Here is another blog post. This one is about the local people that live in The Gambia. There are many different ethnic groups. For example, the Mandinka, this is the largest ethnic group in the country, the Wolof another large group and the Fulani. 90% of the people living in The Gambia is Muslim. The primary language in The Gambia is English. However, the people living in The Gambia have their own language. Every ethnic group has a different language or a different dialect.
Starting with the Mandinka. They are sometimes referred to as the Mandingo, Malinke or Mande and make up 42% of the population of The Gambia. The Mandinka language is one of the mandé languages spoken by more than ten million people in some fifteen West African states. A brief history of the Mandinka tribe: traditionally the Mandinka society was divided into four main groups. The nobles, commoners, the cast members and the slaves. The nobles were members of the royal household or potential holders of power such as great war leaders and their family members. The commoners are farm owners, traders and clerics. Both of these social groups were considered free-born. The third class were the cast members such as blacksmiths, carpenters and leather workers. Marriage to this group from higher castes was strictly prohibited. At the bottom of the social scale were the slaves. There were two types of slaves. Household and agricultural slaves who were taken into family setting were treated better than the second kind of slaves who were usually prisoners of war or captured in raids on local villages. Today the ‘slaves’ exist in name only as their ancestors had once been from slave families. However, till this day some still visit their former patron households.
Here is some information about the characteristics and importance of the Wolof. The Wolof people are very dark-skinned, tall, proud and regal-looking people. They tend to have a domineering and contemptuous attitude toward their neighbours and are very ethnocentric. Open sensuality is part of their lifestyle. Culturally, clothing is essential to the Wolof, who is a style-conscious society. To a Wolof what you wear says a tremendous amount about you. Women will dress elaborately, many times going into debt just to be dressed up to an occasion. They also wear elaborate hairstyles and makeup. The Wolof are known as the trend-setters of West Africa.
Last but not least, the Fulani tribe. Central to the Fulani people’s life is a code of behaviour known as Pulaaku, which enables them to maintain their identity across boundaries and changes in lifestyle. This code is used for interacting among themselves and with other people. Pulaaku, the code of behaviour, is taught by the parents to the children and by the clan leaders. The Fulani tribe does not show their emotions and are maintaining respect to each other, including to enemies. Good to know is that the Fulani people have light coloured skin. So they might be easier to recognise. Furthermore, the women of this tribe like to decorate their hair with beads and cowrie shells. They also decorate their hands, arms and feet with henna. A typical Fulani can be easily identified by markings on his or her face; around their eyes, mouth and foreheads.
If you would like to take photos of specific tribes in The Gambia, it is always important to ask permission. People in The Gambia are not as direct as Dutch people so be aware of this when approaching someone in The Gambia. It is also very common to have a chat and ask how they are doing before asking to make a picture.
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