Les autorités traditionnelles et l’administration coloniale au Tchad : 1900-1960

ABSTRACT : In Africa, traditionalauthorities are the guardians of tradition. Recently, however, they have been caughtbetween tradition and modernity in the exercise of political power in Chad. However, we are witnessing the revival of chieftaincy and the hybridization of the politicalpowersexercisedwithinit. In this cohabitation of powers, traditionalauthorityisescapingitsrole as guardian of tradition. Traditionalauthorityisthereforepresented in itscurrent state, as a proxy for the modern state in traditional administrative districts. The aim of thisstudyis to analyze the mutations and adaptability of traditionalauthorityfrom the pre-colonialperiodthrough the colonial period to the post-colonial period. This workanalyzes the mutations of authorities. The data collected and processedrevealthattraditionalauthorities have survivedalmosteverywhere, the former chief domsdissolvedduringcolonization have been restored by republicanheads of state, while more and more frequently civil servants, businessmen, academics and othermembers of the literateelite, whopreviouslyhad no attraction for the position of traditionalchief, are beingenthroned. Key words:Authorities, Administration, colonization, Chad, Kanem.