Fulani Community

Fulani Community Latest News

A new study has found that the Fulani, one of Africa’s largest pastoral populations, have a history going back to the ‘Green Sahara’ period (12,000–5,000 years before the present).

About Fulani Community

• The Fulani are a large and widely dispersed group of both nomadic herders and sedentary farmers living in the African Sahel/Savannah belt.
• They are concentrated principally in Nigeria, Mali, Guinea, Senegal, and Niger but can also be found in several other countries.
• The Fulani language, known as Fula, is classified within the Atlantic branch of the Niger-Congo language family.
• Fulani are divided into three groups: Makiyaya (herders), Fulanin Soro (those living in towns) and Bararo, which refer to Fulani living in forests. Bararo retain a close cultural connection to ancestral nature belief systems and rituals.

Social Structure of Fulani Community

• The social structure of the pastoral Fulani is egalitarian, in marked contrast to that of other Muslim groups, such as the Hausa.
• They value family and community, with strong kinship ties and clear gender roles. 
• Polygamy is practiced, and marriage is an important cultural milestone, often accompanied by elaborate rituals and festivals.
• Their traditions are deeply intertwined with their spirituality, which is influenced by Islam, as well as their connection to the land and nature.
• Fulani women are also known for their skill in weaving and craftsmanship.
• Fulani women are famous for their intricate hairstyles, which are often adorned with beads, cowrie shells, and other decorative elements.

Fulani Community FAQs

Q1: What are the Fulani known for?

Ans: They are well known for the delicate decoration of utilitarian objects such as milk bowls that reflect their nomadic and pastoral lifestyle.

Q2: What is the Fulani caste system?

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Ans: The caste system is prevalent in Fulani society which has four categories- traders, nobility, blacksmiths and successors of slaves of rich Fulani people.

Q3: What are Fulani also known as?

Ans: The Fulani people of western and north-central Africa are also called Peuhl and Fula.

Source: DTH