The Soninke people

Before going further, we have to precise that the Ghana empire (ancient Ghana ) has nothing to do with the Republic of Ghana in modern times. This is because it was the first independent black republic in Africa that Kwame Nkrumah and his companions decided to give the name of Ghana (the first west african empire ) to former Gold coast as a powerful symbol for millions of Africans and also to promote the rich traditions of the past.
The builders of the Empire of Ghana are from Soninke ethnic . Their descendants today live in Mali, Guinea and Senegal. Depending on the location, Soninke are called Serahule by Wolof people, Marka by Bambaras etc .... Later, after the disintegration of the empire, Soninkes will adopt the profession of Diula (trader) a hitherto specialty of their Malinke neighbors. But they were mostly rulers of states , due to their keen sense of power.

Soninke ethnic is very broad. Due to war and drought, Soninkes are scattered throughout West Africa. Their dispersion is such that certain elements are difficult to identify because of their absorption by the natives of their country of residence. In some cases they have gradually lost the use of their native language to take that Aboriginal and today it is hard to take them for Soninkes. This is the case for example in Guinea, where the Soninke were absorbed by the Malinke, and to a lesser extent by the Fulani and Susu. But they did keep their surnames which are generally Cissé, Sylla, Diakité, Drame, Tounkara, Diané etc ...
Later, some simply preferred to adopt new names that fitted better with their activities. Such as Kaba or Yansané.

Ghana Empire

Kumbi-Saleh (Ghana Empire capital) was a pioneer town on several points. First, because of its location. Located in southeastern Mauritania, on the border with Mali, precisely 320 km north of Bamako, she occupied a strategic position for trade in gold. It was the furthest point south and final destination for North African caravans after their long journey across the Sahara. It was also the highest point in the North for the Diula from the gold mining regions mainly Bouré, inside Guinean borders.

Soninkes were playing the role of intermediaries between the Arabs and Berbers caravans and Diulas , who in their majority are from Malinke ethnic . The ones needed Gold transported on hundreds of miles by the Diulas and the others needed salt carried on the backs of camels and donkeys during a long journey through the desert. All the trade was controlled and regulated by the emperor who wore the title "Ghana" (War chief) and "Kaya Maghan" , (Lord of Gold)
A very important point to note here is that the origin of the gold, the mining lease was carefully held incommunicado by the Emperor and his loyal courtiers. Even indigenous Soninkes had no idea of where the Gold came from , a fortiori, the Arabs and Berbers who arrived with caravans. Everything went to the market where products such as Gold, salt, ivory and cola were traded.

The originality of Kumbi was then in the fact that the city was divided into two distinct cites. There was a quote where the Emperor and his subjects resided. And 10 miles away, was the cite of Arabs and Berber merchants. These were stone houses while the quotes of the emperor was built with local materials in banco.
To promote the expansion of trade, the emperor had consented to the construction of several mosques in the area occupied by Berber merchants. There were more than 10 mosques. Although the Soninke followed traditional religion, they had been very tolerant to the muslims.

Kumbi- Saleh was a melting pot city. There were not only Soninkes,but also Fulanis, Malinkes, the Susu, Jallonkes, Kissis and Wolofs. Soninkes acted as hosts and intermediaries. Fulani pastoralists were mainly roamed throughout their herds. Fulanis have very close affinities with Soninkes. Studies have shown that Pulaar is closer to Soninke and Serer than any other African language. The Fulanis have always lived with Soninke and vice versa.

The Malinkes, meanwhile, were mostly Diula traders, very clever and very enterprising. They carried Gold and Ivory from remote areas of the forest into the markets of the empire. The Susu and Wolof distinguished themselves in the working of iron, ritual and secret activity as the iron had strategic importance. If the soldiers of the empire were so invincible and feared that was because their spears were made of iron. This probably what gave an advantage to Sumanguru Kante when he began his conquest of Kumbi Saleh.
The Djallonkés and Kissi were very accomplished farmers. All these groups have something in common: African religions practiced and clung to the traditions of their ancestors.

The famous Andalusian Muslim historian and author, Abu Al-Bakri Oubeid revealed to the world the various aspects of life in the Empire of Ghana. In his book "Kitab Al Masalik Wa'l Mamalik" the book of roads and kingdoms) he tells us that the announcement of a meeting or assembly was always done by tapping on a drum called Deba. At sound of deba, people abandoned everything to come together.
Ultimately, at its peak, the city of Kumbi was the most advanced, most prosperous and most populous on the African continent and had more than 15,000 inhabitants or more.

The Invasion

From 1050 ,groups of Berbers from North-western Mauritania began to invade Ghana. Faced with extreme poverty, these Berbers had no other choice but to try to survive by any means. They then turned their attention to their neighbors who were richer. So they decided to raid Gold Ghana. As often happens in history, this war of conquest immediately donned a religious character.
The leadership of the movement was entrusted to a Muslim scholar known for his devotion, his austerity and his intransigence. Abdullah Ibn Yassin, such was his name, had opened a center called "Ribat" (religious hermitage). His hermit followers were therefore known as "Al Murabethin "or the Almoravids litterally "People of The Ribat"
The strategy was to first convert the heads of closest Tekrur state . Tekrur which later became the Fouta-Toro was then dominated by the Soninke leaders.

The Almoravids divided their forces into two columns. One went north and took Sijilmasa (important crossroads of trade in gold), before submitting the rest of Morocco. Then they crossed the Strait of Gibraltar to capture Andalusia, in southern Spain. The second column headed south in the direction of Kumbi Saleh. It was commanded Abu Bakr who made a covenant with Tekrur. That was Almoravid helped by Tekruri warriors that befell the empire of Ghana. The struggle was bitter, long and hard. Invaders take the great city of Aoudaghost in 1054. They did manage to take the capital Kumbi Saleh later to 1076, and that after several very bloody battles.

That was a massacre in Kumbi. The defeated soldiers were executed, often beheaded. Women were raped before being stabbed. Pregnant women were not spared. They were gutted. Children, even the youngest were murdered. Houses were burned. All this happened in the imperial cites where the emperor and his subjects lived . Only those who succeeded to find refuge in another part of the city and residing Berbers and Arabs from the north escaped. Although centuries and centuries have passed since then and other horrors have replaced these events in the collective consciousness, this is what history keeps asthe massacre of Kumbi Saleh. There are graves of Soninke, the Fulani, the Malinke, the diallonkes, the Sosso and Kissi. And it is at this point that groups begin their slow migration to the South, mainly to the territory of southern rivers, with rich and haven lands.

interesting, love the thread

Ohhhh, so ceesay could also be a serahule name? Ahh.

I was wondering which ethnicity has the spelling "cisse" in senegal. Do the mandinkas there use the last name "cisse" or "ceesay"?

anonymous6: interesting, love the thread

Thank you!

kandiikane: Ohhhh, so ceesay could also be a serahule name? Ahh.

I was wondering which ethnicity has the spelling "cisse" in senegal. Do the mandinkas there use the last name "cisse" or "ceesay"?

Kandii I put the names in french because I don't know how u write it in english...Cisse( ceesay) means "Jumper" in soninke language , the most famous Ghana emperor was Khaye Maghan Cisse who defeated the berber dynasty and realized soninke unity. The same goes for names " Sy" (horse in soninke) , particularly found among toucouleur people and "Savane" ( white) mosty found among jola people. But a lot of people of all mende groups use the name ceesay, due to migrations of soninke people. It is also very frequent among wolofs, because soninkes were the first group to be islamized and were very reputed as marabouts. So when a soninke marabout visited a wolof village, people to make him stay with them would give him a wife, so he would have no choice but to stay. That's why you can find wolofs with names like Touray, ceesay, Jaxateh, tunkara etc
But in Senegambia at least , you can tell the group of someone whose name is cisse by his 'dakantal" (it'S the suffix we use after last names like "Njie Jata" or " Joob Juba". So Cisses who are mandinka or bambara will use "Cisse mandi Mory" ( Cisse marabout of mande) , Soninkes will say "Cisse Xaresi Wagadu Niame", Toucouleurs will say "Cisse Ngarey Njar mew" (Ngarey=bull, Njar mew=mix the milk with water=also ancient name of eastern senegal area) while wolofs will say " Cisse madamel" (damm= to break in wolof, madamel= the sir who broke).

Soninke names.
I (Tried) to put the english equivalents in parenthesis
Original soninke names are:

Cissé ( Ceesay)
Sy
Bathily (Bacciley??)
Marega
Wague (Wageh)
Sylla
Tandian, Tandi (Tanjah)
Yatabéré (Yatabarey)
Sakho (Saho)
Bomou (Bomu)
Soukhouna (Sohna)
Doucouré (Dukurey)
Kaba (kabah)
Niakhaté (Niaxatey)
Diawara (Jawara)
Sima
Dabo
Tabouré (Taburey)
Fissourou (Fisuru)
Fadiga
Bérété (baratey)
Tounkara (Tunkara)
Touré (Touray)
Soumaré (Sumareh)
Diakhaba (Jaxabah)
Daffé (Dafey)

Due to mixing they also bear mandinka names:

Dramé (Drameh)
Diakité (Jakitey)
Diarra (Jara)
Sidibé (Sidibey)
Coulibaly (Kulibaley)
Dioumassi (Jumasi)
Gassama
Dembélé (dembaley)
Cissokho (Cisoho)
Kébé (Kabeh)

You can also find fulani names among them mostly Ba (Bah), Diallo (jallow) , and Dia (Jah)
One sonike clan has the name N'Diaye (Njie) which is wolof by origin.

@Thiendella. Great write-up. But just some small corrections:

1. Kumbi Saleh was not a pioneer city, there were already other huge cities hundreds of years before the height of Kumbi in the Western Sahara/Middle Niger Region.

2. Yea like many hundreds of cities in the region at that time, the city space was made up of at least two parts- the King's City proper and the Merchants city . But am not sure it is not really true that this Merchant part was inhabited mainly by Arabs and "Berbers" but I think by Merchants who would have included the aforementioned though majority of them would have been more indigenous ones like Dyulas and even Soninkes themselves. The idea that the were somehow a "foreign" element of the city landscape is probably wrong.

3. The Almoravid invasion(if in deed it did happen as there are still some controversy with the "event" itself ) did not at all lead to the demise of Kumbi Saleh or its surroundings . Archaeological and textual evidences show continuity(albeit of a less intense one) at its core sites through the 12th Millennium AD up to around the 15th Millennium AD. The Almoravid destruction of Ghana is a MYTH- in fact the Almoravid movement itself was significantly influenced by polities in Sahel West Africa like Tekrur, Zafun and even Gahana etc.

Once again, great write up, we ought to know more abut "our" history.

[quote author=taharqa]@Thiendella. Great write-up. But just some small corrections:

1. Kumbi Saleh was not a pioneer city, there were already other huge cities hundreds of years before the height of Kumbi in the Western Sahara/Middle Niger Region.

2. Yea like many hundreds of cities in the region at that time, the city space was made up of at least two parts- the King's City proper and the Merchants city . But am not sure it is not really true that this Merchant part was inhabited mainly by Arabs and "Berbers" but I think by Merchants who would have included the aforementioned though majority of them would have been more indigenous ones like Dyulas and even Soninkes themselves. The idea that the were somehow a "foreign" element of the city landscape is probably wrong.

But Taharqa, we can't deny that arabo-berbers lived in kumbi since our three main written sources, Tarik el fettash and Tarikh-es-Sudan and Obeyd el bekri's book all agree on the fact that the second city was inhabited by muslims. None of the negroafrican tribes living there was muslim then. I think dyulas and all other black tribes used to live in the king's city since they were animists.

3. The Almoravid invasion(if in deed it did happen as there are still some controversy with the "event" itself ) did not at all lead to the demise of Kumbi Saleh or its surroundings . Archaeological and textual evidences show continuity(albeit of a less intense one) at its core sites through the 12th Millennium AD up to around the 15th Millennium AD. The Almoravid destruction of Ghana is a MYTH- in fact the Almoravid movement itself was significantly influenced by polities in Sahel West Africa like Tekrur, Zafun and even Gahana etc.

Hmmm I think almoravids did cause Ghana's decline because after their raid, Kumbi still existed but was the shadow of its former self. Kumbi got totally destroyed by susu king Sumanguru Kanteh in 1076, but it was not a big job since the city was already ravaged and became depopulated because of desertification.

Once again, great write up, we ought to know more abut "our" history.

Thank you and thanks for your corrections too

Soninke Language

Soninke belongs to the Northwest sub group of the Mande language family, along with all Bozo languages.
There are basically two main dialects : the western dialect (tri-border region Mali-Senegal-Mauritania) and the Eastern dialect (Mali, in the city of Yélimané Nara, as well as the Soninke community of the city of Kaedi, Mauritania).
Soninke is spoken in a Sahelian belt stretching from Senegal to Bakel Nara in Mali. It is also spoken in Guidimakha Mauritania (Sélibaby region) and eastern Gambia.
Closest languages ​​are different varieties of Southern Mandinka (Khassonké, Bambara, etc.) as well as Hassaniya Arabic. Moreover, in some areas, Fulani and Soninke mixed with Toucouleurs: for example in the Nioro area. Kayes in Mali marks in principle the beginning of the Khassonké area but you find many Soninkes there.
In addition, Soninke is the main language of African immigration in France (about 50% of the West African immigration). Similarly, there are Soninke migrants in most African capitals.
There are approximately one million speakers in Mali, 260k in Senegal, 130k in The Gambia and 130K in Mauritania.
To this should be added immigrant communities, particularly in Ivory coast and France.
Soninke is recognized as a national language in Senegal and Mali, and in Mauritania.
However, Soninkes are a minority in each country where it is spoken and it is not a lingua franca in West Africa. By cons, Soninke people often speak a second language, the dominant language of the country where they live: Wolof in Senegal; Bambara in Mali, Western Mandinka in The Gambia, Fula or Arabic hassaniya in Mauritania.
Soninke people attach great importance to their language, and in African countries, it is transmitted to children: they are multilingual.

@Thiendela

See these sources:

http://jwsr.ucr.edu/archive/vol10/number3/pdf/jwsr-v10n3-kea.pdf

http://www.arts.ualberta.ca/~amcdouga/Hist446/readings/conquest_in_west_african_historiography.pdf

I will take time to read them because of classes
But I see the main idea is arabs tried to spread the idea that ghana civilization was not a totally negroid civilization... Im i wrong ?

The Wagadu Bida legend

In all non written civilizations, oral traditions are used to remember the events of the past. They are a valuable help to reconstruct history, however, they should be analyzed with caution since leaving much to imagination and fantasy. In the Soninke society, griots are the keepers of The Past and the traditions, epic songs telling their past are transmitted from generation to generation . Here's the Wagadu Bida legend, telling the cause of Ghana empire's decline.

The Bida (boa in Soninke language) , was the protective spirit of the Soninke people.Its name was "Minyamba" and It was the basis of the prosperity and extreme wealth of Ghana. It was the god of fertility and made fall happiness. Thanks to it, Ghana had heavy rains generating rich cultures, and gold fell, according to the legend with rainwater, basting every region of the country.It is for this reason that the emperors of Wagadu were known as Kaya Maghan (king of gold). Women, men and horses from the royal stable adorned themselves with gold.
In return, Bida demanded a human sacrifice every year, some griots say. Others say it required that every seven years, seven months and seven days. The choice was always a virgin of a rare beauty, the most beautiful of the empire.
That year, the choice fell on the beautiful Seah Yatabareh. The young man to whom she was promised loved her more than anything. Twice before, his previous girlfriends had been chosen to be sacrificed. Twice he had accepted the decision of the elders. Mamady sefeduhoteh (Mamadi the taciturn), that was his name, was also very brave and not afraid of anything. When he heard the verdict of the sages, he took a firm decision. His father and his clan's blacksmith agreed.
The craftsman began to work immediately and manufactured for Sefeduhoteh a sword and a spear. The young man was washed with water of several canaries to protect him from the evil monster. He then went to the cave where the Wagadu Bida lived and cut its head, which grew back. He cut it a second time and the head grew back again.He tried seven times before before the monster sagged, cursing all Wagadu people.
Shortly after that, a great drought came upon the ghana, killing people and cattle. Misery forced most sonikes to migrate to the south. Ghana was entering into decline.
The seven heads cut by mamadi fell in seven different locations corresponding to regions endowed with immense quantities of gold: Bambuck. Galam, Bure, Bundu, Faleme, Ashanti and Lobi.

Soninke traditional song "Minyamba" tells the Wagadu Bida Story.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XBxWnP-QZFk&playnext=1&list=PL237C39B4C730833B&feature=results_main

I'm fascinated by ancient African Kingdoms and Empires especially the West African ones. Thanks for the info!

@thiendella:
I've been looking at the Wagadu Bida Legend and thinking this is probably a highly stylised and hyperbolic version of the truth of what happened to the Ghana Empire. Let's review:

The Bida (boa in Soninke language) , was the protective spirit of the Soninke people.Its name was "Minyamba" and It was the basis of the prosperity and extreme wealth of Ghana. It was the god of fertility and made fall happiness. Thanks to it, Ghana had heavy rains generating rich cultures, and gold fell, according to the legend with rainwater, basting every region of the country. It is for this reason that the emperors of Wagadu were known as Kaya Maghan (king of gold). Women, men and horses from the royal stable adorned themselves with gold.

This part is clearly about the weather and environment around the Ghana Empire at the time. According to some scientists. About 1000 years ago what was called the Sahel was actually a little further north of it's current location. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahel
The area that was the West African Sahel 1000 years ago was probably a lot greener and had more trees.

In return, Bida demanded a human sacrifice every year, some griots say. Others say it required that every seven years, seven months and seven days. The choice was always a virgin of a rare beauty, the most beautiful of the empire.
That year, the choice fell on the beautiful Seah Yatabareh. The young man to whom she was promised loved her more than anything. Twice before, his previous girlfriends had been chosen to be sacrificed. Twice he had accepted the decision of the elders. Mamady sefeduhoteh (Mamadi the taciturn), that was his name, was also very brave and not afraid of anything. When he heard the verdict of the sages, he took a firm decision. His father and his clan's blacksmith agreed.

I can't say what this means but sounds cool.

The young man was washed with water of several canaries to protect him from the evil monster. He then went to the cave where the Wagadu Bida lived and cut its head, which grew back. He cut it a second time and the head grew back again. He tried seven times before the monster sagged, cursing all Wagadu people.

I think this part is a metaphor for the depletion of the natural resources around the Ghana Empire. I think the bida is representation of not only gold but wood as well. I say that because Bida (boa in Soninke language). Boa snakes are usually found quite high up in trees and wooded areas. The part of the man cutting the snake monster god head off 7 times is probably meant to represent cutting down trees for wood and over mining gold.

Shortly after that, a great drought came upon the ghana, killing people and cattle. Misery forced most soninkes to migrate to the south. Ghana was entering into decline.

Due to many different events like desertification due to lack of rain and cutting down trees among other things. I think this forced not only Soninkes but other ethnic groups that lived in the Ghana Empire to migrate southwards and other directions.

The seven heads cut by mamadi fell in seven different locations corresponding to regions endowed with immense quantities of gold: Bambuck. Galam, Bure, Bundu, Faleme, Ashanti and Lobi.

I think this where the mixed Ghana Empire ethnic groups (mainly comprised of Soninkes) migrated to. I also think some of these ethnic groups even started calling themselves different names as well. For e.g. I think one migrating called themselves Ashanti/Akan.

Of course all of what I'm saying is purely speculation.

Black Kenichi: I'm fascinated by ancient African Kingdoms and Empires especially the West African ones. Thanks for the info!

Me too, ur welocme!

Black Kenichi: @thiendella:
I've been looking at the Wagadu Bida Legend and thinking this is probably a highly stylised and hyperbolic version of the truth of what happened to the Ghana Empire. Let's review:


This part is clearly about the weather and environment around the Ghana Empire at the time. According to some scientists. About 1000 years ago what was called the Sahel was actually a little further north of it's current location. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sahel
The area that was the West African Sahel 1000 years ago was probably a lot greener and had more trees.


I can't say what this means but sounds cool.


I think this part is a metaphor for the depletion of the natural resources around the Ghana Empire. I think the bida is representation of not only gold but wood as well. I say that because Bida (boa in Soninke language). Boa snakes are usually found quite high up in trees and wooded areas. The part of the man cutting the snake monster god head off 7 times is probably meant to represent cutting down trees for wood and over mining gold.


Due to many different events like desertification due to lack of rain and cutting down trees among other things. I think this forced not only Soninkes but other ethnic groups that lived in the Ghana Empire to migrate southwards and other directions.


I think this where the mixed Ghana Empire ethnic groups (mainly comprised of Soninkes) migrated to. I also think some of these ethnic groups even started calling themselves different names as well. For e.g. I think one migrating called themselves Ashanti/Akan.

Of course all of what I'm saying is purely speculation.

Interesting analysis, oral traditions are based on real facts but were very romanced over time. I know that Bure , Faleme, Bambuck and Galam are gold bearing regions in Oriental Senegal but I didn't know the soninke and ashanti were linked.

Ancient Ghana location
[img]http://planetejeanjaures.free.fr/geo/afrique/images/empires/ghana_empire.gif[/img]
[img]http://info2larue.files./2012/01/koumbisaleh.jpg?w=600[/img]
Kumbi Saleh ruins:

There's just something so beautiful about Ghana that calls people to visit.

I've met about 10 students this past few days who just came back from schooling abroad for the summer in Ghana.

I def will visit Accra sometimes in the future. Nairobi, Kenya and the Ivory Coast are also on my mind.

Ileke-IdI:
There's just something so beautiful about Ghana that calls people to visit.

I've met about 10 students this past few days who just came back from schooling abroad for the summer in Ghana.

I def will visit Accra sometimes in the future. Nairobi, Kenya and the Ivory Coast are also on my mind.

Come to Senegal too!! As for me I'd love to visit Nigeria, Ivory Coast , Burkina and Cameroon.
Ancient Ghana was located between Mali and Mauritania.

thiendella:
Come to Senegal too!! As for me I'd love to visit Nigeria, Ivory Coast , Burkina and Cameroon.
Ancient Ghana was located between Mali and Mauritania.

I heard that Burkina is like the Old Wild West

thiendella: Ancient Ghana location
[img]http://planetejeanjaures.free.fr/geo/afrique/images/empires/ghana_empire.gif[/img]

A nice drawing, but there's really nothing to suggest that the people of medieval Ghana would have had a dressing style similar to the Akan. Some of the accoutrements worn by the people in this drawing are clearly taken directly from some of the cultures of the modern country of Ghana.

[img]http://info2larue.files./2012/01/koumbisaleh.jpg?w=600[/img]

This has nothing to do with medieval Ghana actually. It's an engraving by Olfert Dapper of 17th century Loango that he based on descriptions of the place by those who had actually seen it.

PhysicsQED:

A nice drawing, but there's really nothing to suggest that the people of medieval Ghana would have had a dressing style similar to the Akan. Some of the accoutrements worn by the people in this drawing are clearly taken directly from some of the cultures of the modern country of Ghana.



This has nothing to do with medieval Ghana actually. It's an engraving by Olfert Dapper of 17th century Loango that he based on descriptions of the place by those who had actually seen it.

Ok, do you have a better idea of what they "looked" like?

Ileke-IdI:


Ok, do you have a better idea of what they "looked" like?

The problem is that most of those accoutrements are taken directly from how the Akan aristocracy traditionally dress. The head decorations, the ceremonial sword, etc. Even the way they are conveying the monarch around in a litter/palanquin is taken from the Akan.

Here's an Asante (Akan) ceremonial sword:

http://www.imamuseum.org/art/collections/artwork/ceremonial-sword-

Here's an Akan ceremonial sword:

http://www.metmuseum.org/collections/search-the-collections/50009001

Now compare it with the sword in the picture.

Other than the fact that the regalia, ceremonial sword, and even the manner of transport are taken straight from the Akan, I wouldn't object in any way to an imagining/reconstruction. After all, the people of medieval Ghana did wear gold:


"A Moorish nobleman who lived in Spain by the name of Al-Bakri questioned merchants who visited the empire in the 11th century and wrote that the king:

He sits in audience or to hear grievances against officials in a domed pavilion around which stand ten horses covered with gold-embroidered materials. Behind the king stand ten pages holding shields and swords decorated with gold, and on his right are the sons of the kings of his country wearing splendid garments and their hair plaited with gold. The governor of the city sits on the ground before the king and around him are ministers seated likewise. At the door of the pavilion are dogs of excellent pedigree that hardly ever leave the place where the king is, guarding him. Around their necks they wear collars of gold and silver studded with a number of balls of the same metals."[26]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghana_Empire#Government

(the source of the quote is given on wikipedia as p.80 of Corpus of Early Arabic Sources for West Africa by Nehemia Levtzion and John F.P. Hopkins)

Now after reading that description, for all we know, the Ghanaian empire attires and decorations might have looked even more impressive than those of the Akan, even if they were working with the same general medium (gold) for decoration. There's really no reason to transplant the Akan accoutrements directly onto medieval Ghana when there's no guarantee at all that they really had the same styles.

@PhysicQED
You said it all already, Wagadu people were black and attired themseleves in gold from head to toes, so maybe they did not look much different from the people on the picture. I googled akans and it's ovbious they inspired the illustration. The map comes from a comic called "Il etait une fois..." btw


I picked it because it was the nicest map , so im not removing it.
Here's a more serious map
[img]http://kwanzaamillenium.files./2010/07/history-of-ghana0.gif[/img]

I got the engraving here:
https://picasaweb.google.com/gmslausanne/HistoireDeLAfrique#5546933778533914754
The guy says he is not sure if it is luango or an engraving of kumbi saleh. But i saw the pic on many website with a legend;" engraving of Kumbi saleh"

Ileke-IdI:


I heard that Burkina is like the Old Wild West

Yeah but i wanna see this by myself

[img]http://atelier.rfi.fr/photo/femme-sur-taximoto-avec-bb-au-1/next?context=user[/img]

Seriously burkinabe (I think ) , particularly mossi people are known as the most polite people in Africa.

Soninke is actually the singular of soninko, but are also called "Serahule " by Wolof, "Marakas" by Bambaras, "Wangara" by the Malinke, "Wakore" by Sonrhaïs. Interesting fact, "Serahule" means litteraly "White people" in sonike language. If sonike are black, why would wolofs call them " White"? Sonikes themselves call mauritanian berbers "Surahes" Deformation of the word " Serahule". But it's clear, that compared to Wolofs, Soninkes are rather light skinned. As most early islamized ethnic groups, Sonikes found a way to trace their origins to Palestin, but this is not to be taken seriously I think.
In 1853, abbot David Boilat published a book , "Esquisses Senegalaises" , The subitle says " face of the country, tribes, commerce, religions, past and future, stories and legends". This is the first book published by a Senegalese indigene . The book comes with 24 colors plates, presenting all tribes living in the senegambian space. Here are his drawings of a Soninke man, a wolof merchant and a serer man , we can see that the soninke is a bit different.
[img]http://chantshistoiremande.free.fr/Images2/homme_sarakoulle_boilat_bnf1.jpg[/img]

Soninke are big travelers . About 50% all sub saharan africans living in france are soninkes. Soninke have a very old tradition of emigration. French colonizers called them "the Lebanese of Africa." Soninke have many reasons to leave. First, emigration is a tradition among them. It is also a necessity, because the region (Sahel) is very poor, and arid . It is also a matter of pride: the men who have gone abroad have better chances of finding a wife.

They are very loud people, I mean they speak loudly. They use to say: "If you really believe in what you are saying, then Shout it out loud". Many of them also have "slanting eyes" .
Mokobe traore french worst rapper is soninke

Yusufa sokona"Sefyu" french rapper
[img]http://rapadonf.fr/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/sefyu2.jpg[/img]
Abdulaye Bathily, senegalese politician

Mamadu Tunkara, senegalese anchor:

Khalilou Fadiga
[img]http://ds3.ds.static.rtbf.be/article/big_sport/8/2/2/624_341_03204cd8f3e60fd384fc3fe0317a8666-1307446359.jpg[/img]
Aysse Ndiaye
[img]http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSLm7FYmrbiuflT-knMtEmEabk9GEIr7bkbTsCjQPP79MjMl5KT&t=1[/img]

Hajibou Sumare former senegalese prime minister
[img]http://www.lequotidien.sn/images/aguibou-soumare-notto.jpg[/img]
Some others



[img]http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTcJI3PL4FeUktZ27kBqhLNxl1SaoTd7cenSycE8kEqyQxIJp01Kg&t=1[/img]

thiendella: Soninke are big travelers . About 50% all sub saharan africans living in france are soninkes. Soninke have a very old tradition of emigration. French colonizers called them "the Lebanese of Africa." Soninke have many reasons to leave. First, emigration is a tradition among them. It is also a necessity, because the region (Sahel) is very poor, and arid . It is also a matter of pride: the men who have gone abroad have better chances of finding a wife.

They are very loud people, I mean they speak loudly. They use to say: "If you really believe in what you are saying, then Shout it out loud". Many of them also have "slanting eyes" .
Mokobe traore french worse rapper is soninke

Yusufa sokona"Sefyu" french rapper
[img]http://rapadonf.fr/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/sefyu2.jpg[/img]
Abdulaye Bathily, senegalese politician

Mamadu Tunkara, senegalese anchor:

Khalilou Fadiga
[img]http://ds3.ds.static.rtbf.be/article/big_sport/8/2/2/624_341_03204cd8f3e60fd384fc3fe0317a8666-1307446359.jpg[/img]
Aysse Ndiaye
[img]http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSLm7FYmrbiuflT-knMtEmEabk9GEIr7bkbTsCjQPP79MjMl5KT&t=1[/img]

Hajibou Sumare former senegalese prime minister
[img]http://www.lequotidien.sn/images/aguibou-soumare-notto.jpg[/img]
Some others



[img]http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTcJI3PL4FeUktZ27kBqhLNxl1SaoTd7cenSycE8kEqyQxIJp01Kg&t=1[/img]

Most of the pics of the Soninke don't look that much different from some regular Jamaicans. Especially these 2 guys:

Khalilou Fadiga
[img]http://ds3.ds.static.rtbf.be/article/big_sport/8/2/2/624_341_03204cd8f3e60fd384fc3fe0317a8666-1307446359.jpg[/img]

And this guy:
Ibrahim Tounkara


Looks kinda like Ian Wright:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Wright

Black Kenichi:
Most of the pics of the Soninke don't look that much different from some regular Jamaicans. Especially these 2 guys:

Khalilou Fadiga
[img]http://ds3.ds.static.rtbf.be/article/big_sport/8/2/2/624_341_03204cd8f3e60fd384fc3fe0317a8666-1307446359.jpg[/img]

And this guy:
Ibrahim Tounkara


Looks kinda like Ian Wright:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ian_Wright

Yeah, they do! But jamaicans are originally from africa , so normal they look african, although I don't think much sonninke were caught in slave trade

Souleymane diawara
[img]http://www.sportune.fr/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Souleymane-Diawara.jpg[/img]



[img]http://matricien.files./2012/06/femme-sarakolc3a9-sc3a9nc3a9gal.jpg[/img]

[img]http://www.lasenegalaise.com/thumbnail.php?src=images_news/to25252525255222uleli_maanyo.jpg&w=495&zc=1[/img]



[img]http://video.google.com/ThumbnailServer2?app=vss&contentid=3918334c680f9efa&offsetms=550000&itag=w320&lang=fr&sigh=QjtzjnznfQwx3uYn-ARkfhylbRE[/img]

Soninke dance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgNe1Iv0kFQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDws_EQY2RM&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWP6_Pf1kJs&feature=related
Contestants of miss soninke france intoducing themselves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbVjCsxsb-s&feature=related
Folklore

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S4jqScxz28&feature=relmfu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TQ2va4FU3vM&feature=relmfu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHOLktaUbVs

thiendella: Soninke dance

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgNe1Iv0kFQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDws_EQY2RM&feature=related

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YWP6_Pf1kJs&feature=related

Contestants of miss soninke france intoducing themselves

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DbVjCsxsb-s&feature=related

Some of the contestants on Miss Soninke France 2012 are hot!
I like contestants No: 1, 2 (looks like a Jamaican girl I know), 9, 10 and 12