#zarma

Water Container, Zarma, 1900, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

The urnlike form and intricately painted geometric patterns of Jerma water containers are rarely seen south of the Sahara and suggest historic links with North Africa. The designs, closely related to those found on Jerma textiles, are applied after a pot has been fired, and are made using natural pigments such as iron oxide, kaolin, laterite, ochre, and soot. Because these fleeting colors wear off over time, a valued container may be repainted periodically by its owner. This elegant vessel displays a long neck that is emphasized by the vertical stripes that descend its length, while the indrawn waist and curving body are complemented by patterns of triangles and horizontal bands. The Niger River passes through the country of Niger far to the southwest, creating a fertile plain at the edge of the Sahara Desert. Despite the river’s abundance, agriculture can be a tenuous activity. In such surroundings, it is not surprising that the task of collecting and storing water is of critical importance. The Jerma, who arrived in the region in the sixteenth century as exiles fleeing the Moroccan conquest of the Songhay Empire, are widely known for their gracefully shaped, delicately painted water containers of various sizes. They remain closely related to the Songhay in language and culture, and, like the Songhay, Jerma potters use a concave mold technique to form the lower portion of a vessel, completing the upper sections with coils. Also, like the Songhay and many other peoples living along the Middle Niger, the Jerma regard pottery as a closed, hereditary profession that is closely aligned with ironworking villages from their non-potter neighbors, such as Saga, near Niamey. [See also 2005.224]. Gift of Keith Achepohl Size: 50.2 x 34.9 cm (19 3/4 x 13 3/4 in.) Medium: Terracotta and pigment

2. Zarma - Fue del Reinado de la Reina Saya.../It was from the Reign of Queen Saya...

3. Rune - Fue del Reinado de la Reina Creathea.../It was from the Reign of Queen Creathea...

4. Cristal - Fue del Reinado de la Reina Corona.../It was from the Reign of Queen Corona...

5. Ormey - Fue del Reinado de la Reina Tithaxi.../It was from the Reign of Queen Tithaxi...

6. Turrana - Fue del Reinado de la Reina Monomi.../It was from the Reign of Queen Monomi...

7. Laiyer - Fue del Reinado de la Reina Nub.../It was from the Reign of Queen Nub...

8. Vitra - Fue del Reinado de la Reina Liffyti.../It was from the Reign of Queen Liffyti...

9. Riyer - Fue del Reinado de la Reina Sottethu.../It was from the Reign of Queen Solianica...

10. Estrella - Fue del Reinado del Rey Nean.../It was from the Reign of King Nean...

11. Cupido - Fue del Reinado de la Reina Yuxua.../It was from the Reign of Queen Yuxua...

12. Rony - Fue del Reinado de la Reina Taural.../It was from the Reign of Queen Taural...

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Intro:

Zarma is the most widely spoken language from the Songhai branch of the Nilo-Saharan family, with over 2.2 million speakers. It is primarily spoken in Niger and the surrounding countries, and is in fact the second most spoken language in Niger after Hausa. 

Phonology & Orthography:

Below is a chart showing Zarma’s alphabet and phonology. In addition to the vowels shown, Zarma also includes their nazalised counterparts, which are marked with a tilde above the vowel or by a following nasal consonant. Zarma is a tonal language with four tones: high, low, rising, and falling. You can listen to spoken Zarma here .

Grammar:

Zarma is an SOV language. Verbs do not have tense, but do have three aspects - the completive, the incompletive, and the subjunctive. Aspects are marked by a modal word before the verb, rather than by conjugation, and verbs without modal markers default to the completive aspect. Nouns are inflected for both number and form. The three forms are indefinite, definite, and demonstrative. 

Resources to learn more:

Anklet

Maker: Djerma artist Date: 20th century

Medium: Copper alloy Geography: Niger

Water Container, Zarma, 1900, Art Institute of Chicago: Arts of Africa

The urnlike form and intricately painted geometric patterns of Jerma water containers are rarely seen south of the Sahara and suggest historic links with North Africa. The designs, closely related to those found on Jerma textiles, are applied after a pot has been fired, and are made using natural pigments such as iron oxide, kaolin, laterite, ochre, and soot. Because these fleeting colors wear off over time, a valued container may be repainted periodically by its owner. A short neck and large basin give this pot a sturdy appearance. Its body is impressed with an underlying texture that results from the mat that was laid over the concave mold on which it was formed. With its refined pattern and muted color, this container can be compared with a similar vessel that was collected in 1930 or 1931 during Marcel Griaule’s Mission-Dakar-Dijbouti. [See also 2005.223]. Gift of Keith Achepohl Size: 64.5 x 44.5 cm (25 1/2 x 17 1/2 in.) Medium: Terracotta and pigment