A Nineteenth Century Fulbe State

Abstract

About 1867 Fulbe living in the Mandingo kingdoms of Tomani and Jimara on the south bank of the Gambia river revolted against their Mandingo landlords. Under their leader, Alfa Molo, the Fulbe went on to destroy the decadent Mandingo state system over much of the Gambia's south bank, and south into Portuguese Guinea, in one of the few determinative conquests in Gambia history. A new state emerged from this revolution which was based on the political dissatisfactions and ethnic consciousness of the Fulbe, its institutions moulded by the political skills and vigorous personality of Alfa's son, Musa Molo. Before 1867, the Fulbe living in the Gambia region were politically highly fragmented, having no tradition of centralized authority. Their dealings with other groups, both stranger and Fulbe, were highly particularized and characterized generally by either accommodation or flight.

Are neighbours alike? Practices of conviviality in Catalonia and Casamance

“…As in Catalonia, this was the scene of a migrant neighbourhood, since Casamance is strongly characterised by migration flows that have resulted in ethnic, linguistic, religious and national diversity (ANSD, 2009). 6 The two neighbourhood representatives of Lindiane told me that increasing urbanisation brought Jola, Mandinka and other ethnic groups to Lindiane until the Bainuk, the original landowners, nearly completely disappeared, a fate they met in all of Casamance (Linares, 1992: 84–90; Quinn, 1971, 1972: 482; Roche, 1985: 28–56). Inhabitants of the neighbourhood sometimes claimed it to be dominantly Jola and sometimes Mandinka, but no one was really sure because there were also neighbours of other ethnic groups and national backgrounds.…”

“… 6. Compare with Leary (1970, 1971) for conversion movements of Muslim marabouts; Bâ (1986), N’Gaide (1999) and Quinn (1971) for the Fula independence struggle causing migrations; Foucher (2002: 64), Mark (1976, 1977) and David (1980) for seasonal migration; and Hamer (1981), Linares (2003), Lambert (2002), Foucher (2002) and Reboussin (1995) for urban migration to Banjul and Dakar. …”

Planned development interventions and contested development in the Casamance Region, Senegal: an enquiry into the ongoing struggles for autonomy and progres by the Casamance peasantry

“…Accounts of conflicts during this era are historically linked to the belligerent activities of different ethnic groups as they competed for land and other natural resources. Roche (1985) provides historical accounts of some of the major conflicts between the Diola and the Bainouck, the Mandinka and the Balantes in the Lower Casamance, and the Mandinka and the Fulani in the Upper and Middle Casamance (Quinn, 1971). These inter-ethnic conflicts intensified as the region came into more frequent contacts with European navigators, from the 16th century onwards.…”