# Zuwayya

The Zuwayya (Arabic: الزوية Al-Zuwayya tribe) is descended from the Beni Salim tribe, who migrated to North Africa in the 11th century, alongside the Beni Helil the well know migration from the Arabian Peninsula. Zuwayya is an independent Murabtin tribe, one of the major Arab Bedouin tribes of Cyrenaica and Fezzan, Libya. Traditionally practicing nomadic pastoralism of sheep and camels in a triangular area with its apex at Ajdabiya. In the year 1808, the Arab tribes, particularly the Zuwayyas, Al-Jawabis, and Majabras, with the support of the Ottoman Turks under Yusuf Pasha al-Karamanli, launched an invasion of the rich oases of the Al Wahat District and Kufra regions in southeastern Libya (South Barqa). Yusuf Pasha led an army from Tripoli, armed with firearms, to seize control of these fertile lands. However, the Toubous (Goranes) and Zaghawas mounted a fierce resistance, valiantly defending their territory. Despite their courageous efforts, they were ultimately defeated, lacking the advanced weaponry of the invaders. The first invasion of these oases by the Jawazi Arab tribes occurred at the end of the 18th century who were defeated by the Toubous and Zaghawas.

## The Historical Significance of Toubou Place Names in Libya

One such place is "Febabu," although it is sometimes referred to in ancient texts as "Gheibabu", Febabu is the correct pronunciation, and it is the ancient and original name for the Al-Jawf Kufra Oasis. In the Tebu language, it means "the land of big pits". This name was mentioned by Pliny the Elder in his Natural History (circa 77–79 CE), referencing an earlier Roman military campaign led by the general Balbus in the 1st century BCE. Pliny recorded the names of various locations, including Febabu. Balbus’s expedition, which took place around 19 BCE, covered areas in the eastern, southeastern, and southwestern regions of the Libyan Desert.
Pliny’s mention of Febabu serves as an early historical record of the Tebu presence in the region, alongside many other place names of Tebu origin. Additionally, Aguila, one of the oldest names mentioned by Herodotus, means "lowland" in the Tebu language, as does Jalu, further demonstrating the linguistic and historical continuity of Tebu place names in the region.
Some Tabus key place settlements, including Tazairbu, Jalu, Aguila (modern Awjila), and Febabu (Al-Jawf), along with other important locations. These historical sites—such as Tazairbu, Jaghbub, Birdia (or Birdiya), Jalu, Awjila, Qatarune, Traghen, Tajiruhi, Arban (Bazzima), Mouzi (Rebeiana), Tarbou and Zella, the ancient name for the Fezzan region, is the origin of names for both the Zella Oasis in the Jufra District and the Zawila Oasis, are deeply rooted in the Toubou language and history. These, along with numerous other significant locations, including the Siwa Oasis, where the Toubous once resided in ancient times (modern-day Egypt), underscore the extensive historical presence of the Toubous across various regions and other places.

### The Name "Tazair" and Its Meaning

The original name for the Kufra region is "Tazair," which translates to "green land." In this context, "Ta" signifies "land" or "homeland," while "Zair" means "green." Notably, the term "Ta" also appears in ancient Egyptian, where it similarly denotes "land." Many Toubou place names begin with "Ta" or "Tu," reflecting a linguistic connection between the Toubou language and ancient civilizations.
Today, the name "Tazair" continues to be used to refer to the Al-Jawf Kufra Oasis. By adding the suffix "bu" or "bou" to Tazair, it becomes "Tazairbou," meaning "the grand green land." In the Toubou language, "bu" or "bou" conveys the meaning of "grand" or "great."
In modern understanding, Tazairbou is understood to mean "the capital," as it was historically the capital of southeastern Libya. The region was once a kingdom, with Tazairbou serving as its capital. Based on Tebu oral history, passed down through generations recounting events from the early French conquest around 1907-1908 in northern Chad, it is believed that a mighty river once traversed the Ennedi region in northeastern Chad in ancient times. This narrative is supported by geological evidence indicating that the Tazair region is renowned for its plentiful underground water reserves, with aquifers that bring water to the surface, pointing to a historically abundant water supply in the area.

### The Toubou and the Kingdom of Kanem-Bornu

In the early 16th century, around 1514-20, the traveler Hasan al-Wazzan, known in the West as Leo Africanus, documented the Kingdom of Kanem and its ruler, Mai (King), a Tabus sovereign who commanded a formidable army. Al-Wazzan also recorded the existence of fortifications in the Al-Wahat region, which he referred to as "Birdawa," a designation associated with the Tabus population and their settlements.
The term "Birdawa" is believed to originate from "Bourdi" or "Bardi" (Birdiya), a location situated along the northern Libyan coast near the modern Libyan-Egyptian border. In the Tabu language, "Bur" or "Bar" denotes "mark" or "sign," whereas "Du" or "Di" conveys possession or association, meaning "belonging to" or "having." Consequently, "Bardo" or "Bardi" translates to "the one with the mark" or "the marked."
Additionally, the Tabou applied this nomenclature to an oasis in the Tibesti region, which serves as the capital of Tibesti, as well as to a district in Rebeiana called Bardi. These toponyms serve as significant linguistic and historical indicators of the enduring presence and influence of the Toubou people in the region.

### The Decay of Historical Sites and Heritage and The Toubou’s Continued Resilience

The Arab invaders forced the Toubous and Zaghawas to migrate from the southeastern region of Libya. The Zuwayyas, who controlled most of the date palm groves in the Tazair (Kufra) oases, greatly benefited from this conquest. Within the Al-Jawf-Kufra Oasis lies an ancient palace in the Qadrify district, an area that has historically been inhabited by the Toubous and continues to be so to this day. During the 1808 invasion, the Zuwayyas, in particular, destroyed much of the Al-Jawf Oasis its historical sites, including this palace, in an attempt to erase the Toubous' heritage from the region. Moreover, they sought to conceal the history of the Toubous, deliberately withholding information when the German explorer Gerhard Rohlfs inquired about their past during his expeditions in 1865 and 1867. This act aligns with the present reality, reflecting a persistent pattern of historical suppression and misinformation within a society marked by significant ignorance in Libya. Furthermore, the Zuwayyas are always driven by spite, envy, and exhibiting indecent behavior towards the steadfast Toubous, who possess a deep knowledge of their land and history, have perpetrated numerous immoral acts. One of the most recent of these occurred in the Rebenana Oasis, where, in a blatant act of immorality, the Zuwayyas set fire to a palm grove during the sacred month of Ramadan on March 10, 2025, further exacerbating tensions between the two peoples.
In addition, many neglected Toubou fortresses, palaces, and other structures can still be found in the southern regions of Libya, largely due to insufficient attention from both national and international archaeologists
According to Tabu oral history, passed down by the Tabu elders who recounted events in the early French conquest around 1905-1908 in northern Chad, it is said that in ancient times, a great river once flowed through the Ennedi region in northeastern Chad. This claim is supported by geological evidence which Tazair region is known for its abundant underground water reserves, with aquifers that bring water to the surface, suggesting a rich supply of water in the area as well as around 1910, the French colonial forces described the Toubou as actively engaging in trade and travel between Kanem, Borkou-Ennedi-Tibesti (BET), and Jalu, transporting weapons and goods. They also noted that the Toubou of Borkou hide their rifles underground as a protective measure

### The Toubou in the 20th Century

In 1923, the Egyptian traveler Hassanine visited the Tawunao Mountain (Jebel al-Awainat) and Jebel Arknoa where he encountered the Toubous still residing in the area. However, by the 1970s, the Toubous had ceased to inhabit there.
The Zuwayya together with the Majabra tribe of Jalu converted to the Senussi order in the late 19th century, allowing the spread of this ideology into Wadai and Chad.
The Zuwayya tribe took part in the Libyan Civil War on the side of the opposition. In February 2011, the head of the tribe, Shaikh Faraj al Zuway, threatened to cut off Libyan oil exports unless the Gaddafi government stopped the "suppression of protestors".