Located in the south, especially in the
Moyen-Chari,
Logone Oriental,
Logone Occidental, and parts of the
Tandjile regions, they are
Nilotic people who are believed to have
migrated westwards to the Chad during the sixteenth century because of a constant threat from
Arab slave raiders.[
citation needed]
The Sara is a
patrilineal ethnic group. Its people speak a Nilo-Sudanic language and form some twelve tribes or clans, including the Ngambaye, the Mbaye, the Goulay, the Madjingaye, the Kaba, the Sara-Kaba, the Niellim, the Nar, the Dai and Ngama.
The Sara (Sa-Ra) designation appears to have been derived from Arabic, meaning the Sons of
Ra, the ancient Egyptian Sun-God. The Sara lived in the north-east along the Nile River before they sought refuge in the south against northern Arab slave raids.