Ingessana (Gaahmg, Tabi) are the members of an African ethnic group of Sudan who speak the Gaam language. They live around the Tabi Hills, southwest of Ad-Damazin and northwest of Kurmuk in the Blue Nile Province. The capital of the Ingessena area is Bao (11.350797,34.083710)  and the government offices are in Soda. Subgroups There are 4 major subgroups of the Ingessana: the Jok Kulelek, the Jok Bulek, the Jok Gor, and the Jok Tau. Each of the major subgroups of the Ingessana has an economic specialisation: the Jok Kulelek own great heards of livestock, the Jok Bulek are known for their farming capabilities, the Jok Gor are skilled weavers and the Jok Tau specialise as blacksmiths and iron workers. History As Jedrej (1995) explains, the Gaahmg (Ingessana) have historically protected themselves and their hills from many invasions of outsiders. As a result, their culture is much more resistant to change than that of other ethnic groups of the Southern Blue Nile region. Mainly self-sustaining in what they cultivate in the hill area, the Gaahmg are slow to grow cash crops or to migrate for wages. As a result of past conflict with Arabs and other invaders, they have a reputation of being hostile towards strangers and even refugees. From 1820-1855, the ruling Turk-Egyptian Empire demanded heavy tribute of slaves and gold. When they did not receive their demands, they attacked and imprisoned the Gaahmg, taking several hundred prisoners at a time. The Gaahmg fought back with speed and surprise attacks, causing many attacks of the Empire to be unsuccessful. In 1888-1889, the Mahdi government raided the Funj area and the Ingessena hills in particular, to provide for Khartoum during a severe and widespread famine, taking 1000 head of cattle from the Gaahmg on one occasion. The Gaahmg made counter attacks and held Arabs captive for ransom at ten head of cattle per person. From 1903-1934, the Anglo-Egyptian Government was less brutal but continued the same pattern of collecting tribute and squelching resistance. When the Gaahmg attacked tax patrols in protest to tribute collections, the Anglo-Egyptian government conducted ‘military operations’ which, although they did not involve taking slaves, seized livestock and killed those deemed responsible. By the 1980s, land grabbing and exploitation by the centre led some in Blue Nile  to identify more with the South. In 1985, the newly formed SPLM/A was quick to send Southern troops to Blue Nile and recruit from among local communities, including many Ingessana. Some of the most prominent leaders of SPLA/North are Ingessana.
Ingessana (Gaahmg, Tabi) are the members of an African ethnic group of Sudan who speak the Gaam language. They live around the Tabi Hills, southwest of Ad-Damazin and northwest of Kurmuk in the Blue Nile Province. The capital of the Ingessana area is Bao (11.350797,34.083710) , and the government offices are in Soda. Subgroups There are 4 major subgroups of the Ingessana: the Jok Kulelek, the Jok Bulek, the Jok Gor, and the Jok Tau. Each of these major subgroups of the Ingessana has an economic specialisation: the Jok Kulelek own great heards of livestock, the Jok Bulek are known for their farming capabilities, the Jok Gor are skilled weavers and the Jok Tau specialise as blacksmiths and iron workers. History As Jedrej (1995) explains, the Gaahmg (Ingessana) have historically protected themselves and their hills from many invasions by outsiders. As a result, their culture is much more resistant to change than that of other ethnic groups of the southern Blue Nile region. Mainly self-sustaining in what they cultivate in the hill area, the Gaahmg are slow to grow cash crops or to migrate for wages. As a result of past conflict with Arabs and other invaders, they have a reputation of being hostile towards strangers and even refugees. From 1820-1855, the ruling Turkish-Egyptian administration demanded heavy tributes of slaves and gold. When they did not receive their demands, they attacked and imprisoned the Gaahmg, taking several hundred prisoners at a time. The Gaahmg fought back with speed and surprise attacks, causing many attacks to be unsuccessful. In 1888-1889, the Mahdist government raided the Funj area and the Ingessena hills in particular, to provide for Khartoum during a severe and widespread famine, taking 1000 head of cattle from the Gaahmg on one occasion. The Gaahmg made counter attacks and held Arabs captive for ransom at ten head of cattle per person. From 1903-1934, the Anglo-Egyptian government continued a similar pattern of collecting tribute and squelching resistance. When the Gaahmg attacked tax patrols in protest to tribute collections, the Anglo-Egyptian government conducted ‘military operations’ which, although they did not involve taking slaves, seized livestock and killed those deemed responsible. By the 1980s, land grabbing and exploitation by the centre led some in Blue Nile State to identify more with the South. In 1985, the newly formed SPLM/A was quick to send Southern troops and recruit from among local communities, including many Ingessana. Some of the most prominent leaders of SPLA/North are Ingessana.
R
Ingessena
Ingessana
A
,
R
the
these
R
of
by
R
Southern
southern
R
Turk-Egyptian Empire demanded heavy tribute
Turkish-Egyptian administration demanded heavy tributes
D
of the Empire
R
Mahdi
Mahdist
R
Government was less brutal but continued the same
government continued a similar
A
State
D
to Blue Nile