MAGHEGH
neutralDjinn
Maghegh is, in certain Tuareg traditions reported by collections of folklore, a djinn presented as the ancestor from whom the tribes descend. The legend tells that he engendered seven sons, to whom he handed down the necessary knowledge and skills, and that these sons became the founders of seven Tuareg clans. This narrative belongs to a body of Saharan beliefs in which the djinns, the eljinen, hold a great place: the Tuareg tradition describes them living in tribes, with their kings and their craftsmen, in the image of human society. It also echoes the theme, well attested among the Tuareg, of the clans born of a single origin, often attached in the matrilineal versions to the daughters of a single mother rather than to the sons of a djinn. The figure of Maghegh as the djinn father of the lineages is thus a little-documented variant, known above all through compilations of narratives on the spirits, and not through a widely established tradition. His name comes close to the term amajegh, "the free man, the noble", the singular of Imajaghan, which inscribes the legend in the imaginary of noble Tuareg ancestry.
Powers & Attributes
Role in the ROHO universe
Voice of its pantheon. MAGHEGH carries the memory of its tradition and weaves a thread into the Mabioni. Bound to the Tuareg pantheon. Its alignment depends on the invoker's protocol.
Sacred Mask
An ancient ritual mask of sacred wood, old metal and black stone, engraved with symbols of founder, embodiment of the power of Maghegh
Era
Ancient cycle
Frequently asked questions
Who is Maghegh?
Maghegh is, in certain Tuareg traditions reported by collections of folklore, a djinn presented as the ancestor of the tribes. He is said to have engendered seven sons, to have handed down to them the necessary knowledge, and these sons are said to have become the founders of seven Tuareg clans.
What does the legend of the seven sons of Maghegh represent?
It links the origin of the Tuareg clans to a common supernatural ancestor. Among the Tuareg, the theme of the clans born of a single stock is well known; it is often told, in the matrilineal versions, from the daughters of a single mother. The variant of the seven sons of a djinn named Maghegh is a particular form of it, handed down by folklore.
Is the legend of Maghegh solidly attested?
No. This figure of an ancestor djinn named Maghegh is little documented and circulates above all in compilations of narratives on spirits and djinns. The general theme of the Tuareg clans born of a single origin, on the other hand, is well attested by ethnography. The traditional motif and this precise folkloric variant must therefore be distinguished.