Introduction

Introduction The Baydani tribes of the Sahel and the Hod The word Sahel in Sudanese terminology means that vast expanse stretching lengthwise for 500 km, and between 100 to 200 km in width, bounded by the upper reaches of the Senegal and Middle Niger rivers, or more precisely between the longitude of Kayes-Nioro and the Niger sector between Ségou and Macina. The term, as its name suggests, refers to the coast of the Sahara, i.e., the strip separating the Sudanic countries from the Great Sahara, which begins north of the Sahelian countries. It has become customary to call this entire region the Hod, and we will retain this designation, although it is only partially correct. Below, we present a picture of the succession of natural zones based on the terminology of the Baydani geographers. East of the stars that separate Mauritania from the upper Senegal River and the Niger River, i.e., east of the belt of Afflé and Rkiz, lies the Hod, where wells are generally few, but the depth and pastures are excellent and diverse, both for horned cattle and camels; we find there permanent pools (marshes) of importance and dense vegetation in scattered patches. The Hod is bordered to the east by a line passing slightly east of Néma and Fodéri Lake, and to the north by a line starting from Oualata, heading towards Bir Zaqo, then passing through Anoul (2) and Zanaga, and Idriss; and to the northwest of that, since the region of wells, is land composed of sandy terrain where wells are deep and rare. The region of wells is characterized by a ridge of hills generally called the Dahar, in contrast to the Batin (3), the plain; the Dahar of Néma connects to the Wilaya of Tichitt; and to the east of the Hod, and even near Baskenou, the region is called Kouch, then comes the region of Akla where the pastures are characterized by their quality and diversity, but the wells are deep. Starting from Baskenou in the northeast direction, the region is called the region of wells, and the water sources are wells ranging in depth from eighty to one hundred meters, separated by relatively regular distances. This region has become known in our local media as the well line. To the west of Tichitt, Oualata, and Ras El Ma, we find three moving, sparsely vegetated areas called the Akla. — - (2) - Anoul, with a thickened "l", north of the city of Timbédra, it has now become a village known for its water, which people draw despite its salinity. - (3) - Al-Batin, is the mountainous elevation adjacent to it.