The Xedi Hide are a Chadic people living in the rugged terrain of the Far North Region of Cameroon, concentrated in the town of Tourou and surrounding villages in the Mayo-Tsanaga Division, Mokolo Subdivision, along the Nigerian border northwest of Mokolo. They also have a community across the border in northeastern Nigeria. The people speak Hdi, a Central Chadic language within the Afro-Asiatic family, known by alternate names including Hedi, Hide, Turu, and Xadi.
The Hide, Xedi have long inhabited the dramatic landscape of the Mandara Mountains, where high elevations and steep terrain offered natural protection against the slave raids that devastated this region in the 18th and 19th centuries. The infamous slave trader Hamman Yaji launched repeated attacks on Tourou, and his cruelty left a lasting mark on the community. The remnants of his outpost are still visible in the town. These historical traumas made the Xedi Hide suspicious of outsiders for generations and slowed their participation in formal schooling. Today Tourou's Thursday market and the distinctive painted calabashes worn by women as hats draw visitors and serve as a point of cultural pride.
Life among the Xedi Hide is shaped by the demands of highland farming. Families cultivate sorghum, millet, groundnuts, and maize on terraced hillside plots, using techniques well-suited to the steep and rocky slopes of the Mandara Mountains. Livestock, including goats and chickens, supplement both diet and income. Meals center on grain-based staples such as porridge and dumplings, typically served with sauces made from groundnuts or locally grown vegetables.
Family life is structured around the compound, where extended family members live in close proximity and elders hold authority over household decisions. Women manage much of the domestic labor, including cooking, water collection, and childcare, while men take the lead in farming and community affairs. Some Hdi speakers are bilingual in French or Hausa, reflecting the practical demands of trade and contact with neighboring groups. Community celebrations mark important transitions such as birth, marriage, and harvest, with shared meals, music, and gathering of relatives reinforcing bonds between families and villages.
Islam is the largest religion among the Xedi Hide in Cameroon, brought to the region through centuries of contact with Fulani and other Muslim neighbors. Muslim practice shapes the rhythms of daily life for many families, including prayer, fasting, and community observance. Alongside Islam, elements of African traditional religion persist in some communities, involving beliefs about ancestral spirits and ritual practices tied to the land and to significant life events.
A meaningful Christian minority has taken root among the Xedi Hide, and the New Testament has been translated into the Hdi language. The JESUS Film is also available in Hdi, giving Hdi speakers access to the life of Christ in their own tongue. Christian faith has a genuine presence in this community, though many individuals may not yet have encountered the full message of the gospel in a life-changing way.
The Far North Region of Cameroon has experienced significant instability due to Boko Haram activity, and the Hide, Xedi have not been shielded from its effects. Displacement, disrupted agriculture, and fear have affected communities throughout the Mandara Mountains, and the Hide, Xedi share these burdens. Access to quality education remains limited, particularly for children in remote villages, and few economic opportunities exist beyond subsistence farming. Clean water and reliable healthcare are not universally available. The Hdi New Testament is a precious resource, but broader biblical literacy and trained church leadership would greatly strengthen the community of faith already present among them.
Pray that the Xedi Hide who follow Jesus Christ will grow in faith and courage, and that their churches will become spiritually mature communities anchored in God's Word.
Pray that Hdi-speaking believers will be moved by the Holy Spirit to bring the gospel to neighboring peoples who have little or no access to the good news of Jesus Christ.
Pray for lasting peace and security in the Far North Region, and for the protection and flourishing of Hide, Xedi families affected by conflict and displacement.
Pray that God will raise up local leaders equipped to disciple others, and that the complete Bible will one day be available in the Hdi language.
Scripture Prayers for the Hide, Xedi in Nigeria.
Hdi Dictionary and Language Documentation — Dictionaria
Hdi Language — Wikipedia
Hdi Language — Ethnologue
Mandara Mountains — Qiraat Africa
Jesus Film in Hdi — Jesus Film Project
| Profile Source: Joshua Project |
