The shaykh , or male elder, usually has his house in the center of the camp or settlement. His house is closely surrounded by the houses of his family and relatives. The Baggara generally have two homes one in the village and one in a nomadic camp. During the dry season they live among more sedentary groups and share their agricultural lands. When the rains come the Baggara spread out among other Arab groups that live in the region.
Marriage is used to strengthen kinship ties and is more a family than an individual concern.
Baggara men frequently have more than one wife. One wife usually lives in the nomadic camp, while the other lives in the village. The roles of Baggara men and women are strictly separated. Women are responsible for almost all tasks concerning home and family, including the construction of adobe houses, woven straw tents, the cooking areas, or any other structures associated with the house. They are the children's primary caretakers.