Awlad Himayd

Awlad Himayd, part of the greater Baggara Arabs fraternity of Kordofan and Darfur, they speak Sudanese Arabic. Awlad Himayd live in eastern parts of South Kordofan. They share the nomadic routes (sig. Morhal, pl. Marahiil) with Halafa, branch of Hawazma, Kenana and Habbaniya of Kordofan, they reach in their nomadic movement down to Shilluk and Nuer of White Nile.   Awlad Himayd are passionate in telling their Baggara historical background, they are widely viewed among Baggara as courageous Baggara, great hunter of elephants and big games like Giraffees, Antelopes, Tiang and Ostriches; they also known as great fighters for wild beasts such lions, tigers, wolves and others at earlier times. Baggara in general are good hunters and gatherer of wild fruits, wild okra and honey from undomesticated bees. Awlad Himayd, because of their courage, they nick-named gray-bees (Nahala el ghibasha in Arabic), the most fierce bee type in South Kordofan.

Origins and Divisions

MacMichael mentioned that: their Arab ancestors may have settled around Tekali (eastern part of South Kordofan) at a time of the great Guhayna movement, and they have been reinforced by others of their kin who have returned from the western countries (probably from present Chad). Awlad Himayd belogs to the wider group of Baggara Arabs of Kordofan and Darfur, they are Sunni Muslims. Their majority are pastorlists and the rest are sedentary; they grow all types of South Kordofan crops: sesame, millets, okra and ground nuts. Also, they grow Gum Arabic and collect gums and honey from the woods. Their inner soutthern nomadic area was part of wilderness of South Kordofan, a dense high savanna forest land.