Afro-Saudis
Afro-Saudis, also known as African Saudis and Black Saudis, are Saudi citizens of partial or full black African heritage.
They are spread all around the country, but they are mostly found in the major cities of Saudi Arabia. Afro-Saudis speak Arabic and adhere to Islam. While some black Saudis descend from slaves brought through the Arab slave trade, the majority descend from Muslim pilgrims, primarily from West Africa, who settled in the cities of Mecca and Jeddah.
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| about 1,880,000; or about 5% of Saudi Arabia’s total population | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| Riyadh, Dammam, Jeddah, Mecca | |
| Languages | |
| Arabic | |
| Religion | |
| Islam (mostly Sunni) | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Afro-Arabs, Afro-Jordanians, Afro-Palestinians, Afro-Syrians, Afro-Iraqis, Afro-Omanis |
The term "takarnah", meaning people of takrur, is sometimes used to refer to Hejazis of West African descent, though their origins are diverse. This is evident in family names such as Hawsawi, Fallatah, and Bernawi.
History
Arabia and Africa have been in contact starting with the obsidian exchange networks of the 7th millennium BC. These networks were strengthened by the rise of Egyptian dynasties of the 4th millennium BC. Anthropologists have indicated the likely existence of settlements in Arabia, from the people of the Horn of Africa, as early as the 3rd and 2nd millenniums BC.
Population
In 2021, their population was 1,880,000, or around 5% of Saudi Arabia’s 35,950,000 population.
Social condition
Unlike in the Americas of the 19th century, slaves in the Middle East were allowed to own land, and their children were generally not born into slavery. Also, conversion to Islam precluded further servitude and gave freedom. Skin color played a distinctive role even amongst slaves. Many activists amongst Afro-Saudis complain that they are not given media representation and are unable to find opportunities to improve their social condition.
Notable Afro-Saudis
- Ahmed Al-Dokhi
- Bandar bin Sultan
- Reema bint Bandar Al Saud
- Faisal bin Bandar bin Sultan Al Saud
- Khalid bin Bandar Al Saud (born 1977)
- Baraka Al Yamaniyah
- Muqrin bin Abdulaziz
- Mohammed Hussein Al Amoudi
- Abdullah Al-Deayea
- Abdullah Al-Khaibari
- Abbas Al-Shengeeti
- Firas Al-Buraikan
- Hamad Al-Montashari
- Hamdan Al-Shamrani
- Majed Abdullah
- Adil al-Kalbani
- Ali Al-Bulaihi
- Tareg Hamedi
- Hawsawi family
- Muhammad Saad al-Beshi
- Fahad Al-Muwallad
- Mohamed Kanno
- Etab
- Saud Abdulhamid
- Saud Khariri
- Ahmed Abdulla
- Rayyanah Barnawi
- Mohamed Al-Deayea
- Mukhtar Ali
- Sultan Al-Deayea
- Dalia Mubarak
- Khaled Aziz
- Redha Tukar
- Walid Atta
See also
References
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