Kanuri

Kanuri, the dominant people of the kingdom of Bornu, Central Sudan, originally Tibbus (Hamites), but now of distinctly Negroid type, with square coarse features, nearly black complexion, woolly or frizzly hair, angular ungainly figures, altogether contrasting unfavourably both in appearance and moral qualities with their western neighbours, the Hausas. Traditionally they came from the north, and their language (Manna Kanuri) is closely connected through that of Kanem with the Daza and Teda (southern and northern Tibbu), There are three distinct varieties: Kanuri proper, current in the province of Gazir; Munio and Nguru, spoken collectively by over half the inhabitants of Bornu, or by about 3,000,000 altogether. All the Kanuri people proper have been Mohammedans for many generations, although pagan practices still largely prevail throughout the southern provinces of Bornu. (Nachtigal, Sahara und Sudan, vols. i. and ii.; Bartb, Central Afrikanische Vocabularien; Koelle, Kanuri Grammar?)