TRADITIONS OF THE FULBE
The Fulbe, also known as Fula, Fulani, Pulaar, and Tukolor, are spread from Senegal to the northern Cameroon and even into the Sudan. This dispersal is the result of migrations out of Senegal, accomplished largely within the last six hundred years (the Tarikh es-Sudan speaks of the arrival of the Fulbe in Massina in the time of Sonni Ali Ber, ca. 1480). The Fulbe consider themselves originally to be cattle-herders, and some have claimed connections with the Saharan rock paintings of previous millenia and current Fulbe initiation symbolism. But the Fulbe have also established sedentary populations across this region, and these are not necessarily cattle-herders, although cattle remain an important part of their identity.
Beginning in the 18th century, or earlier in some parts, Islam became a dominant component of Fulbe identity as well, and the 19th century has been marked across the Sahel by wars of Muslim Fulbe expansion: Uthman Dan Fodio established the Sokoto Caliphate in northern Nigeria, which led to wars of conquest south and east; Cheikou Amadou Barry defeated the Bamana of Segou in Massina in 1818; al-Hajj Umar Tal led a Tukolor army through the Kaarta and Segou, before being killed, and his sons continued his rule; the almami of Timbo invaded Kaabu in the Gambia and destroyed the power of the nyanchos around 1867. As a result, the Fulbe became an aristocratic class in some areas.
Not all areas of Fulbe settlement offer epic traditions, and the relations among the traditions seem complex; it seems quite possible to me, on the basis of plot-lines and distribution, that the Fulbe adopted epic-singing in Massina and that the practice then spread to certain other areas of their diaspora. This is a question that I think needs further research, which will of course be complicated by the way in the modern era recordings of epics travel to and fro with some freedom.
This listing is divided into two parts: epics from the Futa Tooro, the area along the
Senegal River, and epics from Massina and the eastern part of the Fulbe range.
FUTA TORO
Performer | Title
Bibliographic Reference |
Languages | Date |
Ceerno Daahiru Aan | The Tooroobbe
Kane & Robinson, 17-23 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1968 |
Abdel Kader son of Fama Mademba | Samba Gueladio
Equilbecq 1974, pp. 92-96 |
French | 1914 |
Anonymous | Origin of the Fulbe
Arnaud 1912 pp. 152-154 |
Soninke?
French |
ca. 1905 |
The Denyanke dynasty
Arnaud 1912 pp. 176 |
Soninke?
French |
ca. 1905 | |
Samba Gueladio
Raffenel 1956, vol. 2/Equilbecq 1974 |
Fulbe
French |
1846-1850 | |
Ballade de Samba Foul
Berenger-Feraud Recueil pp. 39-49 |
French
French |
1885 | |
Samba Gueladio
Steff in Equilbecq 1974, pp. 97-100 |
French summary | pre-1910 | |
Koly Satigny
Berenger-Feraud Recueil pp. 211-218 |
French | 1885 | |
La naissance de Samba
Samba Ndaw Sar 1980, pp. 94-98 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
pre-1980 | |
Samba Gueladio
Gaden, le Poular, pp. 104-113 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
pre-1913 | |
Samba Gueladio
Frobenius, Atlantis VI pp. 233-246 |
Fulfulde
German |
pre-1910 | |
Samba Gueladio
Abel Sy memoire 1979-1980 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
ca. 1975 | |
Samba Gueladjie
Zeltner pp. 151-157 |
Fulfulde?
French |
pre-1913 | |
Histoire de Koli
Zeltner 63-72 |
Khassonke?
French |
pre-1913 | |
Demba Mallal Ba | Ama Sam Poolel et Hammel Tyam
Meyer pp. 13-29 |
Pulaar
French |
1976-1979 |
Kalidou Ba | Jeunesse d'el-Hajj Oumar
Meyer 99-118 |
Pulaar
French |
1976 |
Aali Gay Cam | Njaak Moktar, His Life and Death
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 99-105 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1968 |
Aali Gay Cam [Caam] | The Maadiyanke Movement
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 147-157 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1969 |
Sammba Jaadana
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 159-167 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1969 | |
Guelaye Fall | Segou Bali
Abel Sy 1978, pp. 16-39 |
Pulaar
Bilingual |
ca. 1975 |
Balla Dierel
Abel Sy 1978, pp. 42-57 |
Pulaar
Bilingual |
ca. 1975 | |
Kaliidu Mammadu Gaajo | Almaami Abdul, Aali Siidi and Aali
Dunndu
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 53-63 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1969 |
Baani Giise | Umar and the Jinns
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 123-127 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1968 |
Amadou Kamara | Samba Gueladio
Correra 1992 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1975-80 ? |
Ceerno Maajakite Siisee Kan | The Almamate
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 75-81 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1968 |
Ceerno Baraahiima
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 139-145 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1969 | |
Ceerno Saydu Kan | The Raid on Mbummba
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 131-137 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1969 |
Elimaan Kaana Umar Kan | The Alkaati of Mboolo
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 43-49 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1969 |
Oumar Kane | Samba Gelajo-Jegi
Kane B.IFAN 32 (1970), 911-926 |
French prose | 1970 |
Mamadou Kante | Malik Sy et leBondou
Meyer 87-95 |
Pulaar
French |
1976-79 |
Makan Sunjata et Simangourou
Meyer 141-146 |
Pulaar
French |
1976-79 | |
Adama Koume | Guelel et Goumallo
Meyer 64-83 |
Pulaar
French |
1976-1979 |
Ama Sam Poolel and Goumallo
Meyer pp. 30-63 |
Pulaar
French |
ca. 1977 | |
Yero Boubou Koume | Gueladio
Meyer 181-190 |
Pulaar
French |
ca. 1977 |
Gueladio et Fatimel Sire Bii Dane
Meyer 191-213 |
Pulaar
French |
ca. 1977 | |
Yero Maama et Saa
Meyer 228-239 |
Pulaar
French |
ca. 1977 | |
Boubakar Mamadou | Samba Gueladio (I)
Equilbecq, Contes vol 2, pp. 3-40 |
French | ca. 1910 |
Samba Gueladio (II)
Equilbecq 1974, pp. 64-85 |
Pigeon French | ca. 1910 | |
Farba Amayel Mbay | Raid on Jaawut / Founding of Daabiya
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 83-80 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1968 |
Mammadu Njaari Mbeng | The Toorobbe and the Deeniyankoobe
Kane and Robinson 1984 pp. 25-33 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1969 |
Sidi Mbothiel | Goumalel Samba Diam Diallo
Ngaide 1981 pp. 35-87 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1973 |
Amadou Sam Polel et Hamme Thiamel
Ngaide 1981, pp. 91-161 |
Pulaar
Bilingual |
1973 | |
Silamaka et Poulori
Meyer 149-172 |
Pulaar
French |
ca. 1977 | |
Seykou Oumar and Tamba Boukari
Meyer 119-137 |
Pulaar
French |
ca. 1977 | |
Seegaa Ñang | Sileymaani Baal and Abdul Kaader
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 35-41 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1968 |
The Death of Almaami Abdul
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 65-71 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1969 | |
The Death of Abdul Bookar
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 169-179 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1969 | |
Aamadu Weendu Noodi Njay | Umar, Faidherbe, and the Holy War
Kane and Robinson, 1984 pp. 107-113 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1968 |
Hammadi Saayande Njay | The Trial of Ceerno Faalil
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 115-121 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1968 |
Mamadou Pahel | Naissance de Samba Galadiegui
Ndiaye 1980 pp. 99-113. |
Pulaar
French |
ca. 1975 |
Samba Gueladiegui
Amadou Ly, memoire 1987; 1991 |
Pulaar
Bilingual |
1974 | |
Sire Abbas Soh | Chroniques du Fouta Senegalais
Soh, 1913. |
Arabic | ca. 1910? |
Various | Chroniques et récits du Fouta Djallon
Sow 1968 |
Fulfulde | |
Shaykh Banndel Wan | The Wan
Kane and Robinson 1984, pp. 91-95 |
Pulaar
bilingual |
1969 |
Robert Arnaud. La singulière légendes des soninkés: traditions orales sur le royaume de
Koumbi. In L'Islam et la politique musulmane en Afrique occidentale française. Paris, Comité de
l'Afrique française, 1912.
L.B. Bérenger-Féraud. Recueil de contes populaires de la Sénégambie. Paris: E. Leroux, 1885.
Nendeln: Kraus Reprint, 1970.
Maurice Delafosse. Traditions historiques et légendaires du Soudan Occidental. Publication du
Comité de l'Afrique française. Paris. 1913.
François-Victor Equilbecq. Essai sur la littérature merveilleuse des noirs, suivi de Contes
indigènes de l'ouest africain. 3 vols. Paris: Maisonneuve et Larose, 1913-1916.
---. La légende de Samba Guélâdio Digui Prince du Foûta. Dakar-Abidjan: Nouvelles Editions
Africaines, 1974.
Leo Frobenius, Spielmannsgeschichten der Sahel. Atlantis VI. Iena, Eugen Diederichs, 1921.
Reprint Martin Sändig.
Leo Frobenius and Douglas C. Fox (ed. and trans.). African Genesis. Berkeley, Turtle Island
Foundation, 1983.
Henri Gaden. Le Poular: Dialecte peul du Fouta sénégalais. Paris: E. Leroux, 1913.
Moustapha Kane and David Robinson. The Islamic Regime of Fuuta Tooro. East Lansing,
African Studies Center, Michigan State University. 1984.
Issaga Korera. Samba Guéladio: Épopée peule du Fuuta Tooro. Dakar: IFAN 1992, Initiations et
études africaines 36.
Amadou Ly. trans. L'épopée de Samba Gueladiegui. Dakar: IFAN/UNESCO. Editions
Nouvelles du Sud. 1991.
Gerard Meyer, ed. and trans. Récits épiques toucouleurs: la vache, le livre, la lance. Paris:
Karthala/ACCT 1991.
Mamadou Lamine Ngaïde. Le vent de la razzia. Dakar: IFAN, 1981.
Samba Ndaw Sar. ed. "Les circonstances de la naissance de Samba." Demb ak Tey. 6 (1980). 94-98.
---. "Prédestination, héros et gumbala: l'exemple de Samba Gelaajo Jeegi" Demb ak Tey. 6
(1980). 12-23.
Siré Abbas Soh. Chroniques du Fouta Senegalais. ed. and trans. Maurice Delafosse and Henri
Gaden. Paris: Leroux, 1913.
Alfa Ibrahim Sow. Chroniques et récits du Fouta Djallon. Paris: Librairie Klincksieck, 1968.
Amadou Abel Sy. Seul contre tous. Dakar-Abidjan. Nouvelles editions africaines. 1978.
African Epics Resource Page, by Stephen Belcher. © Stephen Belcher, 2000.
HTTP://www.personal.psu.edu/spb3