TOUCOULEUR

(Redirected from Tukulor)

The 'Toucouleurs' (or ''Haalpulaaren'') are an ethnicity of West Africa. They live primarily in the north of Senegal (where they represent 10% of the population) in the Senegal River valley, Mauritania, Mali and Guinea.

Contents

Culture and history

Reference

Culture and history

The Toucouleurs are the descendants of the Iron Age state of Takrur, and their French name "Toucouleur" (popular etymology from the French for for 'all colors') is a corruption of this name.
The Toucouleurs speak the Fouta-Toro dialect of Pulaar. They call themselves ''Haapulaaren'', which means "those who speak Pulaar". They are Muslims and culturally only differ from other Fulas by the sedentary nature of their society.
Toucouleur society is patriarchal and divided into strict hierarchies, with 12 castes subdivided into 3 classes. The highest caste, the Toorobbê, is made up of religious leaders and marabouts.
El Hadj Umar Tall founded a jihad state, the Toucouleur Empire, in present Mali in the nineteenth century.

Reference

This article is based on a translation of the from the French Wikipedia, accessed July 5, 2005.