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Content


About the language and culture

Dictionary Zarma - English / French and English - Zarma / French.
A site of Peace Corps, Niger. Slightly different spelling, especially with respect of use of doubled vowels.

Shonghoy-Senni course (in English).
This dialect of the Songhay language spoken in Mali has a lot in common with the Zarma dialect. The course consist of four modules with very interesting information about the culture.
Draw back is that films are directly loaded which is a problem with slow Internet connections.

A quick-course Zarma (in French)
A short clear and easy quick-course for those who want to speak some Zarma next week. Sometimes slightly different spelling.

The Bible in Zarma (French aid)
A complete version of the Bible in Zarma, both the old and new testament. The text in Zarma are given per chapter. An option is available to open an extra window with the same text in an other language. French is the only European language available.

Injuries in Zarma (French aid)
Strong contrast to the link before. Text with an offending character, some are funny others not. Translation of Zarma to French.

Ritual injuries: the Marcanda (French aid)
Scientific discourse on the "marcanda". In the Zarma area of the Niger, a woman whose husband gets married organizes a ceremony in which she asks married women of the village to come and spend the day at her home. At nightfall, just before the newly-wed couple arrives, all the women form a half-circle : those who were taken as first wives start to insult those who were taken as second wives and vice-versa. (see also next link)
Research and text
by Sandra Bornand (ethnographiques.org n°7,  April 2005).
Full text and transcription are available.

Polygamy among Zarma: more than one wife for a single male (French)
In Niger women are haunted by polygamy. As a spectre in the visual field of women, as the sword of Damocles, comes the day that a woman has to accept a second or even a third wife in the household of her and her husband. (see also Marcanda link)
Article by Louis Lessard and Martine Lévesque
Alternatives, 10 Mars 2005

Kassey, a mythical woman in Songhay oral history (French)
The Arab chronicles based on Songhay oral traditions show three versions of the Kassey myth. According to the chronicles of Tarikh el Fettach Kassey is the mother of one of the leaders of the Songhay empire in the 16th century.
Article by Ousmane Tandina (H.D.R. Lettres Modernes, Université de Niamey.)
Ethiopiques n°72. Littérature, philosophie et art; 1st semester 2004

Traditional Zarma music (in French)
This web page contains 13 recordings of traditional music. De site BaobabInfo.net contains a lot more information on media in Niger. The page with video-recordings of folkloristic groups from different places is certainly something you should have seen.

Brief Information leaflet (in English) revision,15th edition
Web page with basic information about the Zarma language by the
Summer Institute of Linguistics (SIL)
The old 14th edition version is still available.

The Rosetta project (in English, but specific information about Zarma mostly in French)
Link restored 1 March 2006
Web pages with specific and detailed information about the Zarma language.

Donou, a typical Songhay drink (in English)
Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts tries a millet drink while visiting Tera Village (Niger). The drink is called donou, comprised of millet and goat milk. Read about his experience.




About countries with Zarma speaking groups

 
Niger

 

Niger sites in English

Niger Embassy in the United States of America (in English)
In addition to embassy and consular info, a profile of Niger, the government and institution, Niger news and holiday. Also information about business and finance and travel and tourism. Of course a page with interesting links as well.

Friends of Niger (in English)
FON information and newsletter, but also beautiful photos, Niger weather information, and a lot of links to other sites dedicated to Niger.

US CIA Fact book about Niger (in English)
Actual and brief information about geography, demography, government, economy, transportation, military and trans-national issues.

World Bank about Niger (in English)
World development indicators for Niger, a country overview, and information about WB projects, data, publications and news with regard to Niger.

Islam in Africa organisation about Niger (in English)
Informative site about history, geography, economy and people in Niger. Links to other site available.

US Africa.org about Niger (in English)
It provides basic information about economy, history, art and culture in Niger, but also photo albums, an event calendar and a lot of pan African links

University of Pennsylvania about Niger (in English)
A site with relevant links regarding Niger

Standford University about Niger (in English)
A site with relevant links regarding Niger

Eden project Niger (in English)
Since 1987, Eden has been running a project just south of the Sahara desert, helping the farmers and their families achieve a sustainable life with the means available to them.

Krissa Peace Corps Pictures (in English)
Nine photo albums with over 200 images each with a short description and taken in 2001-2003. Some with personal affairs and others showing beautiful buildings (e.g. Niamey mosque) or nice landscapes, people and events (e.g. camel race).

A Search for Ancestry: Journey Yields Glimpse of Missing Past (in English)
In August 2003, Miami Herald columnist Leonard Pitts wrote a moving essay about using the African Ancestry DNA-testing service to determine his ancestors' origins. His mother, he found, was from the Songhay people in Niger. His father, from the Mende of Sierra Leone. Last July he went to Niger and Sierra Leone. Joining him was Sarah J. Glover, photographer from The Philadelphia Inquirer. This is their story.

 


 

Niger sites in French

Sylvain Ernest about Niger (in French)
Beautiful site with information about geography, population and climate. There are a lot of photos on this site and a story about a trip to Ténéré and about drinking tea. Links to other site are available.

Denis about Niger (in French)
Lively site that was out of the air for some time but is back on the internet. Information on Niger, Niamey and the people living here.

United Nations about Niger (in French)
History and actual UN programme and operations in Niger.

The family Abdoulmoumine (in French)
Family website of a Dosso (Niger) family, a/o with short family history

The Fifths Games of the Community of Francophone (in French)
Information and beautiful photos of the Games held at Niamey, Niger, in December 2005.
Go to "Gallerie Images" and select "Images du Niger", click the first photo to enlarge the it and used the arrow to o to the next one.




Mali

Africa Guide (in English)
A site about Mali, people and culture.

US CIA Fact book about Mali (in English)
Actual and brief information about geography, demography, government, economy, transportation, military and trans-national issues.

Mali Embassy in the United States of America (in English)
The official site of the Mali embassy with in addition to embassy and consular info, a profile of Mali, the government and institution, and Mali news. Also information about business and finance and travel and tourism. Of course a page with interesting links as well.

World Bank about Mali (in English)
World development indicators for Niger, a country overview, and information about WB projects, data, publications and news with regard to Mali.

University of Pennsylvania about Mali (in English)
A site with relevant links regarding Mali.

US AID about Mali (in English)
With information about the strategy and mission of US AID in Mali, country programme materials and links

Africa Geography about Mali (in English)
Information about history & people, the river Niger, Timbutu & Djenne, and the Dogon and the Bandiagra escarpment.




Other links

Joel Mayer's links to Niger (in English)
Site with links to sites with information, current news, Nigerien web sites, maps and flags of Niger and returns Peace Corps Volunteers.

Herman's Language Corner (in English) link restored 1 March 2006
This web site is meant to provide you with all the language information currently found. You will find a load of internal and external links (the latter to be added gradually) which will make for fun browsing within the site.




Last updated: 09 maart 2006