Morphological structure and ethnic background of the Sudanese Shagia tribe (East Africa)

Anna Stangret; Alicja Łaba; Agnieszka Kempinska-Podhorodecka

doi:10.18778/1898-6773.87.1.04

Authors

Anna Stangret Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Department of Medical Biology, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2721-2121
Alicja Łaba Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Department of Medical Biology, Poland https://orcid.org/0009-0004-9544-4647
Agnieszka Kempinska-Podhorodecka Pomeranian Medical University in Szczecin, Department of Medical Biology, Poland https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7513-8640

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18778/1898-6773.87.1.04

Keywords:

4th Nile Cataract region, Shagia tribe, morphological structure, anthropometry, Sudan

Abstract

North Sudan, especially the 4^th Nile Cataract region, is home to one of the world’s most isolated human populations. This study aimed to clarify the ethnic background of the Shagia based on anthropological analyses. This study provides a morphological and ethnographic characterisation of the previously unstudied Shagia tribe. Head and body measurements were conducted among 64 adults from three villages. There were observable but relatively small admixture proportions of non-African population genes (light skin colour, narrow noses and masculine proportions) in their morphological build. The Shagia’s uniqueness may have been the result of severe genetic drift episodes resulting from founding events, such as long-term isolation and traditionally small population size. It is useful to trace the ethnic history of Africans and, specifically, for the tribal members of Shagia so that they may better understand and learn about their history. This study shows that the Shagia tribe was displaced from their territory due to the construction of the Merowe Dam. Thus, the results of this research fulfil the assumptions of urgent anthropology, as it contributes to the protection of the heritage of the 4^th Nile Cataract region: an area of historical value to the study of the evolution of contemporary civilisation.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Angrosino M. 2010. Badania etnograficzne i obserwacyjne przeł. M. Brzozowska-Brywczyńska, Warszawa.

Campbell MC, Tishkoff SA. 2008. African Genetic Diversity: Implications for Human Demographic History, Modern Human Origins, and Complex Disease Mapping. Annu Rev Genomics Hum Genet 9:403–33. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.genom.9.081307.164258 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.genom.9.081307.164258

Cockett R. 2016. Sudan: The Failure and Division of an African State. Yale University Press.

Coop G, Pickrell JK, Novembre J, Kudaravalli S, Li J, Absher D, Myers RM, Cavalli-Sforza LL, Feldman MW, Pritchard JK. 2009. The Role of Geography in Human Adaptation. PLoS Genet 5(6):e1000500. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1000500 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgen.1000500

Dhulqarnain AO, Mokhtari T, Rastegar T, Mohammed I, Ijaz S, Hassanzadeh G. 2020. Comparison of Nasal Index between Northwestern Nigeria and Northern Iranian Populations: An Anthropometric Study. J Maxillofac Oral Surg 19(4):596–602. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12663-019-01314-w DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12663-019-01314-w

Donahue RP, Bias WB, Renwick JH, McKusick VA. 1968. Probable Assignment of the Duffy Blood Group Locus to Chromosome 1 in Man. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 61(3):949–55. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.61.3.949

Fadlalla MH. 2004. Short History of Sudan. Iuniverse, Inc. New York, USA.

Failer E, Mutaz M, El Tayeb A. 2006. Merowe: The Largest Water Resources Project under Construction in Africa. Int J Hydropower Dams 13(6):68.

Farkas LG, Katic MJ, Forrest CR, Alt KW, Bagic I, Baltadjiev G, Cunha E, Cvicelova M, Davies S, Erasmus I, Gillett-Netting R, Hajnis K, Kemkes-Grottenthaler A, Khomyakova I, Kumi A, Kgamphe JS, Kayo-Daigo N, Le T, Malinowski A, Negasheva M, Manolis S, Ogeturk M, Parvizrad R, Rosing F, Sahu P, Sforza C, Sivkov S, Sultanova N, Tomazo-Ravnik T, Toth G, Uzun A, Yahia E. 2005. International Anthropometric Study of Facial Morphology in Various Ethnic Groups/Races. J Craniofac Surg 16(4):615–46. https://doi.org/10.1097/01.scs.0000171847.58031.9e DOI: https://doi.org/10.1097/01.scs.0000171847.58031.9e

Galvani AP, Novembre J. 2005. The Evolutionary History of the Ccr5-Δ32 Hiv-Resistance Mutation. Microbes Infect 7(2):302–09. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.micinf.2004.12.006

Glass WG, McDermott DH, Lim JK, Lekhong S, Yu SF, Frank WA, Pape J, Cheshier RC, Murphy PM. 2006. Ccr5 Deficiency Increases Risk of Symptomatic West Nile Virus Infection. J Exp Med 203(1):35–40. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1084/jem.20051970

Herman JL. 2015. Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence – from Domestic Abuse to Political Terror. Hachette UK.

Hildyard N. 2008. Neutral? Against What? Bystanders and Human Rights Abuses: The Case of Merowe Dam. Sudan Stud 37:19–38.

Kempinska-Podhorodecka A, Knap O, Drozd A, Kaczmarczyk M, Parafiniuk M, Parczewski M, Ciechanowicz A. 2012a. Analysis for Genotyping Duffy Blood Group in Inhabitants of Sudan, the Fourth Cataract of the Nile. Malar J 11:115. https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-11-115 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/1475-2875-11-115

Kempinska-Podhorodecka A, Knap O, Drozd A, Kaczmarczyk M, Parafiniuk M, Parczewski M, Milkiewicz M. 2013. Analysis of the Genetic Variants of Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase in Inhabitants of the 4th Nile Cataract Region in Sudan. Blood Cells Mol Dis 50(2):115–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcmd.2012.10.003 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bcmd.2012.10.003

Kempinska-Podhorodecka A, Knap O, Popadowska A, Drozd A. 2014. An Association between Lactose Intolerance and Anthropometric Variables in the Sudanese Shagia Tribe (East Africa). Ann Hum Biol 41(5):460–64. https://doi.org/10.3109/03014460.2013.877965 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3109/03014460.2013.877965

Kempinska-Podhorodecka AD, Knap OM, Kobus K, Ciechanowicz A. 2012b. Frequencies of Functional Caspase 12 Genotypes in the North-Africa Population. Russ J Genet 48(4):477–79. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1022795412030040 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S1022795412030040

Kempinska-Podhorodecka A, Knap OM, Parczewski M, Bińczak-Kuleta A, Parafiniuk M. 2008. Report on the D32 Ccr5 Variant in the Sudanese Shagia Tribe. Anthropol Rev 71:71–76. DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/v10044-008-0007-3

Kempinska-Podhorodecka A, Knap OM, Parczewski M, Bińczak-Kuleta A, i Ciechanowicz A. 2011. Sickle Cell Anemia-Associated Beta-Globin Mutation in Shagia and Manasir Tribes from Sudan. Pol J Environ Stud 20(6).

Lambert CA, Tishkoff SA. 2009. Genetic Structure in African Populations: Implications for Human Demographic History. Evolution: The Molecular Landscape 74:395–402. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1101/sqb.2009.74.053

Malinowski A, Bożiłow W. 1997. Podstawy antropometrii: metody, techniki, normy. Wydawnictwo Naukowe PWN.

Malinowski A, Stolarczyk H, Lorkiewicz W. 2000. Antropologia a medycyna i promocja zdrowia. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego.

Rindos D. 1992. Coevolution – Genes, Culture, and Human-Diversity – Durham, Wh. Am J Phys Anthropol 88(2):265–67. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/ajpa.1330880215

Versluys TMM, Foley RA, Skylark WJ. 2018. The influence of leg-to-body ratio, arm-to-body ratio and intra-limb ratio on male human attractiveness. R Soc Open Sci 5(5):171790. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.171790

Tovee M. 2012. Anthropometry In: T Cash editor. Encyclopedia of Body Image and Human Appearance. Elsevier Inc. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-384925-0.00004-3