African history of the Sahel and Sudan zone appears to have been marked by political instability. Resistance to Fulbe empires was more common than the main literature suggests. The Fulbe are... Show moreAfrican history of the Sahel and Sudan zone appears to have been marked by political instability. Resistance to Fulbe empires was more common than the main literature suggests. The Fulbe are pastoralists and the empires of nomadic pastoralists are inherently unstable. The Fulbe emirates are often described as having been born out of the revolts of religiously inspired nomadic pastoralists against oppressive sedentary regimes. However, the resistance movements against Fulbe hegemony itself can partly be explained as revolts of the originally nomadic population who felt their cause was not well defended by the elite of these emirates. Opposition to the ideology of Islam inspired revolts of non-Islamic groups. These resistance movements were also fed by the oppressive nature of the new emirates, whose most prominent characteristic was slavery. Resistance is expressed in contemporary ritual and oral traditions, challenging the official historiography of these emirates. Three examples are taken in this chapter to illustrate resistance against Fulbe hegemony: the Timbo Emirate in the Fuuta Jallon, the Diina Emirate in central Mali and the Futanke Emirate which followed Diina in the second half of the 19th century. Notes, ref., sum. [Book abstract] Show less
This chapter starts from the premise that economic actions can only be understood if looked upon as embedded in social structure. Therefore, it elaborates the concept of (sustainable) livelihood,... Show moreThis chapter starts from the premise that economic actions can only be understood if looked upon as embedded in social structure. Therefore, it elaborates the concept of (sustainable) livelihood, which is taken to emanate from the interactions of actors with vital capitals. It argues that, in the context of globalization, livelihood becomes increasingly multidimensional and multilocal, spanning rural and urban areas at the same time. The chapter focuses on changing rural-urban linkages in West Africa, notably on the trade in maize, yam, and cattle in Benin. Expanding flows between rural areas and urban outlets are analysed against the background of the livelihood strategies of traders, paying special attention to trade organization, networks, entry modes, and accumulation paths. Emphasis is placed on the role of social capital in these interactions. Bibliogr. [ASC Leiden abstract] Show less
Les rapports interethniques sont essentiels pour les pasteurs semi-nomades et l'identité des Peuls est ainsi modelée par les rapports qu'ils entretiennent avec le monde extérieur. Dans cet article... Show moreLes rapports interethniques sont essentiels pour les pasteurs semi-nomades et l'identité des Peuls est ainsi modelée par les rapports qu'ils entretiennent avec le monde extérieur. Dans cet article l'auteur analyse les changements en cours dans les rapports entre les éleveurs peuls et les cultivateurs hummbeebe dans la région du Mali central, le Hayre, après les sécheresses des années 1980. Dans la société peule traditionnelle du Hayre, les Peuls pasteurs appartenaient à la classe des nobles, tandis que tous les cultivateurs étaient considérés comme inférieurs. L'auteur examine notamment comment les changements en cours influent sur la formation de l'identité des Peuls. Les relations symbiotiques entre les Peuls et les Hummbeebe sont examinées à travers la description du cycle annuel d'une famille peule appauvrie à cause des sécheresses. Cette famille cultive du mil pendant la saison des pluies; après la récolte, elle fait la transhumance pour gagner un village de Hummbeebe où les femmes font le troc du lait contre le mil. L'institution du 'jatigi' (hôte) joue un rôle central dans les rapports entre les deux groupes. Cependant, les changements survenus au cours des dernières décennies font que les contrastes entre les deux groupes diminuent, notamment en ce qui concerne l'utilisation des terres. Ces changements causent l'érosion de l'institution du 'jatigi', qui est devenue plus importante pour la survie existentielle et économique des Peuls que pour les Hummbeebe. Pour les Peuls, la fonction sociale de l'institution reste indispensable. Show less
This collective volume discusses social change and ecological and cultural adaptation among the Fulbe of West Africa. The introduction is by Victor Azarya. Part 1 (Ethnicity) contains chapters by... Show moreThis collective volume discusses social change and ecological and cultural adaptation among the Fulbe of West Africa. The introduction is by Victor Azarya. Part 1 (Ethnicity) contains chapters by Roger Blench (the question of why there are so many pastoral groups in East Africa whereas in West Africa the Fulbe are the only major pastoralist group); Al-Amin Abu-Manga (diversity among the Fulbe of Sudan); Anneke Breedveld (prototypes and ethnic categorization: on the terms 'Pullo' and 'Fulbe' in Maasina, Mali); Catherine Vereecke (ethnic change and continuity among the Fulbe of Aadamaawa emirate, Nigeria); Thierno Diallo (sociopolitical structure of the traditional society of Fuuta Jaloo). Part 2 (Ecology and politics) contains chapters by Thomas J. Bassett and Zu‚li Koli Bi (Fulbe livestock raising in C“te d'Ivoire); Jean Boutrais (improved veterinary techniques in Aadamaawa, Cameroon); Antje van Driel (Fulbe relations with Dendi agriculturalists in Benin); Youssouf Diallo (Fulbe-Senufo relations in C“te d'Ivoire); Han van Dijk (ecological insecurity in the Niger Bend). Part 3 (Social transformation) contains chapters by Philip Burnham (social change in Fulbe society); Mirjam de Bruijn (insecurity in Fulbe society in Mali); Thierno Bah (decline of pastoralism in Fuuta Jaloo); Jean Schmitz (the eviction of Fulbe from the Mauritanian Senegal River bank in 1989); John Hanson (historical analysis of Fulbe presence in Kaarta, Mali). The contributions by Thierno Diallo, Jean Boutrais, Youssouf Diallo, Thierno Bah and Jean Schmitz are in French Show less
