Population 41.5 million
Religion: Muslim 99.9%
Christianity: <1%
The Fulbe, also known as the Fulani, Fula, or Peuhl, are a large people group numbering over 40 million located throughout West Africa. Large populations live in Mauritania, Senegal, Guinea, Gambia, Sierra Leone, Guinea Bissau, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria, Cameroon, Chad, and Sudan. They speak a Niger-Congo language called variously Pular, Pulaar, or Fulfulde depending on the dialect.
What are their lives like?
Traditionally, the Fulbe were nomadic cattle herders. In many parts of West Africa, they continue their traditional lifestyle. However, in in some locations, the Fulbe have settled down and turned to agriculture. Staple crops include fonio, rice, and peanuts. Cattle herds, along with sheep and goats, remain the primary livestock.
Many Fulbe today live in towns and cities, with the traditional mud walled hut replaced by brick and cement houses with corrugated metal roofs. Houses are often located in walled compounds where a man and one or more wives live with their children and other members of an extended family.
The Fulbe are patriarchal, but the mother exerts a certain amount of power in the day to day running of the house especially during the frequent absences of the father. The husband/father is the one to make all the important decisions and represent the family. The decisions of the father can be discussed, but the father must be respected and never proven wrong or embarrassed in front of his wives or children. The father/husband is considered the provider of food, clothes, shelter, and medicine, but often the wives are the ones who get involved in various money making adventures to make ends meet.
Families work together. It is part of their existence. The women rise early to sweep their houses before walking to the market. As soon as they return home, they begin the job of cooking, which can include lighting a charcoal or wood fire. If there is more than one woman in the compound, the ladies share the responsibility of cooking. For example, one cooks for three days and the other one cooks for three days. The children are often asked to draw water, gather wood, catch a chicken for dinner, wash clothes at the river, do dishes, and care for younger siblings. Staying in good favor with the family is important.
The Fulbe are Muslims, following the teachings of the Qur’an, Islam’s “holy book.” They believe that there is only one God and Mohammed is his prophet. There are some Fulbe who say that they are descendants of Ishmael like the Arabs, while others say they are descended from one of the tribes of Israel. Other stories on the origin of the Fulbe claim Egypt, Ethiopia, or Europe as their birth place. Be that as it may, they see Abraham as a father and a prophet along with Noah, Moses, David, and Jesus. For many Fulbe, Mohammed was the last and greatest of the prophets.
Religious Celebrations
There are many religious events in the Fulbe’s lunar calendar. First and foremost of the celebrations is the fasting month of Ramadan (Suumayee) in which the Fulbe fast from dawn to dusk for the entire month. Each day, when the fasting is over, there is a big meal and common prayer.
The 27th day of Suumayee is considered the time when the Qur’an came down from heaven. Much power and blessing is supposed to be associated with this night. Many Fulbe men will gather at the mosque for a night of prayer and of chanting the Qur’an. It seems that there is much spiritual/demonic activity this night.
The second celebration is Julde Jombente which is the ninth and tenth days of the month of Jombente, the first month of the lunar year. Some believe that this is the day that Moses gained the upper hand on pharaoh. Many Fulbe will fast these days. Others refer to it as a New Year’s celebration. They will gather at water sources to celebrate and gain blessing by washing in the first water of the new year.
The third big event of the Fulbe year is Donkin which commemorates Abraham’s willingness to sacrifice his son. An animal, usually a goat or sheep, is sacrificed and eaten on this day. There are practices associated with the sacrifice that are not well understood. Some Fulbe will expect everyone to put a hand on the sacrifice as the throat is cut and others will wash the feet, mouth, nose and ears in a manner similar to the actions performed before prayer. Donkin is also linked to the pilgrimage to Mecca.
Lastly, many Fulbe celebrate Mawludu, a day they believe to be the birthday of Mohammed. While it is not an official Muslim holiday, it is still widely observed.
Miracles and Magic
The Fulbe believe very strongly in miracles, but fear them because they can be either good or bad. A certain mosque in Guinea is believed to be a miracle because it was supposedly built by an uneducated man who had never built anything.
There is a strong belief in magic and the spirit world. Some believe that magicians can turn paper into money or make things disappear. They are also believed to talk to spirits in order to gain understanding and to trap witches, who are believed to fly and to eat people.
Many people also visit karamokos, religious teachers who also deal in spiritual power. These men make amulets for a variety of purposes. Some are said to ward off diseases or ease pain. Others are said to help a baby’s teeth come in. Karamokos may also be called upon to make charms or curses, perhaps for success in business or marriage, or maybe to harm a rival to advance one’s own cause.
From our perspective, the religion of the Fulbe is a blended belief of both formal Islam and deference to the spirit world. One might debate whether it is more Islam mixed with animistic practices or more animistic with a veneer of Islam. It may be that for women the religion is predominantly animism and for the men it is predominantly Islam.
Culture: the integrated pattern of thought, beliefs, activities and artifacts which define a particular group.
Generally speaking, Fulbe culture is characterized by patience in the midst of difficulties or suffering, self-control, and by showing proper respect in socially important relationships. They have a strong belief in God and a commitment to Islam. They also have a commitment to the family, but do allow for the employment of “cleverness” (which sometimes uses deceit and betrayal) for personal advancement within their society.
Customs: those habits, practices or conventions which, though unwritten, help to regulate, guide or govern the social life of a people.
All peoples around the world have their own customs, those familiar patterns of behaving which feel right to us. We all have our own ways of greeting and interacting, of celebrating significant events and just plain going about daily living that help us get along in that corner of the world in which we live. So do the Fulbe.
Customs of the Fulbe: The Fulbe have their own ways of doing things; some big, some small. Some are easy to describe; some aren’t. Major life events are marked by major ceremonies. Other customs are subtle and easy for an outsider to miss.
Body Language: Shaking hands with both hands, or holding your right forearm or elbow with the left hand when shaking hands, are signs of deference. This honors the person you are shaking hands with, so is appreciated among the Fulbe. Another way of showing deference is looking to the ground or away from the person you are greeting. Looking someone straight in the eye, like you father told you to, can be interpreted as aggressiveness.
Holding Hands: Unlike the habit of North Americans, it is not unusual to see men holding hands with men or women, with women. This is a sign of friendship, not of any kind of “orientation.” Starting in the capital and with the youth, this pattern is changing, as now young men and women may also be seen holding hands. But traditionally, and still in villages, this isn’t done.
Greetings during Prayer Time: Often older men pray while walking home around sunset. They are not supposed to interrupt their prayer, and will answer a greeting with a nod or grunt. If you see someone walking home holding prayer beads and with their lips moving, you may greet them by smiling, nodding, or clasping your hands together in front of your chest.
The Will of God: “Si Allah jabhi” means ‘God willing’ (literally ‘if God accepts’) and is a common response to “See you tomorrow” or other assertions about the future. Even the firmest of arrangements with someone will always have this caveat.
Women and Islam: The Fulbe are not as strict with women as other Islamic societies; women are not segregated from men in day-to-day life, and they are not required to cover their heads and faces. They will keep their calves and knees covered, and covering the shoulders brings more respect. In general, in the Fouta as in most of the world, women have a harder time than men getting respect and being taken seriously outside traditional feminine roles. Although white women receive more respect simply for being white, and are sometimes treated as honorary men, they will still likely find that they are accorded less respect than their male peers.
Age: Traditionally, the Fulbe do not make a big deal out of birthdates, and it is not unusual for someone not to be sure exactly how old they are. Those born about the same time, or who experience significant events together, like circumcision, are considered “goreebhe” or agemates.
What’s in a Name?
Four major last names exist among the Fulbe of the Fouta Jallon in Guinea: Bah (or Balde), Barry, Diallo and Sow. Each one has a joking relationship with those of another name, the Diallos with the Bahs, the Barrys with the Sows. One will playfully accuse the other of being a thief. The other might reply that the first are known to be liars. One might “comment” that the other group are slaves (and that they themselves are rulers), while the other might shoot back, “Oh you folks eat snake” (something no self-respecting Pullo would do). Sometimes other pranks follow, and the stories about each other can be quite comical. The games they play to poke fun at one another add a lighter touch to life. But there is also a serious side to relationships.
One mark of Fulbe culture is showing proper respect. A younger person will refer to older people as “mawbe” (‘great’ or ‘honored ones’) and treat them with deference. He or she will also use plural pronouns when referring to them. While this is done generally, it is particularly observed between person and their parents, a married person and their in-laws and a wife of her husband. These are important relationships for the Fulbe and they treat them that way. A related mark of respect is seen in people not using the names of a mother- or father-in-law when referring to a child named after that in-law. For example, a daughter named after her grandmother might be nicknamed “neene galle” (‘mother of the household’) so that the grandmother’s name would not be disrespected in correcting the child. A boy named for a grandfather might be nicknamed “Baaba-en” (‘our father’) for the same reason.
Baby-naming Ceremonies
The Fulbe love to get together with family and neighbors. There are many opportunities for this to happen, because a huge feast is prepared for every baby-naming ceremony, marriage, and funeral. The neighborhood women and family members are expected to help at every one of these events.
The Fulbe greatly rejoice in large gatherings such as this and deem the greater number of people as a greater blessing and indication of status.
Baby-naming ceremonies, also known as a dennaboo, are interesting. The women gather to cook the majority of the meal on the evening before the dennaboo, finishing up the rest of the cooking first thing the next morning. Usually the actual naming of the child is at around 10:00 am. Money is collected as people arrive and carefully recorded. Gifts are brought for the family, usually fabric, clothes, or dishes for the parents and perhaps soap for the baby. Generally, musicians called “nyaamakalaabe” come, expecting to be paid at least a 500 GF (approx. 10 cents) per song.
The baby’s name is kept secret until that moment when a sheep or goat is sacrificed and an elder of the village or neighborhood calls out a blessing followed by the baby’s name. The nyaamakalaabe pick up the name and shout it to the crowd, often adding their own blessings to the announcements. Then the crowd is hushed while an elder leads a prayer of blessing for the child. Afterwards, the baby’s head is shaved. Sometimes a special type of fruit with its leaves are placed in a bowl of water, and the leaves are used to moisten the hair before shaving. This is supposed to insure the baby will have good character. Cola nuts may also be placed in the bowl. Later, the hair and the umbilical cord may be buried under a tree by the mother.
Another interesting thing often happens at baby naming ceremonies. A married woman who has never had a baby or one who has not been able to conceive a second time will put the baby on her back, and carry wooden tablets with Quranic verses written on it. The married woman is then followed by many children who are chanting blessings on the future children she will hopefully conceive. After they are finished chanting a blessing on the “future mother”, someone throws out candy to the children. This is similar to the American custom of throwing the bouquet to unwed girls.
Funerals
The Fulbe believe that the days of all people are numbered at birth. They say that God has decreed five days for each person: the day of his birth, his circumcision, his marriage, the birth of his first child and his death. For them, death happens when the soul is called to leave the body.
After death, the body is washed. It will then be wrapped in a “kasange,” or clean burial cloth, then covered with material. Burial will follow as soon as possible, since there are no means of preserving the body. Even so, sometimes the body will be taken back to the family village so that the person is buried near his home. Every effort will be made to contact family members so that they can assist at the burial. There is no “viewing” and the family usually does not wait for late-comers.
The preferred time for burial is about 2:30 pm, or just following the early afternoon prayer. Male relatives and other men of the community will accompany the deceased to the mosque for this prayer. Then these men will take the body to the grave site which will have already been dug. The body will be placed in the grave facing east, towards Mecca. The lower hole is then covered with wood. Sticks and branches will cover this, then dirt will be heaped on top to cover the grave. All those present will either place branches or throw dirt on top in order to participate in the ceremony. A blessing is pronounced at the graveside before everyone disperses.
It is very important for them to have lots of people at the funeral to show God that the deceased was respected. They hope that this will add to the deceased’s merit when he stands before God on the Day of Judgement. After the body is buried and all the people go home, they believe that two angels appear to the deceased. The deceased is asked up to five questions. They are:
1. A Greeting question
2. What is your name?
3. Who created you? (or) Who owns you?
4. Who is your prophet?
5. What was your work on earth?
The deceased is expected to give certain answers. Question three is to be answered, “Allah” (God); question four is, “Mohammed”; question five is, “I was a reader of the Koran”. The answers to these questions are written down and will be revisited on the day of judgment. After the deceased has answered the questions, they are believed to go to a place called “Laakara” or “Saare Lajal” to await the judgment day.
On the seventh day after death, many believe that the stomach explodes and makes a noise that only babies, those who can not talk, and animals can hear. The body in the grave rots and it is generally believed that by the fortieth day after death, the skin has rotted away and the bones have fallen apart. On the fortieth day, the family will offer a sacrifice on behalf of the deceased, which is supposed to help procure God’s blessing upon him as well as upon those who take part in the sacrifice.
French or English are generally the official languages in countries where the Fulbe live and are widely spoken in all large towns and the less remote rural areas. However, if you want to communicate on a deeper level with the Fulbe, you will need to learn their language.
Pular, Pulaar, and Fulfulde are major dialects the Fulbe. It is an extremely difficult language to master with 26 articles and an extensive vocabulary. While it is not, strictly speaking, a tonal language, Pular also uses lengthened vowels and doubled consonants which distinguish between words. For example, you can distinguish between aala (tool), Alla (God), and alaa (nothing) by the way the a’s and l’s are shortened or lengthened. On top of that, there are sounds in Pular that aren’t found in English, like the implosive b’s, d’s, and y’s . It’s a challenge for outsiders to learn!
Their greetings are very important to them, and you will hear them numerous times a day. If you greet them in their language, they will say you are able to speak Pular.
Greetings
Saying, “Hello” in Pular
- A jaaraama – hello to one person
- On jaaraama – hello to more than one person, or to show respect to a person of higher standing in the community
- On belike e jam? – Did you have a good night? (with respect)
- A waalii e jam?- Did you have a good night? Response – Jam tun , which means peace only
- A finii e jam? – Did you wake up well? Reponse – Jam tun, peace only
- A nyallii e jam? – Are you passing the day in peace? Response: Hiiyii (long e sound drawn out), ko Jam tun
- A hiirii e jam? – Are you passing the evening in peace? Response: same as above
Saying, “How are you?” in Pular
- Tanaa alaa gaa? – There is no evil here? Response: Jam tun (peace only)
- Tanaa alaa ton? – There is no evil there? Response: Jam tun (peace only)
- Moodi maa no e jam? Your husband has peace? – Hibe e jam (He has peace.)
- Beyngu maa no e jam? Your wife has peace? – Himo e jam(She has peace)
- Faybe ben no e jam? Your children have peace? – Hibe e jam (They have peace)
- Boobo maa on no e jam? Your baby has peace? – Himo e jam (He/she has peace)
Saying, “See you later!” in Pular
- En bimbi – See you in the morning
- En nyalorma – See you in the afternoon.
- En kiikiide – See you in the evening.
- En jango – See you tomorrow.
- En on tuma – See you later!
- Mido yetta beynguure nden. – I greet the family.
Proverbs of the Fulbe
- Every little tree gives its own bit of shade.
- If you come to the village of the blind, close an eye until you leave.
- The calf shouldn’t be in a hurry to grow horns; he’ll have them until he dies.
- You don’t ask the chickens what day to move house.
- A knife can’t carve its own handle.
- No matter how long it sits in the water, a log won’t turn into a crocodile.
- The spoon is the one who knows what’s left in the pot.
- Two women pounding at the same pestle shouldn’t try to hide their armpits from each other.
- Poverty doesn’t kill, it just causes suffering.
- If you have a mouth, you can’t get lost.
- You only stumble if you’re going somewhere.
- Too many goodbyes mean you’re waiting for a gift.
- If you’re woken up with a beating, you must have done something before sleeping.
- You can’t catch two rabbits at once.
- A lie builds a roof that gives no shade.
- Crickets shouldn’t kick at each other while they’re being sautéed together.
- If the stomach reigns, you will lose your dignity.
- When the goat bites a stranger, the dog feels shame.
- The one who digs a hole as a trap shouldn’t dig too deep; he doesn’t know who will fall in.
- Even tooth and tongue will sometimes fight.
- However skilled the blacksmith, he needs someone to man the bellows.
- “A little” is not sufficient, unless it is hot pepper.
- Knowledge diminishes ignorance, not bad character.
- Don’t laugh at the man who is drowning in a river you haven’t crossed.
- The one who says he’ll straighten out all the parts of the crab will have to fight the crab.
- A house burning down ruins even the lives of cockroaches and mice.
- Whatever a hoe pulls, it deposits at the feet of the one who pulled it.
- The eye may go where the heart doesn’t want to, but the feet will not.
- If you see a turtle flying, the one who threw it isn’t far away.
- If you are without a friend, you must laugh with your enemy.
- Nothing comes from the mouth of a chicken about the price of a knife.