The Song of the Zakkama to the Zerma

Another praise song said to date from the reign of Ali b. Umar is "The Song of the Zakkama to the Zerma." In honor of a zerma named Ibrahim or Ibram, he was said to be the son of a princess and of royal blood. Obviously, this is at a time before the office of jerma was occupied by slaves. Indeed, according to Nachtigal, the title was once very important in the Sayfawa court since the holder was responsible for the sultan's security and the royal stables. He even attributes the leadership of the Tura to this office, too, with an administrative district not too far from Gazargamo. Furthermore, the position also included roles in the accession rituals of the mai, according to Nur Alkali. Sadly, Ali Eisami is not too useful here, since tsarma is translated as "a certain military officer." It would appear that there were two, a big one and a little one who led a smaller regiment in support of the tsarma kurabe regiment, who were tasked with making the first attack in battle.

Thus, from the little we could find on this title, it was once far more important in the court of Borno and occupied, in at least one case, by someone with family ties to the Sayfawa dynasty. The association with the Tura is also important, since a mahram from the time of Idris b. Ali (Idris Alooma) and translated by Palmer suggests the Tura traders were once major supplies of horses, although exempted from military service (check Palmer's Bornu Sahara and Sudan). Mahrams suggest some of the Tura were of great significance for trade via Kawar, such as the Bani Mukhtar. As indicated by Bobboyi, one Tura leader, Ali Kellu, was said to have even married a daughter of Ali b. Umar (the same as the 17th century ruler?). In fact, there may even be evidence of Ibrahim, the zerma, in a document translated by Palmer and dated to 1658. In that source, the zarma is named Muhammad Margimi, which could be related to the "son of Margi" Ibrahim. Indeed, Zerma Ibrahim was also called the son of Zerma Dunama, possibly a reference to "Muhammad Margi" in the 17th century document? Naturally, more evidence is necessary, but this should be explored further.

As for the song itself, it frequently praises the zerma and mention his support and proximity to the sultan. The second half of the song is more interesting, since it includes a number of warnings to the titleholder. For instance, "Do not match yourself against Providence." These moral lessons or warnings to a powerful official from a praise singer who declares, "You are not any relation of mine, nor my own flesh and blood, it is only so long as I am happy that I shall stay in your town" may suggest that the zerma was young when he took office. Alternatively, it may have been part of a discourse on the responsibilities of the office which had been abused in the past. 

Copied below is J.R. Patterson's full translation of the Kanuri text, from Kanuri Songs  (1926). 

Zerma Ibrahim, son of a princess

The Sultan’s support (firm as) a bowl made of fan palm trunk

His tribe the Tura, a son of Margi

Zerma, the warrior

A quiver for a hundred arrows

A hawk, a brave warrior

Alone he is equal to a thousand men,

he who can run hither and thither like a puppy

His patience like that of a male pelican

He is like boneless flesh, like brains

He is the owner of Buntigum Kadasha

And of Wawum and the town of Damasha

His eye (is to be feared as) a elephant hunter’s spear

His eyelashes are arrows

Support of a Sultan; if his eye becomes red he is preparing to fight

His Gursulu of the North

Who owns a tethering rope of gold

He is like a horse led behind the Sultan, its trappings ready on its back,

he too carries a Sultan on his back

Like a large spear: in his hand he carries an oil bottle

Zerma Ibrahim, a despoiler who lives in the Sultan’s house

So of Zerma Dunama whose mother was a Sultan’s granddaughter

whose home was N’gasargamu

Support of a Sultan, yours the country called Gabana

Sugu, whose mother was a princess and who is happy therefore

You who sit in the shade of an acacia tree on a sandy mound, 

you are a faithful follower of your chief

Faithful as a dog to its master

(If a man does any of the things) which lie between frowning

on one to being responsible for one’s death,

that is hate, Ibram Mairammi

(If a man gives one a present of anything) from a ‘mudu’ 

of corn to a fine horse, that is favour

One thread of truth in a shuttle will weave

a hundred threads of lies, Ibram Mairammi

Vomiting one’s liver cures the most severe biliousness, Ibram Mairammi

The hatching of an egg is unpleasant for the shell, Ibram Mairammi

Do not match yourself against Providence 

God is all powerful: He prevents the eye from seeing the eyelashes (near it)

Eggs become lice

The small man becomes the great one, Ibram Mairammi

Stick to the truth, Ibram Mairammi

Truth is like the light of dawn, Sugu Mairammi

Untruthfulness is like the darkness at sunset, Ibram Mairammi 

The “kagura” bird is God’s caller to prayer

The crested crane is the blower of the ‘fum-fum’ of the birds

You are not any relation of mine, nor my own flesh and blood,

it is only so long as I am happy that I shall stay in your town