Tama in Chad


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Tama in Chad are in the Guereda/Biltine prefectures. They also live in the Darfor region of Sudan. Many of the latter have fled to other parts of Sudan or into Chad. Famine and war cause frequent exchanges of refugees between Chad and Sudan.


What Are Their Lives Like?

When doing a language survey, we received some entertaining answers to some questions as the women have trouble thinking in abstract terms when their lives are so based on the concrete. For example, in determining someone's level of Chadian Arabic, we asked for directions in Arabic to the next village. One lady said, "I don't know how to tell you. Allah will lead you. "We asked whether they thought the children would still spoke their tribal language in 20 year's time. One lady said, "How should I know? I'm only an old lady. Only Allah knows that!" The national Chadian system + the religious authorities + the traditional leaders. The chief of the traditional leaders is a sultan who is based in Guereda. He consults with a council of elders. He also has several Chadian government soldiers under his command. The sultan's successor will be chosen from among his sons. The clan of the sultan, the Oroguk, claim to be descended from the prophet Mohammed and to originate in Iraq. The rest of the Tama clans have originated in the vicinity of Nyere (a mountain which is considered sacred and is between Guereda and Am Zoer). The Assangori people claim to have come originally from Yemen. In general, both the current Sultan and his father before him, as well as others to whom we have spoken, seem very open to development projects. A Catholic development organization and a German government agency have projects in the Am Zoer region and the Catholic group has a branch in Guereda. The Sultan would like to see the development of a better educational system (teacher training plus school buildings), medical dispensaries established and staffed, roads improved (so that products can be transported to larger markets and sold at higher prices), training for women in marketable skills, wells dug in or near villages and towns, and construction of dams to conserve water. Lack of water for people and animals is a real problem in the area. During a good rainy season, however, many of the roads in the region become impassable. Even the major road between Guereda and Abeche requires 4-6 hours to travel its 164kms in the dry season, often longer in the wet. There are some Tama villages accessible only by foot or by donkey, not by vehicle. Most Tama are sedentary and cultivate small fields, mainly millet but some sorghum, peanuts and beans. Some own mango or guava trees or cultivate gardens of tomatoes, onions and garlic. Some have cattle, sheep and goats but many of these have been stolen in recent years. In the past, the Tama had many more camels and cattle but as another people group has moved into the Tama region many have been stolen to the point that camels owned by Tamas are now very rare. Some have a rainy season hut close to their fields and another hut in or near their garden, as well as their hut in their village or town. Often the men travel with their animals to find grass during part of the year. They built village houses and fences with straw or grass with mud brick constructions normally only seen in towns. Extreme poverty and lack of hope means that alcohol (millet beer) is a big problem for many Tama. Farming is very much at a subsistence level, with all hoeing, weeding and harvesting by hand. There is rarely enough surplus to last a second year if the rains do not come. I have met families who faced surviving on millet and dirty water only for many months until the next rains. There was no money to buy oil, tomatoes, onions, salt or soap. And then, tragically, the rains didn't come the following year either. People were forced to move away. Most Tama men have lived an average of 4-5 years outside of their traditional region, while women rarely go further afield than their nearest big market unless they become refugees in times of drought or war. Many people moved, and many died during the great famines of 1912-13 (when many villages were totally wiped out), 1950 (called "his family doesn't want him"), 1973 ("they were driven out"), and 1984 ("black cat"). Again in 1997, much of the population left the region because of a poor harvest one year followed by drought the next. During the civil war from 1979-1987 there was also much suffering, and many died. A WEC couple started working with the Tama in the 70s but left after their first term due to major illness. From then until 2002, when Dawn, a WEC missionary, moved to Guereda there were no missionary resident among the Tama. There were only occasional trips by the orphanage team from Abeche to visit the families of orphans in the Am Zoer region or do midwifery training in Guereda and then visits by Dawn to work with women in Guereda for several weeks at a time. Now Dawn is living in Guéréda and was also there for 3 years 2002- 2004. She uses medical care, tree-planting, sewing classes for ladies, care of orphans and a reading room amongst other activities to reach out in friendship to the local people. About 60% of Guéréda residents are Tama but people also come from up to 60kms around. While Guéréda is calm at the moment, the whole of the east of Chad is rather unstable and one never knows when and where rebels or bandits will strike next. There is a heavy military presence in the region. Many young people relish the power they have as soldiers. On the missions' scene there is great excitement ahead as a team from another mission prepares to move to Guéréda to work amongst the Tama. Thank You, Lord. There will be 8 adults and 7 children coming over a period as they finish French studies in France. The first family plans to move to Abéché later in 2007 to begin Chadian Arabic study. The doors are wide open for entry to work with the people of the Guéréda region who are so needy in every way. Potential fields of work include medical work, teaching French, English or computing skills, agricultural development, tree planting, youth activities, translation and literacy, training mechanics.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Tama have been virtually all Muslim since the 1600s. As is usual in Chad this religion is mixed with animistic practices such as amulets for protection against evil spirits.


What Are Their Needs?

Finding trained teachers willing to work in isolated regions is very difficult and often schools are left without teachers or with sub-standard teachers. The school year is often only 4 or 5 months long due to strikes and the late arrival of teachers. There is a lower secondary school in Guereda but never nearly enough teachers. Those interviewed during the linguistic survey all said that it would be good to have initial primary schooling in Tama, with Chadian Arabic as a second choice. Currently all schooling is done in French which most children rarely hear outside of the school buildings. With 120 children in a year 1 class it is difficult for students to get a good educational foundation and after 4 years of school many cannot even read and write their own name.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to provide for their physical and spiritual needs as a testimony of his power and love. Pray that the Tama peoples will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of kings. Pray for workers who are driven by the love and boldness of the Holy Spirit to go to them. Pray for a movement to Christ among them to begin this decade.


Scripture Prayers for the Tama in Chad.


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Tama
People Name in Country Tama
Alternate Names Gimr; Tamongobo
Population this Country 215,000
Population all Countries 301,000
Total Countries 2
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 4
People ID 15221
ROP3 Code 109768
ROP25 Code 307894
ROP25 Name Tama (Chad)
Country Chad
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Wadi Fira region: Dar Tama department, Guéréda area; some in Ouaddaï region.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Chad
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
Persecution Rank Not ranked
Location in Country Wadi Fira region: Dar Tama department, Guéréda area; some in Ouaddaï region..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Primary Religion: Islam
Religion Subdivision: Sunni
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
0.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
100.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Tama
Language Code tma   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
Arabic, Chadian
Primary Language Tama
Language Code tma   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 2
Secondary Languages
  Arabic, Chadian
People Groups Speaking Tama

Primary Language:  Tama

Bible Translation Status:  Translation Started

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Photo Source Anonymous 
Map Source Anonymous  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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