Afro-Iraqis
عراقيون أفارقة | |
---|---|
Total population | |
1,500,000–2,000,000 (Self-proclaimed) Al-Akhdam, Afro-Omanis |
Afro-Iraqis are Iraqi people of African Zanj heritage. Historically, their population has concentrated in the southern port city of Basra, as Basra was the capital of the slave trade in Iraq.[2] Afro-Iraqis speak Arabic and mostly adhere to Islam. Some Afro-Iraqis can still speak Swahili along with Arabic.[3]
Afro-Iraqi leaders claim that there are roughly between 500,000 and 1,500,000 Afro-Iraqis, however this is not verified by official figures.[4][5][6][7] Their origins date back to the time of the Arab slave trade and slavery in Iraq between the 9th century AD to the 19th century AD.[8][9]
Many are from the district of Zubair, descendants of the people who came to Iraq from East Africa. Some came as sailors, whereas others came as traders, immigrants, religious scholars, or enslaved people over the course of many centuries, beginning in the 9th century CE.[10]
Mythic origins
Arab myths[
Jewish tradition recounts the tale of King Nimrod as well. It is stated in the book of Genesis that Nimrod was a mighty hunter of great renown and the first to build cities over the face of the world. He ruled in Mesopotamia, which includes modern-day Iraq.
Because of the legendary Nimrod's Cushitic origin (often identified with the historical Kingdom of Kush in what is today southern Egypt and northern Sudan), many believe that Afro-Iraqis now living in areas are his literal descendents. This is unlikely to be literally true for all afro-Iraqi citizens, as their presence in Iraq dates back only to the 9th century CE,[10] whereas the Kingdom of Kush ended in the 6th century CE.
However Black Iraqis are the descendants of East African coastal Bantu peoples probably the
Social condition
The Arab Muslim institution of slavery allowed enslaved people to own land, and enslavement was not generally hereditary. Conversion to
Heritage
Most Afro-Iraqis still are able to maintain rituals related to healing that are of Zanj origin. The languages used in these rituals are
Notable Afro-Iraqis
- Abbas Al Harbi – Australian theatre and film director, screenwriter, playwright[17][18]
See also
- Afro-Arab
- Afro-Iranians
- Afro-Turks
- Afro-Palestinians
- Arab slave trade
- Afro-Saudis
- Swahili people
- Zanj
- Zanj Empire
- Slavery in Iraq
References
- ^ "Refworld | World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Iraq : Black Iraqis".
- ^ "Hidden in Plain Sight: Basra's Legacy of Slavery". 14 January 2004.
- ^ a b c "السماح.. رقص التسامي الجمعي، أرواحاً وأجساداً- د. خير الدين عبد الرحمن". Albahethon. Retrieved 2017-01-03.
- ^ "دخلك بتعرف السود العراقيون (الأفرو-عراقيون) - دخلك بتعرف؟". دخلك بتعرف (in Arabic). 2017-06-04. Retrieved 2022-02-23.
- ^ "MRG condemns killing of Black Iraqi leader in Basra, calls for full investigation into his death". Minority Rights Group International. 2013-05-08. Archived from the original on 2013-06-12.
Black or African Iraqis, who number between 1.5 and 2 million, are believed to have first migrated from East Africa to Iraq after the birth of Islam.
- ^ Karlos Zurutuza (2011-10-12). "To Be Black in Iraq". Inter Press Service. Basra.
Salah Ruhais Salman, vice-president of the Iraqi Freedom Movement, a political party established to defend the rights of Iraqis of African descent ... [says] "There are around 1.5 million of us in Iraq but none of us occupies any position in the Iraqi administration."
- ^ Ali Mamouri (2013-06-26). "Black Iraqis Struggle to Shake Legacy of Racism". Archived from the original on 2013-06-28.
It is noteworthy that their marginalization persists although they exceed about 1.5 million, according to the Free Iraqi Movement Vice President Salah Ruhais Salman, or 2 million, according to a statement made by the secretary-general of the movement, Abdel Hussein Abdel Razzak.
- PMID 17357081.
- PMID 17331239.
- ^ a b "Black Iraqis". Minority Rights. 29 November 2017. Retrieved 17 June 2022.
- ^ "Refworld | World Directory of Minorities and Indigenous Peoples - Iraq : Black Iraqis".
- ^ a b A Legacy Hidden in Plain Sight[dead link]
- ^ Descendants of Iraq's black rebels back Obama
- ^ "Arabic Speakers on Twitter Campaign to Make 'Abeed' the New 'N-Word'".
- ^ "To be Black in Iraq". 12 October 2011.
- ^ "Black Iraqis". 29 November 2017.
- ^ Abbas Al Harbi Elcinema.com. DAMLAG S.A.E. Retrieved 1 October 2023.
- ^ Ola Bayad - a play in Arabic entitled Fear and Shame 2022 Al-Nujoom magazine. Retrieved 1 October 2023.