See also: Soninké

The Soninkés (also called Sarakolés or Sarakholés or Marakas ), are an ethnos group of West Africa, presents especially to the Mali along the border sénégalaise between Nara and Nioro of the Sahel, like with the Senegal and in Mauritania.

History

Population

One estimates the number of Soninkés at approximately a million people. It should be noted that there exists important a Diaspora, in particular in Paris region.

Soninkés speak the language soninké, which belongs to the group of the Langues mandé.

They are generally Moslem sunnites. There exist also some Christian communities .

Social organization

Soninkés live on the valley of the river, more particularly in the area of Guidimakha and the area of Gorgol. They are without any doubt the largest farmers of Mauritania.

The social organization of Soninkés is very treated on a hierarchical basis. She includes/understands three levels:

• free men called Hooro to which the tunkalemmu belong (princes which have vocation with the reign) and the mangu (courtiers, warriors, confidants of the tunkalemmu)
• the men of caste or Ñaxamala (Niakhamala) to which belong the blacksmiths, the workers of wood, the Griot S (jaaro) and the shoe-makers.
• the prisoners or Komo, who were freed at the beginning of the 20th century.

This system is hereditary. The marriages are done within each category.

The company soninké is patrilineal.

The tunka, the king, is the political leader. He is owner of the grounds of his country and of what pushes there. He is resulting from the tunkalemmu (princes and heirs to the royalty) to which he refers before making a decision. The chiefs of village must obtain the blessing of the tunka to exert.

It is not rare to find families soninkés of more than 100 people, sharing the daily meals.

See too

Internal bonds

• List of the ethnicities of Africa

• Ethnicities of Senegal