Fula people

"Fulani" redirects here. For other uses, seeFulani (disambiguation).

Fulani, Fula

Fulɓe 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫
WodaabeFulbe men duringGuérewol,Niger
Total population
est.38.6 million
Regions with significant populations
West Africa,North AfricaandCentral Africa
Nigeria	15,300,000 (6.6%)
Senegal	5,055,782 (27.5%)
Guinea	4,544,000 (33.4%)
Cameroon	3,000,000 (13.4%)
Mali	2,840,850 (13.3%)
Burkina Faso	1,800,000 (8.4%)
Niger	1,650,000 (6.5%)
Benin	1,182,900 (8.6%)
Mauritania	900,000 (18.3%)
Guinea-Bissau	623,646 (30%)
Gambia	449,280 (18.2%)
Chad	334,000 (1.8%)
Sierra Leone	310,000 (5%)
CAR	250,000 (4.5%)
Sudan	204,000 (0.4%)
Togo	110,000 (1.2%)
Ghana	4,240 (0.01%)
South Sudan	4,000 (0.02%)
Algeria	4,000 (0.01%)
Ivory Coast	3,800 (0.02%)
Languages
Fula•French•Portuguese•English•Arabic•Hausa
Religion
PrimarilyIslam
Related ethnic groups
Toucouleur,Hausa,Tebu,Serer,Songhay,Tuareg

Person	Pullo 𞤆𞤵𞤤𞥆𞤮
People	Fulɓe 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫
Language	Pulaar (𞤆𞤵𞤤𞤢𞥄𞤪, West), Fulfulde (𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤬𞤵𞤤𞤣𞤫, East)

TheFula,Fulani,orFulɓe peopleare an ethnic group inSahara,SahelandWest Africa,widely dispersed across the region.Inhabiting many countries, they live mainly inWest Africaand northern parts ofCentral Africa,South Sudan,Darfur,and regions near theRed Seacoast inSudan.The approximate number of Fula people is unknown, due to clashing definitions regarding Fula ethnicity. Various estimates put the figure between 25and 40 million people worldwide.

A significant proportion of the Fula–a third, or an estimated 7 to 10 million–arepastoralists,and their ethnic group has the largestnomadicpastoral community in the world.The majority of the Fula ethnic group consisted of semi-sedentary people,as well as sedentary settled farmers, scholars, artisans, merchants, and nobility.As an ethnic group, they are bound together by theFula language,their historyand their culture. The Fula are almost completelyMuslimswith a tiny minority being Christiansand Animists.

Many West African leaders are of Fulani descent, including the former President of Nigeria,Muhammadu Buhari;the first president of CameroonAhmadou Ahidjo;the former President of Senegal,Macky Sall;the President and the vice president of Gambia,Adama Barrowand Muhammad B.S.Jallow; the President of Guinea-Bissau,Umaro Sissoco Embaló;the Vice President of Sierra Leone,Mohamed Juldeh Jalloh;the prime minister of Guinea conakry, Bah Oury; the Prime Minister of Mali,Boubou Cisseand the Wife of Vice President of GhanaSamira Bawumia.They also occupy positions in major international institutions, such as theDeputy Secretary-General of the United Nations,Amina J. Mohammed;the 74thPresident of the United Nations General Assembly,Tijjani Muhammad-Bande;and the Secretary-General ofOPEC,Mohammed Sanusi Barkindo.

Names

Ethnonyms

There are many names (and spellings of the names) used in other languages to refer to theFulɓe.Fulaniin English is borrowed from theHausaterm.Fula,fromManding languages,is also used in English, and sometimes spelledFulahorFullah.Fula and Fulani are commonly used in English, including within Africa. The French borrowed theWoloftermPël,which is variously spelled:Peul,Peulh,and evenPeuhl.More recently theFulfulde / PulaartermFulɓe,which is a plural noun (singular,Pullo) has beenAnglicisedasFulbe,which is gaining popularity in use. In Portuguese, the terms Fula or Futafula are used. The termsFallata,Fallatah,orFellataare ofArabicorigins, and are often the ethnonyms by which Fulani people are identified by in parts of Chad and Sudan.

TheToucouleur peopleof the centralSenegal Rivervalley speakFulfulde / Pulaarand refer to themselves asHaalpulaaren,or those who speak Pulaar. The supposed distinction between them was invented by French ethnographers in the 19th century who differentiated between supposedly sedentary, agricultural, fanatical, and anti-European Toucouleurs on one hand and nomadic, pastoralist, docile and cooperativePeulhson the other, but the dichotomy is false.

Surnames

Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Senegal

Common Fulani family names inGuinea,Sierra Leone,Liberia,Gambia,Guinea Bissauand SouthernSenegalare: Diallo (French speaking regions), Jallow or Jalloh (English speaking regions), Djalo (Cap Verde and Guinea Bissau), Sow, Barry, Bah or Ba, Baldé, and Diouldé.Other Fulani (Toucouleur) family names in Guinea and northern Senegal are: Tall, Sall, Diengue, Sy, Anne, Ly, Wann, Dia and others.

Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon

Although most Fulbe ofNigeria,NigerandCameroonuse their father's given name as surnames, there are some common Fulani last names such as Bello (likely from theFulfuldewordBallomeaning “helper or assistant” ),Tukur (fromTakrur), Gidado, Barkindo, Jallo, Ahidjo and Dikko.

Mali, Burkina Faso

InMali,the most common Fulani family names are Diallo, Diakité, Dia, Sow, Sidibé, Sangaré, Bah, Dicko, Tall, etc. These names can be found among the Fulani populations of the following Malian regions and areas ofMopti,Macina,Nioro,Kidal,Tomboctou,Gao,Sikasso,and others.These names are also found among the Fula population ofBurkina Faso,along with other names like Barry and Sankara (derived from Sangaré).

Bocoum, Niangadou, Bassoum, Daff, Djigué, and Lah are some family names that can be found among the Diawambe/Jawambe (Singular: Dianwando/Jawando and Diokoramé/Jokorameh inBambara) of Mali.The Jawambe are a sub-group of Fulanis in Mali who are primarily known for trading.

In some parts of Mali, like Mopti, apart from the common Fula surnames like those previously mentioned, you will find surnames like Cissé and Touré. Though these names are commonly associated with theMandingtribes, some in Mali have adopted the Fula culture and language through centuries of coexistence, and thus now consider themselves as part of the Fula ethnic group. A notable example of this isAmadou Toumani Touré,the former president of Mali.

Geographic distribution

A distribution map of Fula people. Dark green: a major ethnic group; Medium: significant; Light: minor.

The Fula people are widely distributed, across theSahelfrom theAtlantic coastto theRed Sea,particularly inWest Africa.In addition, many also speak other languages of the countries they inhabit, making many Fulani bilingual or even trilingual. Such languages includeFrench,Hausa,Bambara,Wolof,Soninke,andArabic.

Major concentrations of Fulani people exist in theFouta Djallonhighlands of central Guinea and south into the northernmost reaches of Sierra Leone; theFuta Toorosavannah grasslands of Senegal and southern Mauritania; theMacinainland Niger river delta system around Central Mali; and especially in the regions aroundMoptiand the Nioro Du Sahel in theKayesregion; theBorgusettlements of Benin, Togo, and west-central Nigeria; the northern parts of Burkina Faso in theSahel region's provinces ofSeno,Wadalan,andSoum;and the areas occupied by theSokoto Caliphate,which includes what is now southern Niger and northern Nigeria (such asAdamawa,Tahoua,Katsina,Sokoto,Kebbi,Zinder,Bauchi,Diffa,Yobe,Gombe,and further east, into theBenue Rivervalley systems of north eastern Nigeria and northern Cameroon).

This is the area known as theFombina/Hombina,literally meaning 'the south' inAdamawa Fulfulde,because it represented the most southern and eastern reaches of Fulɓe hegemonic dominance inWest Africa.In this area,Fulfuldeis the local lingua franca, and language of cross cultural communication. Further east of this area, Fulani communities become predominantly nomadic, and exist at less organized social systems. These are the areas of theChari-Baguirmi Regionand its river systems, in Chad and the Central African Republic, theOuaddaï highlandsof Eastern Chad, the areas aroundKordofan,Darfurand theBlue Nile,Sennar,Kassalaregions of Sudan,as well as theRed Seacoastal city ofPort Sudan.The Fulani on their way to or back from the pilgrimage toMecca,Saudi Arabia, settled in many parts of eastern Sudan, today representing a distinct community of over two million people referred to as theFellata.

Bodaado(singular ofWodaabe) Fula man with the typicalFulani hatabove a turban

While their early settlements in West Africa were in the vicinity of the tri-border point of present-day Mali, Senegal, and Mauritania, they are now, after centuries of gradual migrations and conquests, spread throughout a wide band of West and Central Africa. The Fulani People occupy a vast geographical expanse located roughly in a longitudinal east–west band immediately south of the Sahara, and just north of the coastal rain forest and swamps. There are estimates of more than 25 million Fulani people.

There are generally three different types of Fulani based on settlement patterns, viz: the nomadic-pastoral orMbororo,the semi-nomadic, and the settled or "town" Fulani. The pastoral Fulani move around with their cattle throughout the year. Typically, they do not stay around for long stretches (not more than 2–4 months at a time). The semi-nomadic Fulani can either be Fulɓe families who happen to settle down temporarily at particular times of the year or Fulɓe families who do not "browse" around past their immediate surroundings, and even though they possess livestock, they do not wander away from a fixed or settled homestead not too far away, they are basically "in-betweeners".

Settled Fulani live in villages, towns, and cities permanently and have given up nomadic life completely, in favor of an urban one. These processes of settlement, concentration, and military conquest led to the existence of organized and long-established communities of Fulani, varying in size from small villages to towns. Today, some major Fulani towns include:Labé,Pita,Mamou,andDalabain Guinea;Kaedi,MatamandPodor,Kolda in Senegal and Mauritania;Bandiagara,Mopti,Dori,Gorom-Gorom,andDjiboin Mali and Burkina Faso, on the bend of the Niger; andBirnin Kebbi,Katsina,Gombe,Yola,Digil,Jalingo,Bauchi, Misau, Jama'are,Mayo Belwa,Mubi,Maroua,Ngaoundere,Azare,Dukku,Kumo,Girei,Damaturu, Bertoua, andGarouain the countries of Cameroon and Nigeria. In most of these communities, the Fulani are usually perceived as aruling class.

Fulani communities are sometimes grouped and named based on the areas they occupy. Although within each region, there are even further divisions and sub-groupings as well. Below is a list of the main Fulɓe groups.

Main Fulani sub-groups, national and subnational locations, cluster group and dialectal variety
Fulbe Adamawa 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫 𞤀𞤣𞤢𞤥𞤢𞤱𞤢	Nigeria:Adamawa State,Taraba State,Borno State,Yobe State Cameroon:Adamaoua Region,Northern Region,Far North Region,Centre Region Chad:Mayo-Kebbi Est,Mayo-Kebbi Ouest Region,Logone Oriental,Logone OccidentalEtc. Central African Republic:Nana-Mambéré,Ouham-Pendé,Mambéré-Kadéï Sudan	Fulfulde Adamawa(Fombinaare)	Eastern
Fulbe Bagirmi 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫 𞤄𞤢𞤺𞤭𞤪𞤥𞤭	Central African Republic Chad:Chari Bagirmi Region,Mandoul Region,Moyen Chari
Fulbe Sokoto 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫 𞤅𞤮𞤳𞤮𞤼𞤮	Nigeria:Sokoto State,Kebbi State,Katsina State,Kano State,Zamfara State,Jigawa State,Niger State,Kwara State Niger:Tahoua Region,Maradi Region,Dosso Region,Zinder Region	Fulfulde Sokoto(Woylaare)
Fulbe Gombe 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫 𞤘𞤮𞤲'𞤦𞤫	Nigeria:Gombe State,Bauchi State,Yobe State,Borno State,Plateau State	Fulfulde Woylaare-Fombinaare transitional
Fulbe Mbororo 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫 𞤐'𞤄𞤮𞤪𞤮𞤪𞤮	Nigeria:All across the northern, central and some southern states of the country as transient herders Cameroon:All over the country in 9 of the country's 10 regions/provinces as transient herders Chad:All across southern and central Chad as herders Central African Republic:Ubiquitous across the countryside Niger:All across the country south of the Sahara as herders and nomads. Note that theWoɗaaɓeare themselves an even smaller subgroup of the Mbororo'en. Thus: All Woɗaaɓe are Bororos, but not every Bororo is a Boɗaaɗo (Woɗaaɓe person) Sudan	Fulfulde Sokoto (Woylaare) & Adamawa (Fombinaare)
Fulbe Borgu 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫 𞤄𞤮𞤪𞤺𞤵	Nigeria:Niger State,Kebbi State,Kwara State Benin:Borgou,Atakora,Alibori,Donga Togo:Savanes Region,Kara Region,Centrale Region	Fulfulde Borgu& Jelgoore	Central
Fulbe Jelgooji 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫 𞤔𞤫𞤤𞤺𞤮𞥅𞤶𞤭	Mali Niger:Tillabéri Region,Dosso Region Burkina Faso:Sahel Region,Est Region,Centre-Nord Region,All across the country, most especially in the countryside	Fulfulde Jelgoore & (Massinakoore)
Fulbe Massina 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫 𞤃𞤢𞤧𞥆𞤭𞤲𞤢	Mali:Mopti Region,Gao Region,Segou Region,All over the country Ivory Coast:Mostly concentrated in the Northern regions Ghana:in the northern and central regions	Fulfulde Massinakoore
Fulbe Nioro 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫 𞤻𞤮𞥅𞤪𞤮	Mali:Kayes Region,Koulikoro Region Senegal:Tambacounda Region Mauritania:Assaba Region	Pulaar – Fulfulde Fuua Tooro -Massinakoore transitional	Western
Fulbe Futa Jallon 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫 𞤊𞤵𞥅𞤼𞤢 𞤔𞤢𞤤𞤮𞥅	Guinea:Labé Region,Mamou Region,Boké Region,Kindia Region,Faranah Region,Conakry,All across the country as traders and merchants Guinea Bissau:Gabu Region,Tombali Region,Bafatá Region Sierra Leone:North-West,Northern Province,Western Area,All across the country's major urban centres as a trading population Mali:Extreme southwest of country in theKéniéba Cercle	Pular Fuuta Jallon
Fulbe Futa Tooro 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫 𞤊𞤵𞥅𞤼𞤢 𞤚𞤮𞥅𞤪𞤮	Senegal:Matam Region,Saint-Louis Region,Louga Region,Tambacounda Region,Kaffrine Region,All over the country Mauritania:Trarza Region,Gorgol Region,Guidimaka Region,Brakna Region,Nouakchott	Pulaar Fuuta Tooro
Fulbe Fuladu 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫 𞤊𞤵𞤤𞤢𞤣𞤵	Senegal:Kolda Region,Sédhiou Region,South ofTambacounda Region Guinea Bissau:Gabu Region,Bafatá Region,Oio Region GambiaAll across the country	Pulaar – Pular Fuuta Tooro – Fuuta Jallon transitional

Typically, Fulɓe belonging to the same affinity bloc tend to cluster together in culture, customs, and dialectal variety with the Eastern Fulɓe sub-groups tending to be more similar to each other than to other sub-groups, and the same applies to most western groups. Culturally speaking, the central Fulɓe sub-groups are roughly in between the western and eastern Fulani cultural niches.

For example, the Massina Fulɓe share similarities both dialectally and culturally to Nigerian or Cameroonian (Eastern) (both of which end interrogative questions with "na?"), as well as Senegalese and Guinean (western) Fulɓe cultures (who do not end interrogative questions with such mannerism). Accordingly, the western groups are the most divergent from the eastern groups and vice versa. Overall, however, all share most cultural practices to a large extent.

In Ghana, the exact number of Fulani is unknown due to systematic oppression that includes not counting the Fulani in the Ghanaian census. This reflects widespread discrimination and negative stereotypes about the Fulani.

History

Historiography

The origins of the Fulani people are unclear and various theories have been postulated. As a nomadic herding people, they have moved through and among many cultures, making it difficult to trace their relationships and history with other peoples. Speculations about their origins started in the era of European conquest and colonization because of their oftentimes fair skin, wavy long hair and facial features.

Fulani oral histories suggest that their origins lie in North Africa. Their ethnogenesis likely arose as a result of interactions between an ancient West African population andNorth Africanpopulations such as Berbers or Egyptians.

The earliest mention of the Fula in history may go back to the Bible.Maurice Delafossespeculated that they may correspond to the descendants ofPut,son ofHam.Josephuswrote of the Phutites, ancient inhabitants of what is nowLibya.

Early Kingdoms

Tassili n'Ajjerrock art

The precursors of the Fulani likely migrated out of theSahara desert,at the time much wetter than today, as it progressively dried beginning in the 7th century BC.They migrated into theSenegal rivervalley from the east, pushed byBerberraids and desertification.The kingdom ofTekrurin what is nowFuta Torowas formed through the interaction of the Fula (and perhaps Berber) migrants with the native "Negro agricultural peoples" of the valley who were "essentiallySerer",Dominated first byWagaduand later by theLamtuna,theMali Empireand theJolof Empire,in the early 16th century the area was conquered byKoli Tenguella,who founded theEmpire of Great Fulo.

Migration

The Fulani were cattle-keeping farmers who shared their lands with other nearby groups, like the Soninke, who contributed to the rise of ancient Ghana, with eastward and westward expansion being led by nomadic groups of cattle breeders or theFulɓe ladde.While the initial expansionist groups were small, they soon increased in size due to the availability of grazing lands in the Sahel and the lands that bordered it to the immediate south.

GhanaianFulani wedding bride

Agricultural expansions led to a division among the Fulani, where individuals were classified as belonging either to the group of expansionist nomadic agriculturalists or the group of Fulani who found it more comfortable to abandon traditional nomadic ways and settle in towns or theFulɓe Wuro.Fulani towns were a direct result of nomadic heritage and were often founded by individuals who had simply chosen to settle in a given area instead of continuing on their way.

Evidence of Fulani migration as a whole, from the Western to Eastern Sudan is very fragmentary. Delafosse, one of the earliest enquirers into Fulani history and customs, principally relying on oral tradition, estimated that Fulani migrants left Fuuta-Tooro heading east between the eleventh and the fourteenth centuries. By the 15th century, there was a steady flow of Fulɓe immigrants into Hausaland and, later on,Bornu.Their presence in Baghirmi was recorded early in the 16th century. By the end of the 18th century, Fulani settlements were dotted all along theBenue Rivervalley and its tributaries. They spread eastwards towardsGarouaandRey Bouba,and southwards towards theFaro River,to the foot of theMambilla Plateau,which they would later ascend in subsequent years. The heaviest concentrations of their settlements were at Gurin,Chambaterritory, Cheboa, Turua and Bundang.

Today, Fula oral historians recognize three differentFuuta,or Fula lands:Fuuta Kingi,meaning 'Old Fuuta', encompassing theTagant Plateau,theAssaba Region,theHodh,Futa Toroand the area aroundNioro du Sahel;Fuuta Keyri,'New Fuuta', includesFuta Djallon,Massina,Sokoto,and theAdamawa Region;Fuuta Julais the diaspora of Fula traders and emigrants in other regions.

Islam and the Fula Jihads

Fulani woman fromNiger

NigerianFulani man with traditional marks

Main article:Fula jihads

The Fula, living on the edge of the Sahara, were among the first sub-Saharan groups to adopt Islam. According to David Levison, adopting Islam made the Fulani feel a "cultural and religious superiority to surrounding peoples, and that adoption became a major ethnic boundary marker" between them and other African ethnic groups in the Sahel and West Africa.

Armed with horses and weapons from the north and inspired by Fula, Berber and Arab clerics, Fulani political units would play a central role in promoting Islam in West Africa through peaceful and violent means.These jihadstargeted other ethnic groups but also other Fulani who had not yet adopted Islam or who follows it too loosely.These wars helped the Fula dominate much of the Sahel region of West Africa during the medieval and pre-colonial era, establishing them not only as a religious group but also as a political and economic force.From the 18th century onwards, the frequency of jihads increased and the Fulani became politically dominant in many areas.

While establishing their hegemony, the Fulbe defined a strict social hierarchy and imposed limitations on economic and trading activities, the purpose of which was to ensure a constant flow of tax revenue and commodities to the state apparatus and the standing army, especially for the cavalry. The freedom for pastoralists to move around was curtailed to ensure the smooth functioning of other production activities, such as cereal cultivation and, in the case of Maasina, of fishing activities. There was considerable resistance to the forced acceptance of Islam. Conversion to Islam meant not only changing one's religion but also submitting to rules dealing with every aspect of social, political and cultural life, intrusions with which many nomadic Fulbe were not comfortable.

Bundu

In 1690,Torodbecleric Malick Sycame to Bundu, in what is now eastern Senegal, from his home nearPodor.Sy settled the lands with relatives from his nativeFuta Toroand Muslim immigrants from as far west as theDjolof Empireand as far east asNioro du Sahel.

Under Sy, Bundu became a refuge for Muslims and Islamic scholars persecuted by traditional rulers in other kingdoms.Sy was killed in 1699 caught in an ambush by the army ofGajaaga.Still, Bundu's growth that would set a precedent for later, larger, and more disruptiveFula jihads.

Imamate of Futa Jallon

Main article:Imamate of Futa Jallon

The Emirate / Imamate of Timbo in the Fuuta Jallon developed from a revolt by Islamic Fulɓe against their oppression by the paganPulli(فُلِی or 𞤆𞤵𞤤𞥆𞤭, non-Islamic Fulɓe), and the Jallonke (the originalMandeinhabitants of the Fuuta-Jallon), during the first half of the 18th century. The first ruler took the title ofAlmaamiand resided inTimbo,near the modern-day town ofMamou.The town became the political capital of the newly formed Imamate, with the religious capital was located inFugumba.The Council of Elders of the Futa Jallon state were also based in Fugumba, acting as a brake on the Almami's powers.

The newly formed imamate was mostly located mainly in present-day Guinea, but also spanned parts of modern-day Guinea Bissau, Senegal, and Sierra Leone. This emirate was, in fact, a federal state of nine provinces: Timbo, Fugumbaa, Ɓuuriya, Koyin, Kollaaɗe, Keebaali, Labe, Fode-Hajji, and Timbi. After the Muslim Fulɓe victory, other ethnic groups who had resisted the jihad were deprived of their rights to land except for a small piece for their subsistence and were reduced to servitude. The nomadPulli Fulɓelost all freedom of movement, and thus, began to settle en-masse. The Jalonke lost their noble status and became slaves (maccuɓe).

Later, due to strife between two branches of the Seediayanke royal lineage, (theSoriyaand theAlphaya),a system for the rotation of office between these branches was set up. This led to an almost permanent state of civil strife since none of the parties was inclined to respect the system, which considerably weakened the power of the political centre.

Imamate of Futa Toro

A jihad in Futa Toro between 1769 and 1776 led bySulayman Balthrew out the ruling Denianke Dynasty.Sulayman died in 1776 and was succeeded byAbdul Kader('Abd al-Qadir), a learned teacher and judge who had studied inCayor.

Abdul Kader became the firstAlmamyof the theocratic Almamyate of Futa Toro.He encouraged construction of mosques, and pursued an aggressive policy towards his neighbors.The Torodbe prohibited the trade in slaves on the river. In 1785 they obtained an agreement from the French to stop trading in Muslim slaves and to pay customs duties to the state. Abdul Kader defeated the emirates ofTrarzaandBraknato the north, but was defeated and captured when he attacked theWolofstates ofCayorandWaaloaround 1797. After his release the jihad impetus had been lost. By the time of Abdul Kader's death in 1806 the state was dominated by a few elite Torodbe families.

The Sokoto Caliphate and its various emirates

Main article:Sokoto Caliphate

The Sokoto Caliphate was by far the largest and most successful legacy of Fulani power in Western Africa. It was the largest, as well as the most well-organized, of the Fulani Jihad states. Throughout the 19th century, Sokoto was one of the largest and most powerful empires in West Africa until 1903, when defeated by European colonial forces. The Sokoto Caliphate included several emirates, the largest of which wasAdamawa,although theKano Emiratewas the most populated. Others included, but are not limited to:Gombe Emirate,Gwandu Emirate,Bauchi Emirate,Katsina Emirate,Zazzau Emirate,Hadejia Emirate,andMuri Emirate.

Depiction of a Fulani man from theSokoto CaliphatebyG.T. Bettany(1888)

The Empire of Massina

Main article:Massina Empire

Fula people have helped form several historic Islamic theocracies and led manyJihadstates such as the 19th-century Masina.

The Maasina Emirate was established by the Fulbe jihad led bySeku Amaduin 1818, rebelling against theBamana Empire,a political power that controlled the region fromSegou.This jihad was inspired by Usman Dan Fodio and his jihad in Sokoto.This state appears to have had tight control over its core area, as evidenced by the fact that its political and economic organization is still manifested today in the organization of agricultural production in the Inland Delta. Despite its power and omnipresence, the hegemony of the emirate was constantly threatened. During the reign of Aamadu Aamadu, the grandson of Sheeku Aamadu, internal contradictions weakened the emirate until it fell to the Toucouleur in 1862.

The Toucouleur Empire

Main article:Toucouleur Empire

The founder of the Toucouleur Empire,El Hadj Umar Tall,was an Islamic reformer originating fromFuuta Tooro.Beginning inFuta Jallon,he led an army that conquered Massina, Segou, andKaarta,but he died fighting against rebels in 1864. At that point the emirate was divided into three states, each ruled by one of his sons. These three states had their capitals respectively in the towns ofNioro,SegouandBandiagara.Within 30 years, all three had been conquered and colonized by the French.

Timeline of Fulani history

Time	Events
4th century	TheGhana Empireemerges in modern-day southeastern Mauritania and western Mali, as the first large-scale Sudano-Sahelian empire
5th century	The Ghana Empire becomes the most important power in West Africa
5th century(?)	The Fulbe migrate southwards and Eastwards from present-day Morocco and Mauritania
9th century	Takrurfounded on the lower Senegal River (present-day Senegal) upon the influx of Fulani from the east and north settling in the Senegal River valley
11th century	Kingdoms of Tekruur and theGao Empireflourish in West Africa due to gold trade
1042	Almoravids,Berber Muslims from southern Morocco and Mauritania, attack Takrur, after defeating theSanhajain 1039
1050s	Islam gains a strong foothold in West Africa
1050–1146	Almoravids take over Morocco, Algeria, and part ofal-Andalus;they invade Ghana in 1076 and establish power there.
1062	Almoravids found capital atMarrakesh
1100	The Empire of Ghana starts to decline in influence and importance
1147	TheAlmohad Caliphate,ruled by Berber Muslims opposed to the Almoravids, seize Marrakesh and go on to conquer Almoravid Spain, Algeria, and Tripoli
1150	An unprecedented resurgence of the Ghana Empire sees it reach its height, controlling vast areas of western Africa as well as Saharan trade routes in gold and salt
1200	Empire and themselves set out on a road of conquest, they take its capitalKoumbi Salehin 1203
1235	Great warrior leaderSundiata Keitaof theMandinka peoplefounds theMali Empirein present-day Mali, West Africa; it expands under his rule
1240–1250	Mali absorbs Ghana, Tekruur
1324	10th Emperor of Mali,Musa I of Maliregarded as the richest individual in recorded history, goes on his famous pilgrimage toMecca,Saudi Arabia. his procession reported to include 18,000 workers who each carried 4 pounds (1.8 kg) gold bars, heralds dressed in silks who bore gold staffs, organized horses and handled bags. Musa provided all necessities for the procession, feeding the entire company of men and animals. Also in the train were 80 camels, which varying reports claim carried between 50 and 300 pounds (23 and 136 kg) of gold dust each
1325	The Empire of Mali reaches its height of power, covering much of Northern West Africa.
1352	Ibn Battuta,Berber scholar, travels across Africa and writes an account of all he sees
1462	Sonni Alibecomes ruler of the Songhai people and goes on to build theSonghai Empire
1490	The Mali empire is overshadowed by the Songhai Empire
16th century	Songhai Empire enters a period of massive expansion and power underAskia Mohammad I.Askia Mohammad strengthened his country and made it the largest contiguous territory ever in West African history. At its peak, the Empire encompassed the Hausa states as far asKano(in present-day Nigeria) and much of the territory that had belonged to the Songhai empire in the west neighbouringBornu Empireof theKanuri
1515	The Songhai Empire reaches its zenith and pinnacle of power
1590	Songhai Empire is defeated by invading Moroccans from further North
1650	Another wave of Fulbe migrations sees them penetrate even further in the Southern Senegal and Fouta Jallon highlands of middle Guinea
1670	Fulani people gain control of Bhundu in Senegal with Malick Sy, and the Sissibhe
1673	First unsuccessful Fulanijihadin the Fuuta Tooro
1808	Bornu successfully repel Fulani forces
1893	The French conquer the Fouta-Toro
1903	The British conquer the Sokoto Caliphate

Society

Fulbe woman at the Sangha market, Mali 1992

Fulbe woman at the Sangha market, Mali 1992

The Fulani, migrant Arabs andHausa peoplehave taken some influences from each other's cultures. Upon the success recorded in the 1804Fulani WarofUsman dan Fodio,many formerly nomadic Fulɓe subsequently joined the ruling classes of the many emirates of theSokoto Caliphate.The Fulɓe of Hausaland dress in the clothing and speak the language of their Hausa neighbours (seeHausa–Fulani). Because they became the dominant ethnic group in these lands, the Fulɓe in the emirates outsideHausaland,like parts ofKanem-Bornu,AdamawaandGombe,still retain much of their Fulani culture even still speaking Fulfulde as their first language. The Fulɓe who didn't settle during this period and their descendants, however, still keep an obvious distinct identity from that of the Hausa and other surrounding groups of the region. This Hausa–Fulani interaction is uncommon outside the eastern subregion of West Africa.

InMali,Burkina FasoandSenegalfor instance, those within the Fulɓe cultural sphere, but who are not ethnically Fula, are referred to asyimɓe pulaaku(𞤴𞤭𞤥𞤩𞤫 𞤆𞤵𞤤𞤢𞥄𞤳𞤵,"people of the Fula culture" ). As such, Fulani culture includes people who may or may not be ethnic Fulani.Although slavery is now illegal, memories of the past relationship between Fulɓbe and Rimayɓe are still very much alive in both groups. Paul Riesman, an American ethnographer who resided among theJelgooji Fulɓbeof Burkina Faso in the 1980s, states that the Fulɓe are tall, slim, and light-skinned; they have thin straight noses, and their hair tends to be long and curly. In contrast, the Rimayɓe are stocky, tending towards corpulence, dark-skinned with flat 'squashed' noses, and short kinky hair.

Slavery and caste system

The first Fulani people who were forcibly expatriated to America during theAtlantic slave tradecame from several parts ofWestandCentral Africa.Many Fulani slaves came from places such as Guinea, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Sierra Leone, Nigeria and Cameroon. Most of the slaves who came from Senegal belonged to Fula andMandingapeoples.Some of the most common names found on theRegistry of Liberated Africanswere Fulani in origin.Many of the captors and perpetrators of raids providing sources for the European slave merchants were also Fulani.

Fula society features thecaste divisionstypical of the West African region.The fairly rigid caste system of the Fula people has medieval roots,had become well established by the 15th-century, and has survived into modern age.The four major castes, states Martin Kich, in their order of status are "nobility, traders, tradesmen (such as blacksmith) and descendants of slaves".According to the African Commission on Human and Peoples' Rights, the Fulani people have held on to "a strict caste system".

There are theFulaniproper, also referred to as theFulɓe,including thePullo(also called theRimɓe(singular)) and theDimo,meaning "noble". There is the artisan caste,including blacksmiths, potters,griots,genealogists, woodworkers, and dressmakers. They belong to castes but are consideredfree people.Then there are those castes of captive, slave or serf ancestry: theMaccuɗo,Rimmayɓe,Dimaajo,and less oftenƁaleeɓe,the Fulani equivalent of the TuaregIkelanknown asBouzou(Buzu) orBellain the Hausa and Songhay languages respectively.The Fulani rulers and merchants were, like many other ruling ethnic groups of Africa, also involved in the trans-Atlantic slave trade, sourcing the enslaved people through raids and from captives they took by waging war.Many Fulani were enslaved and raided by ethnic groups who adhered totraditional African religions.

The Fulani castes are endogamous in nature, meaning individuals marry only within their caste. This caste system, however, wasn't as elaborate in places like northernNigeria,EasternNigerorCameroon.According to some estimates, by the late 19th century, slaves constituted about 50% of the population of the Fulɓe-ruledAdamawa Emirate,where they were referred to asjeyaɓe(singularjeyado). Though very high, these figures are representative of many other emirates of theSokoto Caliphate,of which Adamawa formed a part.The castes-based social stratification among the Fula people was widespread and seen across the Sahel, such as Burkina Faso,Niger,Senegal,Guinea,Mali,Nigeria,Sudan,and others.

Culture

Traditional livelihood

The Fulani are traditionally anomadic,pastoralisttradingpeople. They herdcattle,goatsandsheepacross the vast dry hinterlands of their domain, keeping somewhat separate from the local agricultural populations. They are the largest nomadic ethnic group in the world and inhabit several territories over an area larger in size than the continental United States. The pastoral lifestyle of the herders' tribe makes it complicated for a non-member to date or marry a Fulani woman.

The Fulani follow a code of behaviour known aspulaaku,which consists of the qualities of patience, self-control, discipline, prudence, modesty, respect for others (including foes), wisdom, forethought, personal responsibility, hospitality, courage, and hard work. Among the nomadic Fulani, women in their spare time make handicrafts including engraved gourds, weavings, knitting, beautifully made covers for calabashes known asmbeedu,and baskets. The Fulani men are less involved in the production of crafts such as pottery, iron-working, and dyeing, unlike males from neighbouring ethnic groups around them.

Fulani pastoralists in Niger

In virtually every area of West Africa, where the nomadic Fulɓe reside, there has been an increasing trend ofconflictsbetween farmers (sedentary) and grazier (pastoral nomadic). There have been numerous such cases on theJos Plateau,theWestern High Plateau,the Central/Middle Belt regions of Nigeria,Northern Burkina Faso, and Southern Chad. The rearing of cattle is a principal activity in four of Cameroon's ten administrative regions as well as three other provinces with herding on a lesser scale, throughout the North and Central regions of Nigeria, as well as the entire Sahel and Sudan region.

For decades there have been intermittent skirmishes between theWoɗaaɓeBororo(graziers) and sedentary farmers such as theJukun,Tiv,Chamba,Bamileke,Wurkum, Bachama,Jenjo,Mbula, Berom,Mumuye,Kare Kare, and sometimes even the Hausa. Such conflicts usually begin when cattle have strayed into farmlands and destroyed crops. Thousands of Fulani have been forced to migrate from their traditional homelands in the Sahel, to areas further south, because of increasing encroachment ofSaharandesertification.Nigeria alone loses 2,168 square kilometres (837 sq mi) of cattle rangeland and cropland every year to desertification, posing serious threats to the livelihoods of about 20 million people.

Recurrent droughts have meant that a lot of traditional herding families have been forced to give up their nomadic way of life, losing a sense of their identity in the process.Increasing urbanization has also meant that a lot of traditional Fulani grazing lands have been taken for developmental purposes, or forcefully converted into farmlands.These actions often result inviolent attacks and reprisal counterattacksbeing exchanged between the Fulani, who feel their way of life and survival are being threatened, and other populations who often feel aggrieved from loss of farm produce even if the lands they farm on were initially barren and uncultivated.

SeveralWodaabeclans in Niger have gathered for aGuérewolfestival

Fulani in Nigeria have often requested for the development of exclusive grazing reserves, to curb conflicts.All the leading presidential aspirants of previous elections seeking Fulɓe votes have made several of such failed promises in their campaigns. Discussions among government officials, traditional rulers, and Fulani leaders on the welfare of the pastoralists have always centred on requests and pledges for protecting grazing spaces and cattle passages. The growing pressure fromArdo'en(the Fulani community leaders) for the salvation of what is left of the customary grazing land has caused some state governments with large populations of herders (such as Gombe, Bauchi, Adamawa, Taraba, Plateau, and Kaduna) to include in their development plans the reactivation and preservation of grazing reserves. Quick to grasp the desperation of cattle-keepers for land, the administrators have instituted a Grazing Reserve Committee to find a lasting solution to the rapid depletion of grazing land resources in Nigeria.

Henri Allouard (1844–1929) –Young Fulani woman

The Fulani believe that the expansion of the grazing reserves will boost livestock population, lessen the difficulty of herding, reduce seasonal migration, and enhance the interaction among farmers, pastoralists, and rural dwellers. Despite these expectations, grazing reserves are not within the reach of about three-quarters of the nomadic Fulani in Nigeria, who number in the millions, and about sixty per cent of migrant pastoralists who use the existing grazing reserves keep to the same reserves every year. The number and the distribution of the grazing reserves in Nigeria range from insufficient to severely insufficient for Fulani livestock. In countries like Nigeria, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso where meat supplies are entirely dependent on the Fulani, such conflicts lead to scarcity and hikes in animal protein prices. In recent times, the Nigerian senate and other lawmakers have been bitterly divided in attempts to pass bills on grazing lands and migration "corridors" for Fulani herdsmen. This was mainly due to Southern and Central Nigerian lawmakers opposing the proposal, and Northern Lawmakers being in support.Fulani extremistsare involved inherder-farmer conflicts in Nigeria.According to theGlobal Terrorism Index,a continuous sequence ofFulani attacks across West Africahave occurred inMali,Central African Republic,Democratic Republic of Congo,andCameroon.The cumulative fatalities in these attacks is in the thousands.

• 
  Pair of Earrings; 1981; 3.2 x 3.2 x 1.9 cm (11⁄4x 11⁄4x3⁄4in.);Brooklyn Museum(New York City)
• 
  Bracelet; made before 1985; red copper; 5.3 x 10.6 x 10.6 cm (11⁄16x 43⁄16x 43⁄16in.);Nationaal Museum van Wereldculturen(theNetherlands)

Language

Main article:Fula language

The language of the Fulani is "Pulaar"𞤆𞤵𞤤𞤢𞥄𞤪, which is also the language of the Toucouleurs. All Senegalese and Mauritanians who speak the language natively are known as theHalpulaar(𞤖𞤢𞤤𞤨𞤵𞤤𞤢𞥄𞤪) orHaalpulaar'en(𞤖𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤵𞤤𞤢𞥄𞤪𞥇𞤫𞤲), which means "speakers of Pulaar" ( "hal" is the root of the Pulaar verbhaalugol𞤖𞤢𞥄𞤤𞤵𞤺𞤮𞤤, meaning "to speak" ). In some areas, e.g. in northern Cameroon, Fulfulde is a locallingua franca.

There are three writing systems used to write this language: an Arabic derived one calledAjami,aLatin derived systemwith 6 sets, and anative phonetic-faithful system called Adlamrecently invented in 1989; the third one is the most increasingly popular not only learnt by hundreds of thousands of people among the diaspora worldwide but has also apps and computer programs created to assist in the script's adoption.

Moral code

Central to the Fulani people's lifestyle is a code of behavior known aspulaaku(Fulfulde: 𞤆𞤵𞤤𞤢𞥄𞤳𞤵) orlaawol Fulɓe(𞤂𞤢𞥄𞤱𞤮𞤤 𞤆𞤵𞤤𞤩𞤫) literally meaning the "Fulani pathways" which are passed on by each generation as high moral values of the Fulbe, which enable them to maintain their identity across boundaries and changes of lifestyle. Essentially viewed as what makes a person Fulani, or "Fulaniness",pulaakuincludes:

• Munyal:Patience, self-control, discipline, prudence
• Gacce/Semteende:Modesty, respect for others (including foes)
• Hakkille:Wisdom, forethought, personal responsibility, hospitality
• Sagata/Tiinaade:Courage, hard work

Dress

Thetraditional hat(Tengaade) of the Fulani people worn in diverse slightly different variations among every Fula subgroup

There are no particular outfits for all Fulani sub-groups; dressing and clothing accessories such as ornaments mostly depend on the particular region. The traditional dress of the Fulbe Wodaabe consists of long colourful flowing robes, modestly embroidered or otherwise decorated. In the Futa Jallon highlands of central Guinea, it is common to see men wearing a distinctive hat with colorful embroidery. In Nigeria, Cameroon and Niger, men wear a hat that tapers off at three angular tips, known as anoppiire.Both men and women wear a characteristic white or black cotton fabric gown, adorned with intricate blue, red and green thread embroidery work, with styles differing according to region and sex.

Antique Fulani Blanket, Mali, estimated to be from the 1920s courtesy the WOVENSOULS collection

It is not uncommon to see the women decorate their hair with bead hair accessories as well as cowrie shells. Fula women often usehennafor hand, arm and feet decorations. Their long hair is put into five long braids that either hang or are sometimes looped on the sides. It is common for women and girls to have silver coins andamberattached to their braids. Some of these coins are very old and have been passed down in the family. The women often wear many bracelets on their wrists. The women can also be seen wearing a colorful cloth (modjaare) around, the waist, head or over one shoulder.

Like the men, the women have markings on their faces around their eyes and mouths that they were given as children. The Western Fulbe in countries like Mali, Senegal and Mauritania useindigoinks around the mouth, resulting in a blackening around the lips and gums.

Fulani men are often seen wearing solid-colored shirt and pants which go down to their lower calves, made from locally grown cotton, a long cloth wrapped around their faces, and aconical hat made from straw and leatheron their turbans, and carrying their walking sticks across their shoulders with their arms resting on top of it. Often the men have markings on either side of their faces and/or on their foreheads. They received these markings as children. Fula ethics are strictly governed by the notion ofpulaaku.Women wear long robes with flowery shawls. They decorate themselves with necklaces, earrings, nose rings and anklets.

Herding

See also:Fulani herdsmen

Further information:Herder–farmer conflicts in NigeriaandMarch 2019 attacks against Fulani herders

Fula are primarily known to bepastoralists,but are also traders in some areas. Most Fula in the countryside spend long times alone on foot, and can be seen frequently parading with their cattle throughout the west Africanhinterland,moving their herds in search of water and better pasture. They were, and still are, the only major migratory people group of West Africa, although theTuareg people,another nomadic tribe of North African origin, live just immediately north of Fula territory, and sometimes live alongside the Fulani in countries such as Mali, Niger and Burkina Faso. The Fulani, as a result of their constant wandering of the past, can be seen in every climatic zone and habitat of West Africa, from the deserts of the north, to the derivedsavannahand forests of the south.

From the 16th to 20th centuries many Fulani communities settled in the highlands of theJos Plateau,theWestern High Plateauof Bamenda, andAdamawa Plateauof Nigeria and the Cameroons. These are the highest elevated places in West Africa, and their altitude can reach up to 8,700 feet above sea level. The highland plateaus have a more temperate climate conducive for cattle herding activities, which allowed Fulbe populations to settle there in waves of migrations from further west. Though most Fula now live in towns or villages, a large proportion of the population is still either fully nomadic, or semi-nomadic in nature.

Wealth is counted by how large the herd of cattle is. Long ago Fulani tribes and clans used to fight over cattle and grazing rights. Being the most treasured animal that the Fulanis herd, the cows are very special. Many people say that a person cannot speak Fulfulde if he does not own a cow. The Fulani have a tradition of giving ahabbanaya– a cow which is loaned to another until she calves. Once the calf is weaned it is retained and the cow is returned to its owner. This habbanaya is a highly prized animal. Upon receipt of this gift, there is a special ceremony in honor of the gift. The recipient buys special treats and invites his neighbors for this event in which the habbanaya is given a name. The habbanaya is never to be struck under any circumstance.

AnN'Damaherd in West Africa

Fulani nomads keep various species of cattle, but thezebuis the most common in the West African hinterland, due to its drought resistant traits. In the wetter areas of Fouta Djallon and Casamance, the dwarfN'Damais more common, as they are highly resistant totrypanosomiasisand other conditions directly associated with high humidity. Subspecies of zebu include theWhite Fulani cattle,locally known as the Aku, Akuji, Bororoji, White Kano, Yakanaji or Bunaji, which are an important beef breed of cattle found throughout the area owned by both Fulani and Hausa people and beyond in the Sahel zone of Africa.

TheRed Fulani cattle,which are called the JafunFrench:Djafounin Nigeria and Cameroon, and Fellata in Chad, as well as other names such as the M'Bororo, Red Bororo, or Bodaadi, another subspecies is theSokoto Gudaliand theAdamawa Gudalior simplyGudali,which means "horned and short legged" in the Hausa language. The widely accepted theory for the origin of present-day zebu cattle in West Africa is that they came from the westward spread of the early zebu populations in East Africa through the Sudan. Other breeds of zebu are found mainly in the drier regions. Their body conformation resembles the zebu cattle of eastern Africa. The zebu did not appear in West Africa until about 1800.The increasing aridity of the climate and the deterioration of the environment in the Sahel appear to have favoured the introduction and spread of the zebu, as they are superior to longhorn and shorthorncattlein withstanding drought conditions.

The origins and classification of the Fulani remains controversial; one school of thought is of the opinion that the Fulani cattle are truly long-horned zebus that first arrived in Africa from Asia on the east coast; these are believed to have been introduced into West Africa by Arab invaders during the seventh century, roughly about the same time that the short-horned zebus arrived into East Africa. This theory is supported by the appearance of the skull as well as the thoracic hump of the Fulani cattle.

Another school of thought contends that these cattle originated from the Horn of Africa, present-day Ethiopia and Somalia, and that interbreeding between the short-horned zebu (which arrived in the Horn around the first millennium BC) and the ancient Hamitic Longhorn and/orB. taurus brachycerosshorthorn (which had arrived much earlier) occurred in the Horn about 2000–1500 BCE. The subsequent successive introductions of the short-horned zebu are believed to have displaced mostsanga cattleinto southern Africa.

Fulani herders in Mali

During this period of constant movement of people and animals within Africa, some of these sanga cattle probably intermixed with the short-horned, thoracic-humped cattle to produce the thoracic-humped sanga. The latter may have migrated, most probably along with the spread of Islam, westerly to constitute what are today the lyre-horned cattle of West and Central Africa, including the Fulani cattle. Originally the White Fulani were indigenous to north Nigeria, southeast Niger and northeast Cameroon, owned by both Fulani and Hausa people. They then spread to southern Chad and western Sudan.

Every year, in the Malian town ofDiafarabé,Fulani men cross theNiger Riverwith their cattle, in an annual cycle oftranshumance.This annual festival is known in the local Fulfulde as theDewgal.Since the founding of the village in 1818, it has always been the most important Fulani festival. It takes place on a Saturday in November or December; the day is carefully chosen based on the state of pastures and the water levels in the river Niger. During the rainy season, the river swells, and the areas around the village are inundated in water, as the level of the river Niger rises, and turns Diafarabe into an island. The cattle are kept on the lush fields up north or south, but when the West African Monsoon subsides and the drier season returns, the water level drops and the cattle can return home again.

The crossing is more than a search for pastures; it is also a competition to show craftsmanship as a herdsmen. The cattle are driven into the river, and each herder, with no help from others, loudly encourages the animals to move forward as he stands or swims between them, holding on to the horns of the bulls. The smaller animals don't have to swim, but are lifted intopirogues.When all the cattle are back, they are judged by a panel, which decides whose animals are the "fattest". That herder is awarded "best caretaker", and he is awarded by the community.The worst caretaker ends up with a shameful "prize" – a peanut.

Besides being a competition of herdsmanship, it is also a social event; the herdsmen return after having been away for the most part of the year and they meet their family and friends again. It is a time for celebration. The women decorate their house with woven mats and paint the floor with white and black clay, braid their hair with very intricate patterns, and dress up for their husbands and loved ones. Impressed by the cultural significance attached to the annual event,UNESCOincluded it on its list of world cultural heritage events.

Music

Fulani dancers in their full traditional regalia.

The Fula have a rich musical culture and play a variety of traditional instruments including drums,hoddu(a plucked skin-covered lute similar to a banjo), andritiorriiti(a one-string bowed instrument similar to a violin), in addition to vocal music. The well-known Senegalese Fula musicianBaaba Maalsings in Pulaar on his recordings.Zaghareetor ululation is a popular form of vocal music formed by rapidly moving the tongue sideways and making a sharp, high sound.

Fulani music is as varied as its people. The numerous sub-groups all maintain unique repertoires of music and dance. Songs and dances reflect traditional life and are specifically designed for each individual occasion. Music is played at any occasion: when herding cattle, working in the fields, preparing food, or at the temple. Music is extremely important to the village life cycle, with field cultivation, harvest and winnowing of millet performed to the rhythm of the songs and drums.

Fulani herders have a special affinity for the flute and violinnianioru.The young Fulani shepherd like to whistle and sing softly as they wander the silent savannah with cattle and goats. The truly Fulani instruments are the one-string viola of the Fulani (nianioru), the flute, the two to five string lutehodduormolo,and thebuubaandbawdiset of drums. But they are also influenced by the other instruments of the region such as the beautiful West African harp, the kora, and the balafon. Entertainment is the role of certain casts. The performance of music is the realm of specialized casts. The Griots orAwluberecite the history of the people, places and events of the community.

Food

Fulanicalabashesused for butter and milk storage and as containers for hawking

Kossamcan be the general term for both fresh milkmiraɗamand yoghurt known aspendidanin Fulfulde. It is central to Fulbe identity and revered as a drink or in one of its various processed forms, such as yoghurt and cheese.Kettugolandlébolare derived from milk fat, are used in light cooking and hair weaving. It is common to see Fulani women hawking milk products in characteristic beautifully decorated calabashes balanced on their heads. Other meals include a heavy porridge (nyiiri) made of flour from such grains as millet, sorghum, or corn which is eaten in combination with soup (takai,haako) made from tomatoes, onions, spices, peppers, and other vegetables.Also, in addition to rice, which is a staple crop for the Fulani people, their main vegetables and staples are yams, corn, beans, and red pepper. The Fulani people eat cassava roots and fruits like plantains as well.

Another popular meal eaten by almost all Fulani communities is made from fermenting milk into yoghurt and eaten with corncouscousknown aslatchiiriordakkere,either in the same bowl or separately, also a fluid or porridge calledgārimade of flour cereals such as millet, sorghum or corn and milk. TheWodaabetraditionally eat millet, milk and meat as staples. Millet is eaten in the morning, noon and night as a grease with a sauce or stew which usually contains tomatoes, peppers, bone, meat, onion, and other vegetables. On special occasions they eat meat such as goat or beef. A thick beverage similar to the Tuaregeghajirais made by pounding goat cheese, milk, dates and millet.

Ceramics

The Fulani people are not as engaged in artistic endeavors like ceramics and pottery as other nearby cultures because they feel that these pursuits "violate their code of conduct and bring shame upon them". That being said, the Fulani women do produce handicrafts including knitting, weaving, and basketry. Seldom do Fulani men work in crafts.

Houses

Fulani "grass house" in Mali

Traditionally, nomadic Fula live in domed houses known as aBukkaruorsuudu hudo,literally "grass house". During the dry season, the characteristically hemisphere-shaped domed houses are supported by compact millet stalk pillars, and by reed mats held together and tied against wood poles, in the wet or rainy season. These mobile houses are very easy to set up, and dismantle, as typical of houses from nomadic societies. When it is time to move, the houses are easily disassembled and loaded onto donkeys, horses or camels for transport. With recent trends however, many Fula now live in mud or concrete block houses.

Once they are set up, the room is divided into a sleeping compartment, and another compartment where calabashes and guards of all sizes are intricately arranged in a stack according to their sizes and functions. Spoons made fromgourdaare hung from the rooftop, with others meant for grain storage.

Religion

The Fula were one of the first ethnic groups in Sub-Saharan Africa to convert toIslam,maintaining it as an intrinsic part of their cultural identity, although in some cases elements oftraditional African faithsare mixed in a predominantly Muslimreligious syncretism.The vast majority of Fula people are Muslims, with some religious minorities — largelyFula Christians,a small minority group (1-2%) present in parts of northern Nigeria. Nearly all Fula Christians are recent converts from Islam, or descendants of recent converts. The group faces severe persecution from both Fulani Muslims due to their faith and other Nigerian Christians due to their ethnicity.

Rites of passage in the Fulani kingdom

Marriage

In the Fulani society, marriage is considered endogamy rather than exogamy. Marriage is permitted amongst people of the same lineage. Marriage is generally between cross-cousins and parallel cousins. Even before their birth, the children were betrothed. The caste system and political stratification have a role in their conventional marriage. Marriage exists to maintain wealth and the royal dynasty. They practice early marriage, which is typically arranged by relatives. The men marry in their twenties, while the women marry in their teens. A man is permitted to marry more than one woman so long as he can meet his wives' requirements equally.

The traditional Fulani marriage system consists of three phases: the Kabbal, Koowgal, and Sharo stages.

The Sharo

In this stage of the marriage process, the man is publicly flogged by other guys in this particular flogging procedure. This is to assess his strength, discipline, and bravery. If the prospective groom cries, the bride's family may reject him and view him as a coward. Not every ethnic group adheres to this tradition. The groom's people support him during the painful flogging process.

Genetics

The Fulani people are genetically an admixture of West and East African ancestries, specifically Niger-Congo and Nilo-Saharan components, but also display varying degrees ofWest Eurasianadmixture through contact with groups fromNorth Africa.The Fulani are the most wide-spread pastoralist group in the Sahel/Savannah belt.

Paternal lineages (Y-DNA)

The paternal lineages of the Fula/Fulɓe/Fulani tend to vary depending on geographic location. According to a study by Cruciani et al. (2002), around 90% of Fulani individuals fromBurkina Fasocarried haplotype 24, which corresponds with theE-M2(E1b1a) that is common in West Africa. The remainder belonged to haplotype 42/haplogroup E-M132.Both of these clades are today most frequent amongNiger–Congo-speakingpopulations, particularly those inhabitingSenegal.Similarly, 53% of the Fulani in northernCameroonbore haplogroup E-M132, with the rest mainly carrying other African clades (12%haplogroup Aand 6% haplogroup E1b1a). A significant minority carried the West Eurasian haplogroupsT(18%) andR1(12%), making up together around ~30% of the total haplogroup variation.Mulcare et al. (2004) observed a similar frequency of haplogroup R1 subclades in their Fulani samples from Cameroon (18%).

A study by Hassan et al. (2008) on a Fulani subgroup inSudanobserved a significantly higher occurrence of the West-Eurasian haplogroup R1 (53.8%). The remainder belonged toE-M215subclades, including 34.62%E-M78and 27.2%E-V22.Bučková et al. (2013) analyzed various Fulani subgroups, and observedR1bamong the Fulani Zinder grouping with a frequency of ~31%. This was in sharp contrast to most of the other Fulani pastoralist groups elsewhere, including those from Burkina Faso, Cameroon,MaliandChad,which instead had nearly exclusive West African paternal haplogroups.

Maternal lineages (mtDNA)

In contrast to their more heterogeneous paternal lineages, the Fulani have rather homogenous maternal lineages, with close affinity to other Niger-Congo populations. Only 8.1% of their mtDNA clades were associated with West Eurasian or Afro-Asiatic groups (J1b, U5, H, and V).

A study of four Fulani nomad populations (n = 186) in three Sahelian countries (Chad, Cameroon, and Burkina Faso), found that the only group of nomadic Fulani that manifests some similarities with geographically related agricultural populations (from Guinea-Bissau and Nigeria) comes from Tcheboua in northern Cameroon.

Autosomal DNA (overall)

According to Tishkoff et al. (2009), the Fulani's genomic ancestry clusters near that ofChadicandCentral Sudanicspeaking populations, with genetic affinities observed to theHausa people.Based on this, the researchers suggest that the Fulani may have adopted a Niger-Congo language at some point in their history, while intermarrying with local populations. Additionally, moderate levels of West Eurasian admixture was also observed among the Fulani samples, which the authors propose may have been introduced via theIberian Peninsulaand Northern Africa.Dobon et al. (2015), found that the Sudanese Fulani have largely ancestry from Niger-Kordofanian and Nilo-Saharan (Sudanic) speaking groups, with lower amounts of West-Eurasian ancestry.

Young Fulani men atCure Saleefestival, Niger.

Triska, Petr et al. (2015) showed that there is extensive admixture across the Sahel Belt, with the Fula carrying West African and East African components, as well as a Mozabite/North African component. These results support the hypothesis of a North African origin and a Western to Central Africa past migration for Fulani.

A full genome analysis was conducted by Vicente et al. in 2019, analyzing several different Fulani subgroups from various geographic regions. They found that the Fulani people are characterized by the admixture of local West African and East African components, but also display West-Eurasian admixture, mediated through historical North African groups. The West-Eurasian ancestry among Fulani was estimated to a mean average of 21,4% among the 53 samples fromZiniaréinBurkina Faso.According to the authors, there were two admixture events, the first being about 2000 years ago, with the second being more recent at around 300 years ago. This Eurasian ancestry was observed in the ancestry components ofMozabite people.They found that: "Our findings suggest that Eurasian admixture and the European LP allele was introduced into the Fulani through contact with a North African population/s. We furthermore confirm the link between the lactose digestion phenotype in the Fulani to the MCM6/LCT locus by reporting the first GWAS of the lactase persistence trait. e observed a T-13910 allele frequency of 48.0%, while the genome-wide European admixture fraction in the Fulani is 21.4% at K = 3. The notable European admixture fraction in the Fulani coupled with the high frequencies of the LP T-13910 allele suggests the possibility of adaptive gene flow into the Fulani gene pool".Another study in 2020 by Priehodová et al., suggest an older date for the introduction of one variant of the LP allele in the Sahel, about ~8.5 ka.

A study in 2019 by Fan et al., found that the Fulani sampled from Cameroon, clustered with Afro-Asiatic speakers from East Africa in the phylogenetic analysis, which the authors said indicates a potential shift in language to Niger-Congo. The analysis on autosomal markers found traces of West Eurasian-related ancestry in this population, which suggests a North African or East African origin (as North and East Africans also have such ancestry likely related to expansions of farmers and herders from the Near East) and is consistent with the presence at moderate frequency of the −13,910T variant associated with lactose tolerance in European populations.

In 2020, a study inferred that the Fulani of western Cameroon have 48% Mende-related, 23% East African-related, and 29% non-African-related ancestry.

In 2023, whole genomes of Fulani individuals from various Sahelian samples were analyzed, and the researches said the non-Sub-Saharan genetic ancestry within the Fulani cannot be solely explained by recent admixture events. Fulani may be descendants of Saharan cattle herders during the last Green Sahara, who had some genomic similarities to Late Neolithic Moroccans based on ancient samples.

Another 2023 study inferred that "The Fulani derived 50% of their ancestry from a population related to theAmharaand 50% from a population related to theTikari(consistent with TreeMix results with 3 migration events). "

Notable Fulanis

Main article:List of notable Fulanis

See also

• Toucouleur peopleorTorodbe
• Jobawa
• Sullubawa
• Dogon people

References

General references

• Almanach de Bruxelles (now a paying site)
• Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.) (2005): "Adamawa Fulfulde".Ethnologue: Languages of the World,15th ed. Dallas: SIL International. Accessed 25 June 2006.
• Ndukwe, Pat I., Ph.D. (1996).Fulani.New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
• Christiane Seydou, (ed.) (1976). Bibliographie générale du monde peul. Niamey, Institut de Recherche en Sciences Humaines du Niger

Further reading

• Can an Alphabet Save a Future?– Story of the Barry brother's 30-year commitment to developing a native script and font, giving the Fulani people a digital footprint for a global community – published on Microsoft Unlocked
• Prof. Mark D. DeLancey's Fulbe studies bibliography,accessed 25 March 2008.
• Lam, Aboubacry-Moussa. (1993). De l'origine égyptienne des Peuls. Présence Africaine.
• LONCKE, SandrineGeerewol(1 September 2015) Musique, danse et lien social chez les Peuls nomades wodaabe du NigerISBN9782365190091
• Morel, E.D.(1902).Affairs of West Africa.London: William Heinemann.,chapter XVI – The Fulani in West African History, pp.130–135; chapter XVII – Origins of the Fulani, pp.136–152.
• Monembo, Tierno. (2004). Peuls. Editions Seuil.

External links

• fulfulde social learning network fulfulde NigeriaArchived2020-11-25 at theWayback Machine
• missionafrica.org.uk
• Portal of Fulɓe history and culture
• Online magazine published/edited in Fulfulde
• Online magazine published/edited in Fulfulde
• Online magazine in Fulfulde
• Online fulfulde DictionaryArchived2017-09-09 at theWayback Machine
• Fulfulde online news siteArchived2021-01-27 at theWayback Machinel
• Portal of Fulɓe Fuuta Jaloo history and culture
• Geerewol,by Sandrine Loncke (Website about Woɗaaɓe ritual celebrations, with annotated music recordings and short videos featuring dance and ritual sequences. Supplement to thebook of the same author)
• Online musical archives dedicated toFulɓe Jelgooɓe (Burkina Faso)andFulɓe Woɗaaɓe (Niger)musics and singings (Telemeta, CREM-CNRS)