Fula, Fulani Fulɓe

Fula women.
Regions with significant populations
Guinea, Nigeria, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali, Sierra Leone, Central African Republic, Burkina Faso, Benin, Niger, The Gambia, Guinea Bissau, Chad, Mauritania, Sudan, Egypt, Ghana, Togo, Côte d'Ivoire.
Languages
Fula language
Religion
Islam
Related ethnic groups
Wolof and Serer

Fula people or Fulani or Fulbe (Fula: Fulɓe; French: Peul; Hausa: Fulan; Portuguese: Fula; Wolof: Pël; Bambara: Fulaw) are an ethnic group spread over many countries, predominantly in West Africa, but found also in Central Africa and Sudanese North Africa. African countries where they are present include Mauritania, Ghana, Senegal, Guinea, The Gambia, Mali, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea Bissau, Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Niger, Chad, Togo, the Central African Republic, Liberia, and as far as Sudan and Egypt in the East. Fula people form a minority in every country they inhabit, but in Guinea they represent a plurality of the population (40%).^[1]

Terminology[link]

Men from the Wodaabe subgroup performing Yaake dance

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, and it is also used by the Manding peoples, being the diminutive form of the word "Fula" in their language, essentially meaning "little Fula". 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 Anglicised as Fulbe,^[2] which some people use. In Portuguese, the terms Fula or Futafula are used.

Related groups[link]

Fula society in some parts of West Africa features the "caste" divisions typical of the region. In Mali and Senegal for instance, those who are not ethnically Fula have been referred to as yimɓe pulaaku (people of the Fula culture).^{[citation needed]}

One closely related group is the Tukolor (Toucouleur) in the central Senegal River valley, who had a strong kingdom paying a negotiated tribute to the Fula. Large numbers of other Fula-speakers live scattered in the region and have a lower status. They are descendants of Fula-owned slaves. Now legally emancipated, in some regions they still pay tribute to Fula elites, and they are often denied chances for upward social mobility.^[3] In-between groups are the Fula-speaking fishermen and handcraftsmen. These groups are often collectively referred to (together with Fulɓe of the region) as Haalpulaar (Fula: Haalpulaar'en, literally "Pulaar-speakers").

The Wodaabe (Fula: Woɗaaɓe), are a subgroup of the Fula people.

Traditional livelihood[link]

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[link]

Origins and spread[link]

Young Fulani cattle herders circa 1967

Fula woman from Niger

The people who are known to English speakers as Fulani refer to themselves as the Fulɓe (Pullo, singular). In Nigeria, the Fulani are often categorized with the Hausa as a conglomerated ethnic group Hausa-Fulani. Following the Fulani War, their histories in the region have been largely intertwined. Outside Nigeria, the two groups are usually considered distinct.

Rise to political dominance[link]

Beginning as early as the 17th or was it the 9th and 18th centuries, but mainly in the 19th century, Fulas and others took control of various states in West Africa.

These included the Fulani Empire, also known as the Sokoto Caliphate, founded by Usman dan Fodio (which itself included smaller states), Fouta Djallon, Massina and others.

Culture and language[link]

The language of Fulas is called Pulaar or Fulfulde depending on the region, or variants thereof. It is also the language of the Tukulor. It is a language closely related to Wolof and Serer. 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, e.g. in northern Cameroon, Fulfulde is a local lingua franca.

With the exception of Guinea (where the Fula make up a ~40% plurality of the population), Fulas are minorities in every country they live in (most countries of West Africa and parts of Central and North Africa), so most also speak other languages of the countries they inhabit.

Clothing[link]

Fulani women with traditional facial tattoos

Fulani Herder from Mali

The traditional dress of the Fula consists of long colourful flowing robes, modestly embroidered or otherwise decorated. Also characteristic Fula tradition is that of women using henna and indigo around the mouth, resulting in a blackening around the lips. Fula ethics are strictly governed by the notion of pulaaku. Men wear long robes to the lower calves with trousers of cotton. Herdsmen wear the distinctive conical straw hat and a turban. Women wear long robes and turbans. They decorate themselves with necklaces, earrings, nose rings and anklets.^[4]

Herding[link]

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. Wealth is counted by how large the herd of cattle is and how many cattle. Long ago Fulani tribes used to fight over cattle.

Music[link]

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. "Zaghareet" or ululation is a popular form of vocal music formed by rapidly moving the tongue sideways and making a sharp, high sound.

Food[link]

The Fulani traditionally eat millet, milk and meat as staples. Millet is eaten in the morning, noon and night as a porridge with a sauce or stew which usually contains tomatoes, peppers, bone, meat, onion and water and other vegetables. On special occasions they sometimes eat meat such as goat or beef. A thick beverage similar to the tuareg beverage eghajira is made by pounding goat cheese, milk, dates and millet.

Houses[link]

Traditionally, Fula live in domed houses during the dry season. The domed house is supported by compact millet stalk pillars. During the wet season, the house is covered by reed mats. However many Fula now live in mud or concrete block houses.

Notable Fulani people by country[link]

The embedded lists in this article may contain items that are not encyclopedic. Please help out by removing such elements and incorporating appropriate items into the main body of the article. (November 2011)

Nigeria[link]

• Usman dan Fodio, founder, Sokoto Caliphate
• Nana Asma’u, scholar, author, and pioneer of women's education, Sokoto Caliphate
• Umaru Yar'Adua, former President of Nigeria
• Shehu Shagari, former President of Nigeria
• Muhammadu Buhari, former Nigerian Head of State
• Ahmadu Bello, first Premier of Northern Nigeria
• Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of Nigeria
• Shehu Musa Yar'Adua, Nigerian politician, former vice president and the brother of former Nigerian president Umaru Yar'Adua
• Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, First Nigerian prime minister
• Vice-Admiral Murtala Nyako, current Governor of Adamawa State,former Chief of Naval Staff
• Ibrahim Gambari, Under Secretary-General/Special Adviser - Africa in the UN; former Minister of Foreign Affairs.
• Professor Jibril Aminu, pioneer cardiac surgeon, former minister of education and petroleum.
• Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, central bank Governor of Nigeria
• Aliko Dangote, Richest person of African descent.
• Mohammed Shata, Former Internal Affairs Minister
• Fatimah Tuggar Visual Artist

Senegal[link]

• Cheikh Umar Tall, General Khalif (1850–1865) of the Tijaniyya suufi way (tarikh) for West Africa
• Maba Diakhou Ba Almamy of Rip
• Malick Sy marabout
• Mariama Bâ Senegalese author and feminist
• Habib Thiam, former Prime minister of president Abdou Diouf
• Daouda Sow, former head of the parliament
• Baaba Maal, composer, singer, head of the band Daande Leñol
• Omar Ibn Said, Scholar and former slave in America
• Oumou Sy, fashion designer
• Ibrahim Ba, French-Senegalese former football player
• Mamadou Niang, football player
• Issa Ba, football player
• Macky Sall,president of Senegal,former Prime minister of president Abdoulaye Wade
• Cheikh Ahmadou Bamba Mbacké, Muslim Sufi religious leader in Senegal and the founder of the large Mouride Brotherhood.

Guinea[link]

• Tierno Aliyyu Ɓuuɓa Ndiyan (1855–1927). Author, theologian, Tijaniyya suufi.
• Saifoulaye Diallo (1923–1981), former Guinean politician, first president of the national assembly (1958–1963) held various cabinet positions under the regime of Sekou Toure
• Diallo Telli (or Boubacar Telli Diallo [1]), Lawyer, former Diplomat, First Sec. Gen. of the Organization of African Unity, died of starvation at Camp Boiro in 1977.
• Cellou Dalein Diallo, Prime Minister of Guinea from 2004–2007
• Abdulrahman Ibrahim Ibn Sori, Prince Among Slaves
• Bobo Balde, football star
• Katoucha, former haute couture model and anti-female circumcision activist
• Abdoul Salam Sow, former footballer
• Abdallah Bah, football star
• Ibrahima Diallo, football star
• Alpha Yaya Diallo, musician
• Almamy Schuman Bah, football star
• Amadou Diallo, young resident in the Bronx killed by police in 1999
• Almamy Bocar Biro Barry Leader of Fouta Djallon and Resistance Fighter against French occupation. [2]
• El Hadj Habib Diallo Late Mano River Union Secretary General and Former Guinean Ambassador to Canada, Liberia, United States of America and China, Former Minister of International Cooperation, Energy & Hydraulics, Member of the CNT (National Transitional Council).
• Alpha Yaya Diallo Leader of the State of Labe in the late 1800s Fouta Djallon.
• Bailo Bah Flutte Master, Musician.
• Karamoko Alfa First Almamy of Fouta Djallon and Father of the Alphaya Ruling family. Cousin of Ibrahima Sory Mowdho.
• Ibrahima Sory Mowdho Second Almamy of Fouta Djallon and Father of the Sorya ruling family. Cousin of Karamoko Alfa.
• Elhadj Umar Tall Almamy of Dinguiraye, Guinee. Fought against French Occupation. Helped expand Islam in West Africa.
• Amadou Oury Bah , Politician, Banker, Vice President of UFDG, Former Minister of National Reconciliation, Solidarity & Relations with the Institutions.
• Hadja Rabiatou Serah Diallo She is the Leader of the National Union in Guinea. Elle est une syndicaliste guinéenne née en 1950. Elle est la première femme africaine à accéder à la direction d’un syndicat national et organisé la grève générale en Guinée de 2007.
• Thierno Saidou Diallo ,usually known as Tierno Monénembo (born 1947), is a Francophone Guinean novelist. Born in Guinea, he later lived in Senegal, Algeria, Morocco, and finally France since 1973. He has written eight books in all and was awarded the 2008 prix Renaudot for The King of Kahel (le Roi de Kahel).His most noted book is said to be Pelourinho, which was set in Brazil. For the English-speaking world his significance was more for being one of the African authors invited to Rwanda after the 1994 Tutsi-Hutu massacre to "write genocide into memory." From this came the novel The Oldest Orphan; the 2004 translation by the University of Nebraska may be his most successful book in the English language. In November 2010 the English translation of le Roi de Kahel (The King of Kahel) was published by AmazonCrossing, Amazon.com's translated fiction publishing arm, it was the new publishing companies first translated and published book.

Mali[link]

• Amadou Hampâté Bâ, researcher and author
• Seku Ahmadu, Founding King of Fula Kingdom of Macina, Mopti
• Adame Ba Konaré, historian and spouse of the former president Alpha Oumar Konaré
• Amadou Toumani Touré, Malian President
• Mountaga Tall, lawyer and political figure founding president of CNID party and ex-vice president of the National Assembly of Mali
• Ousmane Sy, politician

Sierra Leone[link]

• Amadu Wurie, early Sierra Leonean educationist and politician
• Sir Banja Tejan-Sie, former Chief Justice, Governor General of Sierra Leone
• 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
• Alhaji Abdulai Timbo,former Chief Justice
• Abubakarr Jalloh, Sierra Leone Minister of Mineral Resources
• Alimamy Jalloh, Sierra Leonean football star
• Mahmadu Alphajor Bah, Sierra Leonean football star
• Umu Hawa Tejan Jalloh,First female Chief Justice of Sierra Leone
• Neneh Cherry, Swedish singer-songwriter and rapper of mixed Black African-European descent
• Abass Bundu,former politician and diplomat
• Chernor R.M.Bah, Chairperson, Legislative; Human Rights; Mineral Resources

Burkina Faso[link]

• Thomas Sankara, Former President of Burkina Faso
• Youssouf Sambo Bâ, Burkinabé politician
• Bénéwendé Stanislas Sankara, Burkinabé politician

Cameroon[link]

• Modibo Adama, Fulani scholar and holy warrior
• Ahmadou Ahidjo, first President of Cameroon
• Issa Hayatou, current President African Football Confederation (CAF)
• Bello Bouba Maigari, political leader, Minister of Transport
• Sadou Hayatou, former prime minister and former General Manager of BEAC(Central African Reserve Bank)Cameroon
• Garga Haman Adji, former minister and political leader
• Issa Tchiroma Bakary, current minister of comminucation and political leader

The Gambia[link]

• Hamat Bah, Politician, opposition Leader
• Halifa Sallah, politician, writer

See also[link]

• Wodaabe
• Hausa people

References[link]

This article includes a list of references, but its sources remain unclear because it has insufficient inline citations. Please help to improve this article by introducing more precise citations. (February 2008)

Notes[link]

General references[link]

• 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[link]

• Prof. Mark D. DeLancey's Fulbe studies bibliography, Accessed 25 March 2008.

External links[link]

• webPulaaku Portal of Fulɓe history and culture
• Online magazine published/edited in Fulfulde by Saajo Bah
• Online magazine published/edited in Fulfulde by Ibrahima Sarr
• Online magazine in Fulfulde published by Fedde Bamtaare Pulaar in Mauritania
• Online Magazine published/edited by Ibrahima Ly
• Fulfulde online paper
• Fulfulde online news site published/edited by Lewlewal Group Networks
• KJPF Egypt
• Online bilingual dictionary authored by Oumar Bah
• Mini trilingual dictionary of political and legal terminology
• Mini bilingual dictionary of mathematical terminology
• Portal of Fulɓe Fuuta Jaloo history and culture
• based in USA/ published by Pulaar Speaking Association
• WorldStatesmen - Nigerian Traditional states