DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49271#0173
The Kababish, a Sudan Arab tribe 111
period, the Guhayna are found first in Nejd and then in the neighbourhood of Medina.
They were early incorporated into Islam, and a portion still dwell in their ancient terri-
tory; but many of the tribe migrated to Egypt, where the little village of Dawar Guhayna
is still considered to be inhabited by their descendants. They gradually advanced
into Upper Egypt, where they played a considerable part in the Fatimid period. After
a good deal of fighting, they settled down peaceably with other Arab tribes around
Akhmim. Members of the tribe are mentioned as early as the third century A. H. at
Aswan, and it seems that the tribesmen took a prominent part in breaking the power of
the Christian kingdom of Nubia. Although the Guhayna are not heard of again until
recent times, the fact that so many tribes trace their origin to 'Abdulla el-Guhani
seems to show that the Guhayna have played a considerable part in the history of the
Arab Sudan.9
Thus the literary records support the evidence yielded by the physical characters, and
we may admit the common Sudanese tradition that the Beni 'Ukba founded the tribal
organization of the Kababish, the earliest recruits to their ranks according to MacMichael
being the Ruwahla and Aulad 'On, followed not long afterwards by the Seragab, the Howal
and the Nurab.10
It does not seem possible to decide at what time the Beni 'Ukba crossed into Egypt,
or how long they may have taken to reach their present home; but it is obvious that
such an origin for the Kababish as has been sketched would account for the occurrence of
the Armenoid nose. The Nurab, the ruling division at the present day, say that their
ancestors were Rikabia, and it is particularly interesting to note that their descent from
Rikab, the eponymous ancestor of the Egyptian Rikabia, is traced in the female line
to one Shakara, whom the “Dongola nisba” calls the ancestor of the “Nurab who live
at El-'Afat in Dongola, some of whom joined the Kababish and multiplied with them and
became nomads”.11
This, as pointed out by MacMichael, may be taken to indicate that the parent stock
of the Kababish was joined somewhere in the neighbourhood of Dongola by a group of
Rikabia who called themselves Nurab. We cannot determine the date of this occurrence
9 For the history of the Guhayna see C. H. Becker in the Encyclopaedia of Islam, art. 1 Djuhama’, upon which
the above is based.
10 MacMichael, op. cit., p. 184.
11 Ibid., p. xii; 184. The “Dongola Nisba” is an Arab MS. discovered by MacMichael, in the possession of
El-Feki ed-Dardiri of Khorsi in Kordofan. It is a recent transcript of a copy made in 1836 of a work dated A.II. 1151
(1738), itself a compilation of the works of three authors, viz.:—-Es-Sayyid Ghulamulla of the Doalib, who is said
to have lived some eighteen generations ago, and to have been the first of his family to come from Arabia to Africa;
Es-Sayyid Muhammad walad Dolib the elder, who seems to have lived seven generations ago; and Es-Sayyid
Muhammad walad Dolib the younger, who lived four generations ago, the last being the author of that part of the
work dealing with the Sudan.
period, the Guhayna are found first in Nejd and then in the neighbourhood of Medina.
They were early incorporated into Islam, and a portion still dwell in their ancient terri-
tory; but many of the tribe migrated to Egypt, where the little village of Dawar Guhayna
is still considered to be inhabited by their descendants. They gradually advanced
into Upper Egypt, where they played a considerable part in the Fatimid period. After
a good deal of fighting, they settled down peaceably with other Arab tribes around
Akhmim. Members of the tribe are mentioned as early as the third century A. H. at
Aswan, and it seems that the tribesmen took a prominent part in breaking the power of
the Christian kingdom of Nubia. Although the Guhayna are not heard of again until
recent times, the fact that so many tribes trace their origin to 'Abdulla el-Guhani
seems to show that the Guhayna have played a considerable part in the history of the
Arab Sudan.9
Thus the literary records support the evidence yielded by the physical characters, and
we may admit the common Sudanese tradition that the Beni 'Ukba founded the tribal
organization of the Kababish, the earliest recruits to their ranks according to MacMichael
being the Ruwahla and Aulad 'On, followed not long afterwards by the Seragab, the Howal
and the Nurab.10
It does not seem possible to decide at what time the Beni 'Ukba crossed into Egypt,
or how long they may have taken to reach their present home; but it is obvious that
such an origin for the Kababish as has been sketched would account for the occurrence of
the Armenoid nose. The Nurab, the ruling division at the present day, say that their
ancestors were Rikabia, and it is particularly interesting to note that their descent from
Rikab, the eponymous ancestor of the Egyptian Rikabia, is traced in the female line
to one Shakara, whom the “Dongola nisba” calls the ancestor of the “Nurab who live
at El-'Afat in Dongola, some of whom joined the Kababish and multiplied with them and
became nomads”.11
This, as pointed out by MacMichael, may be taken to indicate that the parent stock
of the Kababish was joined somewhere in the neighbourhood of Dongola by a group of
Rikabia who called themselves Nurab. We cannot determine the date of this occurrence
9 For the history of the Guhayna see C. H. Becker in the Encyclopaedia of Islam, art. 1 Djuhama’, upon which
the above is based.
10 MacMichael, op. cit., p. 184.
11 Ibid., p. xii; 184. The “Dongola Nisba” is an Arab MS. discovered by MacMichael, in the possession of
El-Feki ed-Dardiri of Khorsi in Kordofan. It is a recent transcript of a copy made in 1836 of a work dated A.II. 1151
(1738), itself a compilation of the works of three authors, viz.:—-Es-Sayyid Ghulamulla of the Doalib, who is said
to have lived some eighteen generations ago, and to have been the first of his family to come from Arabia to Africa;
Es-Sayyid Muhammad walad Dolib the elder, who seems to have lived seven generations ago; and Es-Sayyid
Muhammad walad Dolib the younger, who lived four generations ago, the last being the author of that part of the
work dealing with the Sudan.