THE ZERMA: PROFILE OF AN UNREACHED PEOPLE
Most of the Zerma people live in Niger, West Africa, and like most Nigeriens they are Muslim and have been for many centuries. Their culture and traditions are tied closely to the practice of Islam. Like Muslims everywhere, the Zerma believe in a supreme God, with Mohammed as his prophet, they observe the rituals such as the month of fasting during Ramadan, they give a small portion of their income to charity, they perform at least five daily prayers, and if they have the means, they make a pilgrimage to Mecca. Almost every village has a mosque where the men gather to pray and the larger towns and cities have many, sometimes almost one per block. Overall, less than 1% of the Zerma follow Christ. There are a few Christian churches scattered here and there. Many of the Christians are ridiculed and mocked, some are denied service from vendors and sometimes they are kicked out of their homes or told by their landlords they must leave a house they've been renting. The Zerma tend to be conformers, and to stand out, as a Christian most certainly does in a Muslim society, is more than many Zerma can bear to think about.

There are approximately two million Zerma across West Africa. About half the population is under the age of 15 due to increasing birthrates and decreasing infant mortality rates. The Zerma language is called Zarma, and is closely related to the Songhai dialect. Only about 10% of the Zerma are literate, most of their communication takes place orally. The children are educated in schools modeled after the French system but most communication between Zerma people, even those who are educated in French, is done in the Zarma language.

Although there appears to be a strict adherence to Islam on the surface, many Zerma also incorporate animistic practices into their daily life resulting in a type of "folk Islam." These practices consist of things like wearing charms and consulting mediums. Often these charms consist of small pouches into which they will tuck Koranic verses. The extent to which the Zerma participate in these practices varies from village to village.

The primary occupation of the Zerma is subsistence farming with millet, sorghum, beans, and peanuts making up the staple crops. Individual farms are worked only by family members. The head of the household distributes fields to each of the family members for cultivation. In addition to farming, the Zarma raise chickens, sheep, goats and some cattle, although the larger animals are usually only slaughtered and eaten during religious ceremonies and festivals. The farming season is about five months long, from June to October each year (the "rainy season"). During the "cool season" many villages, especially those located next to a good water source, will raise gardens. Many of the men will l eave their villages after harvest and look for work in such places as the port cities of the coastal countries of West Africa, returning in time for spring planting. The farming and gardening is all done by hand, using long-handled implements for the planting and cultivating of crops like sorghum and millet. It is labor intensive, and it's not unusual to see one's best efforts produce little or nothing because of drought or pests which destroy crops. Many of the government jobs, especially in Niamey, are held by Zerma people, although the Hausa make up the majority of the population of Niger. You will also find Zerma fisherman, teachers, businessmen, etc. Farming, however remains the most respected form of work.

Housing is generally mud brick - either round with mud walls or rectangular with walls made of sun-dried mud bricks. Most houses have straw thatched roofs.

It is not unusual for a Zerma man to take more than one wife. In general, the women are responsible for the children, cooking, cleaning, hauling water, and numerous other chores that fill a day. They have little leisure time. The women are also responsible for planting, cultivating, and harvesting such crops as peanuts and okra. There are women in both the military and government.

The primary celebrations are Muslim: tabaski (feast of the sheep), Ramadan and Mawlid (Mohammed's birthday). Pressure on everyone, including Christians from Muslim families, to participate in tabaski and Ramadan is intense. The end of Ramadan is a big feast and children go around asking adults for money.

For weddings, there is usually an all-day celebration at the bride's home, after which the groom's friends bring her to his home where the couple and their friends celebrate for three days. Seven days after a child is born, everyone is invited to a naming ceremony where prayers are said for the child by a Muslim priest, after which there is an all day feast.

The primary recreation is conversation. Sports, especially soccer and traditional wrestling, are very popular. Children play games such as langa-langa, a team sport played with one leg held behind the back. Dili, a board game played in the sand, is popular among older people. Western games such as cards are also popular. Gambling is very common, though condemned by conservative Muslims.

In the midst of our planning and strategizing, we do well to stop often and ask ourselves "how many Zerma have heard the gospel today?" Visitation, personal evangelism, and developing relationships with the Zerma are a key part of leading them to have a personal relationship with Christ. The great majority of Zerma are truly lost, and confronting them with the Good News has proven to be a great challenge. Yet we serve a faithful God with whom all things are possible, and who will not allow His word to return to him void.