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The Songhai (also Songhay, Songhaytarey (), ()) is an area in the northwestern corner of Niger's Tillabéri Region populated mainly by the Songhai proper. It is considered the heartland of the Songhai people and the sanctuary of their ancient pantheon and priestly class and the place in which the original lineage of the Sonni dynasty retreated after the coup d'etat of 1493 creating a secret society of magicians, the Sohance.
The first stettlers to move back here from 
The nobles of the towns in this region trace their ancestry to two groups of Songhay nobility: the ''Si'' or ''Sonni Hamey'' (offspring of
History
TheSonghay Empire
The Songhai Empire (also transliterated as Songhay) was a state that dominated the western Sahel/Sudan in the 15th and 16th century. At its peak, it was one of the largest states in African history. The state is known by its historiographical ...
grew out of a polity that was formed in this region of present-day Niger. This polity flourished in present-day Mali and replaced the Mali Empire
The Mali Empire ( Manding: ''Mandé''Ki-Zerbo, Joseph: ''UNESCO General History of Africa, Vol. IV, Abridged Edition: Africa from the Twelfth to the Sixteenth Century'', p. 57. University of California Press, 1997. or Manden; ar, مالي, Māl ...
as the major West Sudanese power with its capital as Gao
Gao , or Gawgaw/Kawkaw, is a city in Mali and the capital of the Gao Region. The city is located on the River Niger, east-southeast of Timbuktu on the left bank at the junction with the Tilemsi valley.
For much of its history Gao was an impor ...
. After being vanquished by incursions from Morocco, the Songhay state withdrew to its original homeland which is this region.
The first stettlers to move back here from Gao
Gao , or Gawgaw/Kawkaw, is a city in Mali and the capital of the Gao Region. The city is located on the River Niger, east-southeast of Timbuktu on the left bank at the junction with the Tilemsi valley.
For much of its history Gao was an impor ...
were the Sonni dynasty in 1493 followed by the Askia dynasty in 1591 who also settled
here and further south in the Dendiganda and established smaller kingdoms after the invasion of the Songhai Empire by the Saadi dynasty of Morocco.
The nobles of the towns in this region trace their ancestry to two groups of Songhay nobility: the ''Si'' or ''Sonni Hamey'' (offspring of Sonni Ali Ber
Sunni Ali, also known as Si Ali, Sunni Ali Ber (Ber meaning "the Great"), was born in Ali Kolon. He reigned from about 1464 to 1492. Sunni Ali was the first king of the Songhai Empire, located in Africa and the 15th ruler of the Sunni dynasty. ...
) and ''Mamar Hamey'' (offspring of Mamar or Maamar, that being the vernacular name of Askia Mohammad I). The primary dialect spoken in this region is Songhoyboro Ciine
Songhoyboro Ciine or Songhay Ciiné ( or ) is an upriver dialect of the southern Songhay dialect of Niger. It is spoken mostly in the northwestern corner of Niger's Tillaberi region, an area known as Songhay: from Gorouol, a border town with M ...
.
References
{{Authority control 1591 disestablishments in Africa Former empires in Africa Regions of Niger Ancient peoples History of Africa Sahelian kingdoms