By Nabil Ziani
The exact date of the discovery of America continues to cause controversy, since there is evidence of the existence of other populations who inhabited the country before the arrival of Christopher Columbus. Their origins are also debated, since not all specialists always agree on the subject. But it is almost certain that many so-called "Indian" tribes are of Asian origin. But a French ethnologist from the beginning of the twentieth century affirmed that many American tribes, especially in the United States, are of North African origin, therefore Berbers.
Gaston Cauvet was an officer in the French army at the beginning of the twentieth century. He was established in the Sahara, and worked in what was called at the time "Les Bureaux Arabes, or Arab Offices", an administration responsible for managing the local populations then under French domination. In the Sahara desert, Cauvet had time to research and publish several books on the Hoggar region and the origin of the Tuaregs, on the animals of the desert, as well as on other subjects. In 1930, he published an important essay entitled "The Berbers in America".
Commander Cauvet advances a very interesting thesis on the settlement of America by Berber tribes, alongside others from other regions of the globe. Several so-called “Indian” tribes would have no other origins than North Africa. To demonstrate this, he compared the names of tribes on both sides of the Atlantic, then tried to trace their origins.
One have to remember that this work was done in the 1920s, so a century ago. The conditions of research, the means and the state of knowledge on the question of the origins of peoples did not have the state of progress that we have today. In this, it is a real feat that Commander Cauvet has achieved with this book. He relied on a fairly limited but quality bibliography. He took a critical look at the existing theses of his time, and brought us a work worthy of interest, even if it must in turn be criticized.
Origin of the Berbers:
According to Cauvet, the Berbers first spread to Abyssinia on the side of Ethiopia, before spreading to the rest of the continent where they found "populations of inferior races". These are the tribes belonging to this migration, subsequently mixed with emigrants from Europe, who would have formed the so-called "Berber" race, who managed to reach America where they also found themselves in the presence of many tribes arrivals through Bering Strait. Being more civilized than the latter, they made them benefit from some of their knowledge. This was one of the origins of the American civilizations that later disappeared before the new European invasions.
Note: Commander Cauvet considered that the Berbers would be "populations of lower races" to whom the Europeans brought civilization. These inferior races would have come from Asia, like the rest of the other races, and would have arrived via Arabia. He did not say whether he aligned himself with the thesis of the Yemeni origin of the Berbers, but he nevertheless affirmed that "It is through Arabia that all the peoples who have lived in Africa transited. ". He did not hesitate to affirm that these tribes were civilized by the Whites, because of superior races: "As long as there is a temperate climate, creator of the white man and his energy, this one will have the primacy on other races ». Today, this kind of statement would cause a real outcry. But at the time, this thesis was largely dominant.
If we can largely criticize the assertions and interpretations of Commander Cauvet, in particular on the origin of the Berbers, we must however recognize his great knowledge of the ethnology of his time. His knowledge of geography and the distribution of ethnicities prevalent in the world is phenomenal. It is in fact this aspect of his work that is the most interesting. His reading of this data, for the most part, turned out to be inaccurate. For example, it has been accepted since several years that African Man has preceded Asian Man in his appearance, especially since the oldest human bones were found in Morocco and Algeria. As far as Asia is concerned, migrations went from West to East and not in the opposite direction as our ethnologist asserts.
The peopling of America:
In the chapter reserved for the peopling of America, Gaston Cauvet affirmed that “the tribes which populated America came mainly from Asia from the north of this continent”. But he added "it is also believed that the storms were able, thanks to the equatorial current, to throw Negroes from the west coast of Africa onto those of Brazil". Chapter two of the book is devoted to the names of Indian tribes of Asian origin, from the Urals, Siberia or Europe. Commander Cauvet's work is based on the names of these tribes and their transformation or evolution. Thus, for example, he attributes the origin of the Quatos of Brazil to the Quadi region of Germania. The Rodetes of Ecuador would also be the Rodetes of Spain, and the Silvias of Colombia would be the Silvanectes of Gaul. This rapprochement of American tribes with others existing or having existed in Europe and Asia is abundant in the work of Gaston Cauvet. Many tribes would originate from Spain, Portugal, the Caucasus or Armenia.
In chapter three, Gaston Cauvet devoted part of his study to the origins of the peopling of Africa. “It was from the northeast that the first hordes of black people must have arrived”. He distinguished these “Negros” from the “Niggers” proper. “Backward and savage tribes” as he described them.
On page 137 of his book, he affirmed the Asian origin of the Berbers, while adding that: "It is probable, although we cannot prove it". He therefore confirmed that his interpretation of some of his data was speculation and not scientific demonstration. At least, as far as the origin of the Berbers was concerned. Especially since he continued by affirming that: “The Varvara or the Barbaras of India gave their name to the Berbers”. He added: "Many Berber tribes came from Upper Asia, India, the Caucasus".
But earlier in his book, he had already said: “The Berbers are refractory to anthropomorphic representations”. This connoisseur of the Algerian desert had not yet heard of the Tassili and its thousands of rock paintings discovered after the publication of his book. He nevertheless showed the limits of his knowledge of the Berbers and their history, especially when he affirmed on page 128 that they were "authentic descendants of the Prophet Muhammad". He pretended not to know that Muhammad was Arab, therefore Semite, and that the Berbers were Hamites. Without going into details concerning the identity of the authentic descendants of Muhammad through his only daughter Fatima. His two sons having died when they were still only children.
For Commander Cauvet, however, "A Berber is a man who speaks the Berber language or whose ancestors spoke it". The linguistic criterion therefore seemed to predominate in the definition of the Berbers according to Cauvet. Why then attach a Mohammedan origin to them?
Berbers in the United States.
Commander Cauvet indicated in the list of Berber tribes having emigrated to America, several of them who would have settled in the present territory of the United States, in several States. There were nearly twenty of them in California alone, such as the Wiyotes, the Pomos, the
Jenigneis, the Modois, the Foneches, etc... He analyzed in particular the name of the Maquelcheles. For him, for a long time the attention of American scholars has been focused on this Californian tribe who was completely different from the peoples around them who are considered to be white. They transcribed his name Makhelchels. Their passage in the North was marked by the name of the village of Melklilakhel in Makatla of the commune of Sedrata near Mdaourouc the birthplace of the famous writer of antiquity, Apuleius of Madaure.
The ancients knew them in southern Tunisia under the name of Mecales (Corippus) of Mctxala or Mechal (Pliny). There are still some Béni Maqel in Arad and Djerba. In the Berber genealogies we find the names of Xfacela and Xlaghila. The passage of the Maquelchelles through Barbary is established by the duplication of the last syllable which would not have occurred if they had come directly from Asia.
Another example provided to us by Gaston Cauvet was that of the Mutsunes tribe. The Mutsunes are a tribe that inhabits California in the Monterey region. One of their fractions beared the name of Mutsos which seemed to derive from the primitive ethnicity. He estimated that they came from Barbary. One of the rare tribes whose authentic name the Romans left us was that of the Musunii. They lived in present-day Tunisia between Thelepte (Medinet el Khedima and Cillium (Kasserine) near the Musulams. An inscription found at Hassi Cheraga assures us of their name and their existence. A little further north-west there were Musones, perhaps -be a dismemberment of the previous ones, which Peutinger's table placed between Sétif and Ad Oculum Marinum.
The origin of these names does not appear elsewhere and it is probable that they were formed on the spot. In the current nomenclatures we find in the Tunisian South SW of Sfax that is to say not far from the region where the Micsunii lived an Ain Mezouna and a Bled Mezouna which were identified with the former bishopric of Marazanoe Regiae. In Algeria the small indigenous town of Mazouna of the mixed commune of Renault and the tribe that bears the same name recalled this same ethnicity. We can still bring them closer with some reservations to the Msouna of El Arrouch, the Massoume of Blida and the Masoumas of Chebli. These names are perhaps derived from that of the Maces, one of the first Berber tribes mentioned by Herodotus. The Musunü of ancient Byzacène must have been part of the Garamantes, or Gétules, very mixed with the previous ones in this region, but they do not seem to have left any traces in the onomastics of the Tuareg tribes: it is therefore probable that their Westward shift had preceded the dispersal of these nomads.
Commander Cauvet's book contains examples concerning a multitude of tribes scattered in the USA. We thus find the Olagotanos of Florida, the Timaguanos, the Reeds, the Vitachucos, the Tulas, etc... as well as the Tulas who were Indians of this region whose name he took as a type of this ethnicity because it was least distorted; there were also Tularenos or Tulares, Tulomos from Tolenos, Tolowas in California, Olagotanos, etc...
Cauvet also gave us the names of the tribes of the Antacotos of New York, of the Venados and the Avavares or Avaraes or Avares of Texas, of the Utas or Utah Waratchs of Nevada, of the Utes of New Mexico, of the Utagamis, of the Foxes and of the Musquakkies of Iowa. And the list is still long.
Berber North Africa has been a provider of populations, culture and civilization for the Americans. Moreover, the oldest city in the United States is called Saint Augustine in Florida. It bears the name of the most famous of thinkers and theologians, the Father and Doctor of the Church, the Berber Saint Augustine, Bishop of Hippo in Algeria.
About North-Africa today :
Today, average american people do not even know who the Berbers are. And the Governments of North African countries don’t even like to recall the real identity of their people. Since the birth of the Arab League in the middle of the 20th Century, North-African people is no longer considered as Berber, but as Arab. And since 1980, different regions of those countries have started to claim their Berber identity, fighting to be recognized as such. In recent years, the political pressures had led the Governments of Algeria and Morroco to recongnize the Berber language and to teach it at schools. There’s a real interest in discovering this part of the world, its culture and its history, especialy that is related to America.
The Berbers gave to the world its very first Novel book, wich was « the Metamorphosis » of Apuleus of Madaure, its first autobiography wich was « The Confessions » of Saint Augustine and many key matters. Five of the thirty three Church Fathers were from North-Africa and there were three Catholic Popes originated from this area of the Mediterranean.
Many biblical charcters are from what is called today « the Maghreb ». Simon of Cyrene who helped Jesus carry His cross was from Libya, just as Saint Mark, the author of the very first Gospel. Shishak the King of Egypt who looted Solomon’s Temple in Jerusalem, was a Berber. Every year till now, he is celebrated in all the North African countries as the « Berber Pharaoh ». The Berber new-year is celebrated in his memory in the only remaining non muslim festival in North Africa. This region of the world has also invented the Candle ans what is falsly called « The Arabic Numerals ».
Algeria had a Peace Treaty with the United States, signed by the US Senate and the President John Adams in 1797. And in an official visit of the Algerian Foreign Minister, Condoleeza Rice offerd him a copy of the original treaty.
North African Countries turned as opponents to the American Government since some of them, Algeria and Lybia, became Socialist during the Cold War. But today, they are eagerly seeking to develop cooperation and economic exchange with the United States. This region of the world is worth discovering.
Conclusion.
This study should be supplemented with the resources of modern anthropology, ethnology, linguistics, and archeology. It is necessary to resume the study in a more methodical and in-depth way. It also remains to know at what time these migrations took place, the means of transport used, the route followed, and the importance of the number of emigrants. We know when these migrations stopped (the 15th century) with the arrival of the Conquistatdors, but we do not know when they started. In fact, from this date, it was the trade in slaves from Africa that began.
Some of these migrants were fishermen and navigators that the winds and sea currents led to the coasts of Guyana, Venezuela or Brazil. Other waves have targeted North America. But it cannot be excluded that organized migrations took place. One can wonder if there were not, at certain times, real expeditions, voyages of discovery, dispatches of settlers, as the Phoenicians did in antiquity. We also talk about the existence of Atlantis in the middle of the ocean which could have served as a stopover point? But in general, there is a consensus on the role played by the Canary Islands, also Berber, as a stopover between the two shores of the Atlantic.
Some American names are found only in Barbary. And not in other parts of the world. Others have undergone essentially Berber deformations. The origin of a certain number of tribes is authentically attested by the grouping of the names of the collectivities which surrounded them at their point of origin.
Commander Cauvet's work is very important, but largely insufficient. He has indeed opened up a path, a very interesting line of research. Even if he limited his research to the only names of tribes whose alteration he recognized: “Everywhere, we see the repetition of the same names, variously altered, but nevertheless recognizable in the various parts of Barbary. …The PVQX consonants do not exist among the Berbers. …The Greeks have greatly crippled all the Berber names”.
It remains to be verified to confirm his thesis, other aspects of these migrations. In particular social habits, the way of eating, of dressing, of building, of getting married, of burying the dead, etc. He recognized that his work needed deepening, since he said: "The ethnic names do not always tell us exactly about the moral and physical characteristics of the race that bears them. We must therefore not ask ethnic names for more than they can give us and we must take into account all the causes that alter the accuracy of the information they bring us ». He added further: "Ethnography proper, that is to say the study of the customs of the tribes, and prehistoric archeology provide an important and excellent contribution to the search for origins, but my subject is limited to the study of ethnic names. Paleontology does not yet provide enough information on the subject that concerns us ».
In his work, Gaston Cauvet used a sometimes shocking vocabulary, which reflects the view that Westerners had on other populations. He used terms considered racist and degrading today: Negroes, savages, backwards, inferior races, hordes, etc. However, it has been demonstrated well before the 20th century, when he lived, that the Western civilization of which he shows himself so proud, is the work of Africans like Tertullian, Cyprian and Augustine. The French historian Lucien Jerphanion even considered Saint Augustine as “The Father of the West”. Where does Commander Cauvet's ignorance of the Berbers in particular come from, if not of this retrograde school which considered that Europe was the navel of the world and which casted a contemptuous gaze on the rest of mankind?
There is still a lot to say about this book which is unfortunately only difficult to access in some bookstores, because of its rarity and its non-reprint. We have provided you with a summary which still needs to be reworked.
Let us note a few bibliographical sources used by Gaston Cauvet and which deserve to be re-examined to derive greater benefit from them:
· Dictionario ethnografico americano by Mr. Gabriel Varga Martin. Madrid, 1922.
· Alphabetical directory of the tibus and douars-communes of Algeria., 1900.
Nomenclature of and distribution of the tribes of Tunisia., 1900
· Territorial organization of Morocco and Indigenous Command. 1921
The Moroccan people, the Berber bloc, 1925
Nabil ZIANI is a journalist and author specialized in North-African Christian history and living in France. He is looking for a publisher for his last book on Simon of Cyrene.
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