Yalunka people
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| (136,000 ) | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
|
Guinea, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Mali
| |
| Languages | |
| Yalunka | |
| Religion | |
| Islam 99% | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Susu people |
The Yalunka or Jallonke (French: Djallonké or Dialonké) are a Mande people who were one of the original inhabitants of the Futa Jallon (French: Fouta Djallon), a mountainous region in Guinea, West Africa. They are a branch of the Mandé peoples of West Africa. Today, the Yalunka are concentrated mostly in Guinea and Sierra Leone. The name Yalunka literally means "inhabitants of the Jallon (mountains)." In the 18th century, many of the Yalunka were displaced from the Futa Jallon by the Fulani, another major ethnic group in the region.
The Yalunka language belongs to the Mande branch of the Niger–Congo language family. Yalunka is mutually intelligible with Susu, another Mande language. The Yalunka often refer to themselves as the ancestors of the Susu people, and some scholars classify the two as one group. The Yalunka have historically been more influenced by Islam than the Susu, and that is still evident in their culture today, especially in Sierra Leone where they live in a region that is still quite remote. The Yalunka region is mixed savannah and forest. The country is hilly, and most of it is 1,000 to 2,000 feet above sea level.
Settlements
Most Yalunka settlements are located in the valleys between the hills. Since the 1950s, many Yalunka have migrated to cities to find work. In recent times, some Fulani and Maninka have moved into the Yalunka region, creating a multi-cultural environment, and generating conflict in some cases, especially between Yalunka and Fulani (called "Fula" in Sierra Leone).
Economy
The Yalunka are primarily subsistence farmers, with rice and millet being their staple crops. Peanuts, sweet potatoes, maize, and beans are also grown. Chickens, herds of cattle, and flocks of sheep and goats are kept. Goats and cattle provide milk as a food source, which is used directly and processed for cheese and other products. This livestock, such as goats and cattle, are very important as a marker of wealth and because they serve as bride-price payments. The boy's family gives animals to the girl's family before the marriage takes place. These animals are also used as a means of economic exchange.
Among the Yalunka, herding is done by the children. The women milk the cattle, churn the butter, and help the men in some of the agricultural work. Honey is another important commodity among the Yalunka. The people suspend large, water-tight baskets in trees. The bees use the baskets as hives and make honey in them. Every year, between four and six gallons of honey may be gathered from each basket.
Culture
The Yalunka prefer to live in large settlements and villages as opposed to small ones. Many of the large settlements have been in their current locations since the 18th century. The Yalunka society is basically patriarchal, which means that the family households are headed by the men. A household typically consists of a man, his wife or wives, and their unmarried children. The family is the major social unit for the Yalunka. Extended households, which consist of two or more married men and their families, may adjoin the nuclear family, forming an extended family compound. The Yalunka live in round huts that have brick walls and cone-shaped, straw-thatched roofs. Within the village or settlement, the huts are grouped in compounds around a courtyard and are surrounded by a fence.
Polygyny (having multiple wives) is a common practice among the Yalunka. Marriages among Yalunka are traditionally arranged. According to Islamic law, a man may have up to four wives. His first wife has authority over any subsequent wives. The husband has complete control over his wives and is responsible for feeding and clothing them. He also helps the wives' parents when necessary. The wives' duties include maintaining the house, preparing the meals, washing the clothes, and helping with the farm work. When a man dies, one of his brothers traditionally marries his widow or widows so that their children remain in the man's family.
Religion and traditional beliefs
The Yalunka are 99% Muslim. At the same time, they have retained many pre-Islamic beliefs and practices, combining the two in a syncretic way. For instance, they make sacrifices to ancestors to gain power referred to as Barinkiina. They also use charms for personal power. Each family owns objects of power known as Suxurena, which require sacrifices. Families also preserve ancient weapons and war garments said to possess supernatural powers.
Yalunkas believe in Nyinanna, or "nature spirits," and sacrifices are regularly made to them. Some of the Nyinanna are said to be good spirits, helping with rice production and fertility in women; others are believed to be dangerous, living in the bush and stealing children from their parents. The more powerful spirits are called Yinnana.
The Yalunka believe that witches, referred to as "night people" or Kweramuxuna, have the power to change into animals. They may cause harm to the villagers by eating their souls at night. Others put curses on victims' houses to ruin their crops. The people go to diviners or sorcerers to have them perform special rituals to keep the witches and evil Nyinanna away from farms and households.
The New Testament was translated into the Yalunka language by Pioneer Bible Translators's current president, Greg Pruett in 2013.
Notable Yalunka
- Manga Sewa, was a great Yalunka chief in Northern Sierra Leone.
External links
- http://www.joshuaproject.net/peopctry.php?rop3=110950&rog3=ML "Yalunka"], Joshua Project
- https://www.academia.edu/7580380/Barriers_and_Bridges_for_the_Gospel_among_Yalunka_Folk_Muslims_in_West_Africa
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