Everything about Fulani totally explained
The
Fula or
Fulani or
Fulbe (the latter derived from the word in their language,
Fulɓe) are an ethnic group of people spread over many countries in
West Africa,
Central Africa and as far as
East Africa. The countries in Africa where they're present include
Mauritania,
Senegal,
Guinea,
The Gambia,
Mali,
Nigeria,
Sierra Leone,
Benin,
Burkina Faso,
Guinea Bissau,
Cameroon,
Côte d'Ivoire,
Niger,
Togo, the
Central African Republic,
Ghana,
Liberia, and as far as
Sudan in the east. With the exception of Guinea, Fulas are minorities in every country they live.
One people, many names
There are also many names (and spellings of the names) used in other languages to refer to the
Fulɓe.
Fulani in English is borrowed from the
Hausa term.
Fula, from
Manding languages is also used in English, and sometimes spelled
Fulah or
Foulah. Fula and Fulani are commonly used in English, including within Africa. The French borrowed the
Wolof term
Pël, which is variously spelled:
Peul,
Peulh, and even
Peuhl. More recently the
Fulfulde / Pulaar term
Fulɓe, which is a plural noun (singular,
Pullo) has been adapted to English as
Fulbe, which some people use. In Portuguese it's Fula or Futafula.
Related groups
A closely related group is the
Tukolor (Toucouleur) in the central
Senegal River valley. These people are often referred to together with
Fulɓe of the region as
Haalpulaar'en (Pulaar-speakers).
Fula society in some parts of West Africa features the
"caste" divisions typical of the region. In
Mali, for instance, those who are not ethnically Fula have been referred to as
yimɓe pulaaku (people of the Fula culture).
The
Woɗaaɓe, also known as the Bororo, are a subgroup of the Fula people.
Traditional livelihood
The Fulani are traditionally a
nomadic,
pastoralist,
trading people, herding
cattle,
goats and
sheep across the vast dry hinterlands of their domain, keeping somewhat separate from the local agricultural populations.
History
Origins and spread
According to the ancient
origins of the Fula people, they're from a Semitic origin. Following this tradition, the ancestors of Fulani or fula is Jacob also called Israel, son of Issac, son of Abraham. When Jacob left Canaan and went to Egypt where they didn't know about Joseph's fame. The new Pharaoh made the Israelites work hard at slave labor. The Pharaoh oppressed the Israelites, including the tribe of Judah or Fulani. They were rich in cattle and sheep husbandry. They emigrated from Egypt, some of them went back to Palestine and Syria under Moses guidance while the rest crossed the Nile with their cattle and headed west. They took the name of fouth or foudh meaning those who left. A group from the latter moved along the edges of the Sahara to Touat-Air and then to West-Africa.
Those who came to Masina (in present day Mali) spread to the neighboring regions where they were rejoined by Fulani groups from Morocco.
It has been established that about 700AD, Fulani groups from Morocco, moved southward, and invaded the regions of Tagout, Adrar, Mauritania, and Fuuta Tooro. The cradle of the Fulani group is situated in the Senegal River valley, where Fulanis established kingdoms and many converted to Islam. The beginning of the IX th Century, they continued their migration in the regions of Bundu, Bambouk, Diomboko, Kaarta, and Bagana. Finally those who where concentrated in the Ferlo from the XI to the XIV century moved in various groups to the Fuuta Jalon, to the Volta river basin, to the Gurma, to the Haussa land, and to the Adamawa, Boghirme,Ouadai. But several centuries ago, right after their ultimate
ethnogenesis they appear to have begun moving from the area of present-day Senegal eastward.
During the
16th century the Fula expanded through the
Sahelian grasslands stretching from what is today
Senegal to
Sudan. Their military strength centered on powerful
cavalry that could quickly move across the large empire and defeat rivals, but the Fulani couldn't expand southwards, as the
horses couldn't withstand the
diseases of those latitudes.
Many were sold as slaves through
17th century,
18th century and
19th century and ended up in America and many other parts of the world
Rise to political dominance
Beginning as early as the 17th and 18th centuries, but mainly in the
19th century,
Fulas and others took control of various states in
West Africa in a series of
jihads. The result was a series of
jihad states.
These included the
Fulani Empire founded by
Usman dan Fodio (which itself included smaller states),
Fouta Djallon,
Massina and others.
Culture & Language
The language of Fulas is called
Pulaar or Fulfulde depending on the region, or variants thereof. It is also the language of the
Tukulor. All Senegalese who speak the language natively are known as the
Halpulaar or
Haalpulaar'en, which stands for "speakers of Pulaar" ("hal" is the root of the Pulaar verb
haalugol, meaning "to speak"). In some areas, for example in northern Cameroon, Fulfulde is a local
lingua franca.
With the exception of
Guinea, Fulas are minorities in every country they live in (most countries of West Africa). So some also speak other languages, for example:
The traditional dress of the Fula in most places consists of long colorful flowing robes, modestly embroidered or otherwise decorated. Also characteristic Fula tradition is that of women using Henna around the mouth, resulting in a blackening around the lips. Fula ethics are strictly governed by the notion of
pulaaku.
Fula are primarily known to be pastoralists, but are also traders in some areas. Most Fula in the countryside spend long times alone on foot, moving their herds; they were the only major migrating people of West Africa, though most Fula now live in towns or villages.
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) and
riti or
riiti (a one-string bowed instrument similar to a violin), in addition to vocal music. The well known Senegalese Fula popular musician
Baaba Maal sings in Pulaar on his recordings.
Notable Fulani people by country
Nigeria
Umaru Yar'Adua, current President of Nigeria.
Shehu Shagari, Former Nigeria President
Muhammadu Buhari, former Nigerian Head of State
Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria
Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, Nigerian politician and the brother of current Nigerian president Umaru Yar'Adua
Sierra Leone
Amadu Wurie, early Sierra Leonean educationist and politician
Amadu Jalloh, Sierra Leonean politician
Alimamy Rassin, Sierra Leonean chief during colonial period
Minkailu Bah, Sierra Leone's minister of Education, Youth and Sports
Sulaiman Tejan-Jalloh, Sierra Leone ambassador to the United Kingdom
Abubakarr Jalloh, Sierra Leone Minister of Mineral Resources
Alimamy Jalloh, Sierra Leonean football star
Mahmadu Alphajor Bah, Sierra Leonean football star
Rashid Wurie, former Sierra Leonean international football star
Guinea
Cheikh Ibrahima Sambegou(Karamoko Alpha mo Timbo]First Almamy of state of Futa Dialon
Almamy SorySecond Almamy of Futa Dialonafter Karamoko Alpha
Cellou Dalein Diallo, Prime Minister of Guinea from 2004-2007
Saifoulaye Diallo, former Guinean foreign minister
Bobo Balde, Guinean football star
Katoucha, former haute couture model and anti-female circumcision activist
Abdoul Salam Sow, former Guinean footballer
Abdallah Bah, Guinean football star
Ibrahima Diallo, Guinean football star
Alpha Yaya Diallo, Guinean musician
Alpha Yaya Diallo, Former Chef of Labé, arrested by french colonialist
Almamy Schuman Bah, Guinean football star
Amadou Diallo, young Guinean resident in the Bronx killed by police in 1999
Mali
Adame Ba Konaré, Malian historian and spouse of Alpha Oumar Konaré
Amadou Hampâté Bâ, Malian author
Senegal
Baaba Maal, Senegalese singer
Cheikh Hamidou Kane, Senegalese writer
Ibrahim Ba, French-Senegalese former football player
Mamadou Niang Senegales football player
Issa Bâ Senegalese football player
Maba Diakhou Ba Almamy of Rip
Malick Sy marabout
Burkina Faso
Thomas Sankara, Former President of Burkina Faso
Youssouf Sambo Bâ, Burkinabe politician
Bénéwendé Stanislas Sankara, Burkinabe politician
Cameroon
Ahmadou Ahidjo, first President of Cameroon
Issa Hayatou, current President African Football Confederation (CAF)Further Information
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