Kanxu, Megemi, Dieu, N'gala, N'jaliu, Kangina, Kore, Deya, Kei, Kubri, Bernom, Kafa, B'rao, Ciriu, Duwa, Kingiriu, Mawi, Tadeu and Tira. Duu clans include the Darka, Bara, Dieri, Adia, Bareu, Kei, Rea, Kakuluru, Magemi, Kyuri, Kanku, Aiyeru, Tira, N'jaliu, Yeya, Bodasa, Goya, Kafa, Kubri, Muliamusara, Seseya, Tana, Danga, Kumbariu, Lera, Moluru, Yeyimbo, Aseru, Bade, Baria, B'rao, Corona, Dii, Galao, Jula, Kajidi, Kawlia, Lukuya, Mana, Moiro, N'gurodimeru, Suta and Twari.

Oddly, some of these clans possess the same name despite being Duu or non-Duu. However, because these clans aren't allowed to intermarry, the distinction is normally still clear. Most Duu are artisans by trade alongside their farming duties. These clans generally specialize in a specific kind of trade or two. The following are which clans engage in which trades:

Farmers

All except Guyu, K'leti and Warda

Fishermen

Guyu, Kalia, K'leti,
Kuuri, Lukuyin and Tira

Blacksmiths

Barabara, Dalawadaya, Goya, Kawlya, Warda

Saddlers

Dalawadaya
Maada

Mortar Makers

Bodassa

Tanners

Kodia

Hunters

Dieri, Kei, Kodia and Sesseya

Butchers

Magemi

Dihe Producers

Guyu

Dyers

Ayeru, Kanku, K'leti, Kumbaru,
Barau Chulumbu, Magemi, N'gala, Sarao and Twari

Weavers

Adia, Ayeru, Choronga, Danka, Darka, Galdiin, Kalia,
Kanku, K'leti, Kumbaru, Limbo, Loria, Magemi, Rea, Tira and Yeya

Shoemakers

Adia, Bara, Barau Chulumbu, Bodassa, Danka, Darka,
Dieri, Galdiin, Karda, Kawlya, Koshia, Loria, Lukuyin, Mania, N'gala, Rea and Twari

Culture

Major language groups and dialects

They share the same name as their language, Kanembu, which is closely related to Kanuri. In the past they had also spoken the language of the Toubou people. Kanembu is a Nil-Shamsi language.

Culture and cultural heritage

by Lee Stepp

Kanembu society is distinctly separated into a caste system split between serfs, Duu and non-Duu Kanembu. Duu consist of Kanembu farmers and craftsman. These are looked down upon by non-Duu and are strictly forbidden from marrying non-Duu Kanembu, making their status hereditary. Duu were originally blacksmiths (kagelma) and hunters (m'barama), believed to have originally imigrated from Barim. Eventually, all artisans were consolidated into Duu clans, engaging in farming alongside their trade. These are blacksmiths, tanners, shoemakers, butchers and the like. Major dominant clans own rights to the land and the right to raise cattle, Duu restricted to Impangele Hen and Tamadla Goat. Some trades are seen as better or worse than others, the lowliest being a butcher and the the highest a goldsmith. While Duu are freemen, as opposed to serfs or slaves, they lack the same economic resources to be independant, reliant on their contracts with non-Duu clans. Each Duu clan are in a perpetual patron relationship with a Kanembu lineage. They usually produce these goods alongside their agro-pastorial duties. Duu camp behind the huts or tents of their patrons or along their trade routes. Their crafts are bartered against milk, food staples, goats and poultry according to longstanding contracts, totally dependant on these exchanges.

Most Kanembu villages are of a single clan while one third of the population are outsiders. Some of these are linked to the headman's clan through marriage or cousinship while the rest are indentured servants, usually Haratin, which have entered into sharecropping agreements or are Duu contractships. They work the fields, thisr labor considered payment for the right to do so, but still owe more than half of what they produce to the clan. Between these property rights and marriage restrictions, Duu and serfs are forced to rely on non-Duu for resources. While their services and skills are indispensable and necessary, they are treated and viewed as a subordinate class. Some jobs require intensive labor such as ironworking and are undertaken by a large group of craftsman, each Duu clan having different specializations. There is also a division of which skills are appropriate for which gender. Pottery and midwifery are reserved to Duu women, many of these blacksmith's wives, while cotton weaving involves labor from both sexes. All other crafts are reserved for men. Only the weaving of mats, baskets, rope and weaving of Mawa Palm leaves are considered an acceptable trade for non-Duu.

by Lee Stepp

Duu clans are scattered and dispersed more widely than non-Duu Kanembu, their communities smaller and structured differently. Thier villages are economically and politically autonomous but reliant on non-Duu clans. Many Duu will not only perform these trades but also work as farmers in clan fields. The practice of sharecropping has become all the more extreme and prevalent under the governance of the Chevalier House of the Kingdom of Accia, imitating the serfdom in the western Eluzian Valley and replacing their system of slavery. Kanembu societies made ample use of slave labor like a number of their neighbors in Kasar Wuta but under Accian control, these practices were abolished in favor of sharecropping. Accians are very proud of this shift, failing to recognize the similiarities in serfdom and slavery. Even despite their new "freedom", Haratin and Kanembu slaves have found themselves in much the same position due to property rights and segregation, not given opportunity for more. Most have become serfs, taking up sharecropping contracts. While Duu have always been relatively autonomous in comparison to slaves, they too lack access to cattle or property and are subject to the decisions of aristocracy.

Shared customary codes and values

by Lee Stepp

The social hierarchy of Kenembu tribes can be striking to outsiders, kinship reflecting their value of seniority, precedence and hierarchy. Different clans are competitive with each other and territorial, even among alliances. One might mistakenly try to define their society as a confederation but in reality it is a segmentary lineage system which values agnatic (patrilineal) descent over all others. Their politics are intertwined with their kinship system which grants individuals status and rights over resources based on their paternal descent. Tribes balance each other out through complementary opposition. This also leads to having reduced centralized authority, most politics boiling down to relationships between local clans. Marriages are also a matter of interclan relations, used to tie villages together in the interests of peace.

Foods & Cuisine

by Lee Stepp

The Kanembu mostly grow grains like sorghum, corn and millet alongside beans and vegetables. Wheat is grown in the lowland tracks of their lands. They are also known to produce resin for Isik Gozyaslari, honey and beesawax. Cattle are the most important livestock which they raise, milk being an important ingredient in their local dishes. Impangele Hen, Tamadla Goat, sheep, Shamsi Camel, horses and Aa-hemet Donkey are also raised and integrated into their cuisine. Fish is another traditional part of their diet, usually dried, salted or smoked.

by Lee Stepp

They have a unique source of food called Dihe, consisting of a cyanobacteria which grows along the surface of oases and Lake Sade. It can be harvested throughout the year and only the Kanembu woman are known to harvest it, believing men will make the lake barren. They harvest the dihe in the morning, supervised by an older woman responsible for protecting the oases. They skim off this blue-green algae and pour it into baskets or jars. Each woman can harvest around 4-8 kg a day. Once harvesting is finished, they dig round holes in the sand and carefully pour the algae into the holes. This filters the algae which is then allowed to sun dry. Once mostly dry, they are cut into small squares and brought back to their villages to finish drying on mats. When consuming dihe, these blocks are crumbled into a bowl or crushed with mortar and pestles, adding cold water and mixing until the concoction is smooth. Then the dihe is cooked for an hour to an hour and a half. This is used in a number of dishes and in a traditional sauce used with beans, fish or meat and even rice, milk or oil. Dihe is also useful for medicinal purposes to treat wounds, headaches and stomachaches.

Funerary and Memorial customs

by Lee Stepp

When a man passes away, his property passes to his sons. Widows only receive that which her children may choose to leave her with. She usually remarries one of her late husband's kinsmen but if she doesn't, her children are obligated to support her. Eldest sons are entitled to larger and more preferential shares than his younger brothers though he may ask them to manage the land over which their father had rights to so that their lands remain undivided. This is especially prevalent in wadis. Sisters do not receive inheritance directly, subject to their brother's distribution. The eldest can also select the better personal belongings of their father such as weapons, harnesses and accoutrements. Division of cattle and harvests are usually more equal. When the wife is first to die, the same norms apply but the widower is not considered an heir, only the children. If there are no children, her siblings are first to inherit but the headsman of her home village is also considered an heir.

Historical figures

by Lee Stepp

The Kanembu people descend from both the Kanem and Bornu Empires which spanned central Kasar Wuta for several eras, long lived and expansive empires. These originally nomadic people were centered around Lake Sade in central Kasar Wuta but had also stretched into northern Nyasi za Rangi and central Shamsi Desert.

Kanem Empire

In the earliest days of Kanem, they lived along the borders of Lake Sade and the territories surrounding this waterway or made their home along the trade routes of Shamsi Desert, living in oases and wadis. They were a nomadic people fascilitating trade between Tripoli and Lake Sade. At this time, they spoke the same language as the Toubou who lived to the northwest. The Kanembu of Kanem were also the ancestors of the Kanuri who lived to their southeast. The Kanuri were the result of intermarriage between Kanembu and local tribes.

As their population grew, the Kanembu were unable to subsits in desert oases and wadis alone, migrating south into Kasar Wuta in search of fertile lands. These nomads settled into sedentary life but this led to conflicts with the Sao Empire who already possessed walled city states south of Lake Sade. Weakened by eras of conflict with the Arabiyy, the Kanem Empire dominated the Sao and dismantled their empire. Conflicts continued for some time between the Kanembu and the Kameeni, descendants of the Sao. Following their conquest, a new Kanembu dynasty was established which claimed divine rule: Dougouwa Dynasty. These kings were called Mai and they ruled over Kanem for thousands of years, including maintaining sovreignty over their Kanuri descendants. Their ruling class were called Zaghawa and their capital was Manan. Much of their poulation remained nomadic, living in huts made of reeds which weren't situated within towns. However, militarily they dominated other tribes thanks to a superior cavalry. Wealth was usually measured by livestock such as Shamsi Camel, horses and Tamadla Goat.

After extensive back and forth between pagan leaders and muslim leaders, the Kanuri muslim Saifawa Dynasty gained control of Kanem from the Zaghawa amid ethnic conflict. This new dynasty took possession of the Zaghawa trade routes in central Shamsi alongside salt mines. Their main trade was in slaves, desired by Ilnid's court. They raided tribes who refused Islam al'Rasul in the south, such as the Kameeni, before transporting them to Arabiyy towns in Shamsi like Zawila in exchange for horses and weapons. Eventually, they left behind their nomadic lifestyle entirely and settled into Njimi as their capital. Many of their Mai were devout muslims. Some of these Mai were more diplomatic than others but still continued to try and push Islam al-Rasul onto surrounding tribes. Their influence in central Shamsi was absolute but civil instability persisted. A mixture of these internal struggles and external conflicts eventually dismantled Kanem. Between their war with the Sao and the death of several Mai, they had to abandon Njimi to the western Wadai Empire and migrated to Bornu on the eastern edges of Lake Sade.

Bornu Empire

by Lee Stepp

Several thousand years ago, the Kanem Empire gave way to the Bornu Empire. The main language spoken in Bornu was Kanuri. Even after their loss of their capital in Njimi, the Mai continued to struggle, losing many leaders in a short time. However, they were eventually successful in defeating all of their rivals and overtook Bornu, creating the Bornu Empire in a fortifed capital called Ngazargamu. This empire was an entirely muslim state but continued to be ruled by Mai. They were so successful that they were even able to reclaim Njimi though leadership remained in Ngazargamu. Late into the reign of the Bornu Empire, they had reached their largest size after conquering their Hausawa and Imaziɣen neighbors. The empire had even entered into a non-agression pact with their longheld enemies, the Wadai Empire. Trade routes extended throughout the Shamsi Desert, reaching all the way to Sesli Plato and the Arabiyyan Desert. They had established the largest slave trade markets in Kasar Wuta, trading conquered peoples for horses for their cavalry.

By the time Bornu influence had begun to fade, the Fulbe tribes were invading from the east, furthering the decline of Bornu. Eventually, the Fulbe conquered Ngazargamu, claiming they were irreligious muslims despite Bornu being a center for islamic education. A man of mixed Kanuri and Arabiyy heritage contested this conquest, originally a scholar, and brought together an alliance of Arabiyy, Kanuri and Kanembu muslims. He eventually built a new capital, Kukawa. Taking up a role of leadership, the Mai became figureheads, eventually leading to the last Mai allying with outside forces and instigating civil war. Ironically, this led to the death of the last mai. This marked the collapse of a longheld dynasty and the establishment of Kanembu emirates led by alifa (caliphs). By this time, cailphates had become established both east in Hausawa lands and in the western Wadai Empire.

The new emirate of kanem-bornu was heavily influenced by its advisors called wazirs. Thanks to disorganization of their government, individuality of regions and attacks from the Wadai, their empire continued to decline. Eventually, Bornu was conquered by western invaders, resulting in the death of multiple alifa in a single year. It was amid these events that Accian influence began entering into Alkelbulan. The Kingdom of Accia generally made enemies with any peoples allying themselves with Ilnid and Islm al-Rasul. The Chevalier House and Minx House in particular occupied Kasar Wuta, allying themselves with the Kameeni and other tribes as they opposed Arabiyy influence. A mixture of warfare and politics was waged against the Kanembu, pitting different emirates against each other and dividing their lands, until a new capital was founded named Mao. The kingdom has allowed these emirates to persist alongside Islam al-Rasul via a number of treaties and after installing alifa of their choosing. A series of treaties have also been made with neighboring tribes, all but reunifying the lands surrounding Lake Sade which were once a part of the Bornu Empire.

Ideals

Courtship Ideals

by Lee Stepp

Kanembu courtship involves a considerable trend of gift giving and economic exchanges and, much like the Arabiyy, the selection and compatability of a partner is deliberated by practical criteria. Spouses are sought from outside of one's own clan or lineage, tracked by patrilineal lines but not matrilineal. Other important considerations are the wealth of each party, kinship to chiefs, lineage affiliations, consanguinity (descending from the same ancestor) and, in the case of Duu, artisan trade of a partner. Most families also prefer to have their daughter marry close to home so she isn't alienated to a distant son-in-law while, contradictory to this, most men prefer to choose a wife from outside of his own settlement, especially for his first wife. Perhaps unsurprisingly for a patriarchal society, men can take more than one wife.

Much of Kanembu courtship and marriage traditions revolve around gift giving and exchanges of wealth. Even early courtship begins with gifts of rolls of cotton (gobak), sandals, sugar, perfume or pomade to a potential bride and her family. The most important exchange is the brideprice, usually paid from a suitor's patrimony (gifts of wealth given to him from his family at various milestones of his life). These gifts are usually presented to the bride's mother from the groom's' mother. Different amounts of money are presented, the appropriate amount different depending on her lineage, chief's daughters expecting the highest sum. The average brideprice is the cost of a single ox. This is expected to be paid all at once, postponing any wedding until this is paid. If a groom is struggling to pay the brideprice, it isn't uncommon for his uncles and other kin to aid him. If the marriage eventually results in divorce, the brideprice is actually refunded to the ex-husband!

One final gift is given on the day of marriage called a sadau, presented by the groom to the bride in the presence of her parents. The sadau consits of cattle or goats, these becoming the personal property of the bride as they begin their life together and represents their link as husband and wife. During the marriage ceremony, the father or uncle of each party meet and village elders also attend the ceremony in the name of the community. Jewelry is commonly promised and presented on the wedding day though the groom is given six months to present this gift in order evade embarassment! Earings, bracelets, anklets are commonly given, made of bronze at the cheapest, while wealthy parties usually give only pure silver jewelry. Once they finish announcing the gifts offered by the groom, the union is sealed by a recitation of the Qaran. The bride, wearing a dark shawl, will then ride on the back of a mare, ox or donkey to their new home. Guests cheer and give shrill cries, especially her female friends and kin she departs from them. The bride will burry the bridle of her mount in the sand only for the groom to retreive it before tearing it. The bride's family has furnished their new home with utensils and essentials for a new household. They also present a horse to their son-in-law but dowries of cattle aren't common among the Kanembu. Marraige fesivities can last as long as a week, the wife's kin and friends aiding the groom's family by bringing foodstuffs and small gifts to balance out the cost of the celebration.

Relationship Ideals

Duu Kanembu are required by law to marry within their social strata, completely restricted from marrying non-Duu. This makes their class hereditary and permanant. All Kanembu have an agnatic descent system, traced exclusively along patrilineal lines. Those possessing land also continue to mainpulate resources and inheritance through marraiges, leading to the dominance of some clans over others. This kind of organization can be found throughout central and western Kasar Wuta as it has been the leading centralized political system amid their longstanding empire. Lineage systems are a form of organization which makes it easy for governments to retain control over agnatic social groups. The Duu especially are kept carefully dependant on non-Duu Kanembu and are even held in contempt by these more dominant clans. This societal organization has led to fragmentation of their population.

There are a number of other distinctions and terms used within their kinship systems. These include kari, jili, kifaday and fada/fado. Kari is the term used for ethnic groups, differentiating groups like the Kanembu and Kameeeni but is also used to indicate distinctions like the Duu and non-Duu. Jili is a broader term for the widest social unit, separating major ethnicities. Kifaday means "mouth or door of the house" and is used for relatives of close agnatic descent, those someone interacts with regularly. In major lineages, no more than a single extended family counts as kifaday, found in the same hamlet and around core male siblings, their parents and ther children (aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents). Finally, fado or fada meant "house", "home" or "compound" and is used for domestic units. Nuclear or extended families who permanantly live together in one compound are a fado.

Major organizations

by Lee Stepp

Chiefs of villages are usually the headsman of a given clan but their official appointment depends on the approval of the Kingdom of Accia. Most of Kanem, the homeland of the Kanembu, is divided up into prefectures and villages and led by chiefs. While clan headsman still elect chiefs of larger prefectures, higher government officials are selected by Accian nobility if they themselves don't take up these positions. They also reserve the right to depose any chief but rarely do so for the sake of stability. Clan membership and government is organized by patrilineal lines, ownership of land restricted to these patriarchal clans. Land rights are at the heart of a clan's autonomy, usually handling their own internal affairs independantly. Access to fields is granted by the clan and outsiders can only work the land through sharecropping, owing this clan more than half of what they produce.

All of Kanem is viewed as belonging to the alifa (caliph), chiefs appointed by a council of elders within villages but usually these positions are inherited. Chiefs need to obtain a formal investiture from the alifa in order to officially take up leadership. This validates the clan's rights to collect taxes from those residing in their territories which they administer independantly. In return, they are required to send the central government their share of the revenue. While the alifa and government as a whole answers to Accian rule, chiefs still hold considerable influence over their people and their tribal structure remains unchanged so long as they meet the demands of the kingdom. The relationship between the alifa and the kingdom is tenuous but has become much smoother now that Accia is in negotiations with Ilnid and his empire.