Cultural portrait · Sahara and Tibesti

Kreda

Largest Daza lineage, herders of Bahr el-Ghazal.

Context

People profile

Language family: Nilo-Saharan (Saharan: Daza)
Region / province: Bahr el-Ghazal, between Kanem and Borkou
Livelihoods: herding · nomadism or transhumance
Customs and oral literature: Transhumance dances and lineage festivals.
Present-day situation: According to Crisis Group, the Gorane, along with the Arabs, remain mainly nomadic among Chad’s large herding groups; in Kanem, the Kreda are counted among the nomadic and transhumant Gorane herders. (International Crisis Group, Briefing Afrique n°199, « Tchad : rompre le cycle des violences agropastorales », 2024-08-23 ; Virginie Charbonnier, « Pratiques des sociétés pastorales au Kanem », CIRAD, 1999)
Sources: Wikipédia, « Kreda (peuple) » · Sources
Last reviewed: 18 October 2026

Subgroups: Kreda (principal Daza lineage)
Culture: A Gorane/Daza branch, often included in the 5.8% “Gorane”. Cattle and camel nomadism, Islam, lineages. A structuring people of the north-centre.
Food / staple foods: Milk, millet, meat, dates.
To remember: Daza language. Bahr el-Ghazal: corridor between Lake Chad and the Sahara.

SourcesPortraits and pages draw on public sources. Population shares follow the 2014-2015 EDS-MICS household survey, not the last census (RGPH 2009). Main photographs are documentary stills (Festival Dary, Wiki Loves Folklore, Wiki Loves Africa, Wikimedia archives) under Creative Commons, credited to the photographer.

In-depth portrait

Machine translation from French, under review. The French text is authoritative.

What the encyclopedia says

The Kreda or Kréda, also called Karra, are the main ethnic group of the Bahr el-Ghazal region of Chad. Closely related to the Daza, they belong to the wider Toubou/Gouran community. Their language is Dazaga. The Kreda live scattered in nomadic camps across Bahr el-Ghazal province. They are divided into four main groups, subdivided into nine cantons, of which the Djarma canton chieftaincy is the oldest: one canton for the Djirawa clan (Djirawa canton); one canton for the Yiria clan; one canton for the Yorda clan (Yorda canton); four cantons for the Karda clan;

Quoted from French Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0) : « Kreda (peuple) » · Translated excerpt, licence CC BY-SA 4.0 (CC BY-SA 4.0)

Cultural profile

0 of 6 sections documented

History and origins To document
Language To document
Social organisation To document
Beliefs and religious practice To document
Life cycle (birth, initiation, marriage, funerals) To document
Housing, crafts and dress To document

Documented fact: based on a published written source, cited under the section. Reported oral account: testimony from a community member, published with their consent, not confirmed in writing. Empty sections stay empty rather than being filled in.