Fula

For people who check facts

The Fula is an ethnic group of people spread over many countries in West Africa, from Mauritania in the northwest to Nigeria in the east. They are called many names, including Foulah, Peulh, Peul, Fulfulde, Fulbe, and Fulani. A closely related group is the Tukolor (Toucoleur) in the central Senegal River valley.

They speak the Pulaar language, or variants thereof, as do the Tukulor; all local people who speak that language natively are known as the "halpulaar". The traditional dress of the Fula in most places is long colorful flowing robes, modestly embroidered or otherwise decorated. Most Fula in the countryside spend long times alone on foot, moving their herds.

History

The Fula were traditionally a nomadic, pastoral group, herding cattle, goats and sheep across the vast dry hinterlands of their domain, keeping somewhat separate from the local agricultural populations. They are the only major migrating people of West Africa.

The Fulani were traditionally a nomadic, pastoral community, herding cattle, goats and sheep across the vast dry hinterlands of their domain, keeping somewhat separate from the local agricultural populations. During the sixteenth century the Fula expanded trhough the sahel grasslands stretching from what is today Senegal to Sudan. Fulani strength was centered on powerful calvalry that could quickly move across the large empire a defeat rivals. This meant the Fulani could not expand southwards, however, as the horses could not withstand the diseases of those latitudes.

Duirng the nineteenth century under Usman dan Fodio the Fulani became the leaders of a centralized Fulani Empire. This empire continued until 1903 when the Fulani were divided up among European colonizers.