[3] Therefore, the kirdi, have fewer similarities culturally or linguistically as they do in their general geographic dispersal, primarily situated in the arid steppe and savannahs of North and Far North regions of Cameroon[4] Estimates of how many groups may be described as Kirdi vary, with estimates ranging from 26 (2007)[2] to more than 40 (1977).
[5] The Bata, Fali, Fata, Gemjek, Guidar, Giziga, Hurza, Kapsiki, Mada, Mafa, Massa, Matakam, Mofou, Mora, Mousgoum, Muyang, Ouldeme, Podoko, Toupouri people, Vame and Zulgo are all considered Kirdi, due to their resistance to Islam.
Many Musgums engage in agriculture with staple crops including: ground nuts and cotton which are sold for commercial use.
[4] The term has an origin from Kanuri and is ultimately thought to be derived from the Arabic language word for "monkey".
Presently, Kirdi bears the general meaning "pagan," in opposition to the Fulani and other Muslim groups.
[7] In recent years, many have reclaimed the label as a means of identification and political unity, giving rise to the “kirditude” movement.
[8] Kirditude is thought to have been kickstarted as a movement in opposition to the largely Muslim Fulani political base for Maigari Bello Bouba’s UNDP during the 1991 election campaign.
From this, Kirdi has come to be interpreted in the context of a group of people united by the social ideology that emphasizes resistance overall.
The Republic of Cameroon, the locus of most Kirdi began at the start of colonization from insurgent Muslim groups.
[4] During the late 1770s and the early 19th century, the Fulani, an Islamic pastoral people of the western Sahel, conquered most of what is now northern Cameroon, subjugating or displacing its largely non-Muslim inhabitants.
[4] The kirdi have sought representation in recent years from minority parties like the Social Democratic Front (SDF) in opposition to the Fulani-dominated Union Nationale pour la Démocratie et le Progrès (UNDP).
While kirdi generally bears the meaning "pagan," in opposition to the Fulani and other Muslim groups, they do not all practice atavistic customs and pagan rituals, many have converted to Christianity and are increasingly self-identifying as a Christian political bloc, to contrast the Muslims opposing blocs.
[17] The great displacement of the historical residents of these regions started in the early nineteenth century, from what would come to be known as the Adamawa Emirate.
[17] Modibbo Adama conquered the region of Fombina, which presently makes up the areas of modern-day Cameroon and Nigeria.
Once under the control of the region, Adama gave enemy nations two options: either convert to Islam or submit to losing autonomy and becoming a tributary state.
Those groups that both formed their own formidable resistance but lacked the structural integrity available under nations gifted with a centralized government, had but one option: become slaves.
Major changes occurred based on the legacy of Modibo Adama even after the sovereignty of his caliphate was lost to other powers from the south.
In line with many sub-Saharan African states Cameroon has had a tumultuous history under authoritarian ruling powers, their first president a Muslim Fulani, Ahmadou Babatoura Ahidjo.
[7] The kirdi has had to battle with discrimination and disenfranchisement from many other powers particularly those groups who had a history of campaigns to convert the collection of communities towards Islam.
[3] As it currently stands, the religious demographic of the Republic of Cameroon is just under half Muslim, mostly concentrated by the coast by Bantu people communities, while the Kirdi tend to state in the savanna further inland in the north.
[19] The most popular staple is fufu, which generally refers to a dough made from boiled and pounded starchy provisions such as mandioca, plantains, yams, cassava, or malanga.
[20] To mitigate the harsh conditions that pastoral communities of Far North Region, Cameroon have to deal with, international health organizations have invested in understanding the ethnobotany of this region, and the thousands of years of traditional medicinal practices that have provided some relief before multilateral health initiatives.
These medical practices include the consumption of raw plants, crude extraction methods, decoctions, and fermentation processes.
This superior overarching character to the Fali and similar branches have dubbed it as Muttaf, although other names have also been adopted for the same general concept.
However, Muttaf is not singularly the creator of all things, such as the monotheistic god adopted by Abrahamic religions, but rather they identify him as purely one who is undetectable to human intelligence.
These spirits can be summoned and communicated with the Fali followers, so as to make pardons for the holy deities on the believer's behalf.
[22] Some of these supernatural deities of the intermediary realm include genies capable of granting wishes, sacred crocodiles that are to be coveted and praised, and the black snake.