Iwellemmedan People
The Iwellemmedan (Iwəlləmədǎn sp. var. Aulliminden, Ouilliminden, Lullemmeden, Iwellemmeden) are one of the seven major Tuareg tribal or clan confederations (called "Drum groups"). Their communities, historically nomadic and intermixed with other ethnic groups are found in an arc from east and north central Mali, through the Azawagh valley into northwestern Niger and south into northern Nigeria. While once a single confederation of dozens of Tuareg clans, subject peoples, and allied groups, since the 18th century they are divided into Kel Ataram (west) and Kel Dinnik (east) confederations. Following colonial rule and independence, the Iwellemmedan homelands cross the Mali/Niger border, and their traditional seasonal migration routes have spread Iwellemmedan communities into Burkina Faso and Nigeria as well. They speak the Tawellemmet variant of the Tamasheq language, although some current or historical sub-clans speak other Tamasheq variants as well as Songhai languages and Arabic dialects.
Famous quotes containing the word people:
“Good people are countenanced by Heaven.”
—Chinese proverb.