THE ETHNIC DIVISION
The free black Africans comprise four ethnic groups. These groups are not
only closely related to each other for many centuries, they are parts of
the rest of black Africans of West Africa as well. They are therefore
divided here only for the purpose of making it easier for the reader.
FULANI is the largest group within the black African community in
Mauritania. They are called by different names such as Fulbe, Fulata,
Fulah, Fulani, Haal-Pulaar'en, Peul, Toucoulor etc, depending on were they
live. They speak Pulaar (Fulfulde) and normally refer to themselves as
Fulbe, singular Pullo. They are primarily agro-pastoralist, who live along
the Savanna belt stretching from the Sudan to Mauritania. Their greatest
civilization centres are found in the Foutas: Fouta Tooro on both sides of
the Senegal River, Fouta Bunndou on the Senegal-Mali border region, Macina
in the inland delta of the Niger River in Mali and Fouta Djallon on the
high land of Guinea. Great concentrations of Fulanis are also found in
norther Nigeria and Cameroon. Due to their seminomadic life style and
geographical proximity, the Fulanis were the first and most thoroughly
Islamised black community in the West Africa. As if conversion was not
enough, they waged jihad against non-islamised people of the area.
SONINKE are the aborigines of Mauritania, who were the founder of the
Kingdom of Ghana in south eastern Mauritania in the early 5th century AD.
They are now mainly concentrated in the Guidimakh, Assaba and Hodh regions
in south eastern of the country. They are also found in western Mali, north
eastern Senegal and in the Gambia. The Soninkes belong to the Mande ethnic
group. Their main occupations are agriculture and trade.
WOLOF is the third largest group. They are mainly concentrated in the Rosso
(Trarza) region on the south western border with Senegal, where they live
as fishermen, farmers and traders. Their greatest concentration is in the
urban centres of Senegal and Gambia. The Wolofs were the first to have
contact with Europeans. This makes the most westernized in the area.
BAMBARA is the smallest free black ethnic group in the country. They number
perhaps no more than ten thousand individuals. They live mainly in the east
at Nema, Aiouen and Kankosa. Bambara's main concentration is in Mali and
Eastern Senegal. Like the Soninke and Wolof they are part of the great
Mande people. Perhaps because of their small number, they have been mixed
more than the others.
THE ARAB/BERBERS The term Arab, is applied on them here in respect of the
fact that they refer to themselves as Arab, not Berber or African. The Arab
government of Mauritania does not even admit the existence of Berbers in
the country. As such the newly introduced constitution of the country
stipulates:
The people of Mauritania are Muslim, Arab and African" (Mauritanian
Constitution, 1991:2). They are nevertheless a mixture of Berber, Arab and
African stock which has become united by language and religion. Locally,
they are known as Beydanes ((white in Arabic). They speak an Arabic/Berber
dialect called Hassaniya.
HARATIN Haratin is derived from the Arabic word freedom, yet they are
believed to be the wretched of the Mauritanian desert. In Mauritania the
term has been applied on former slaves whereas the current slaves are
called abid, singular abd. Both categories are still economically and
culturally attached to their present or former Arab masters (Mercer, 1982,
Africa Watch, Paringaux, 1990). The Harantins are of negroid descent who
were kidnapped into slavery by the Arab Mauritanians (Diallo, 1989, Africa
Watch, 1990. They have lost almost every aspect of their African origin but
their black colour.
IMRAGUEN This is the smallest and second black ethnic group still held in
Arab bondage in the country, which numbers no more than a couple of hundred
persons. Few people, including Mauritanians, know much about them. They are
negro Africans but speak unfamiliar language. According to Alfred Gerteiny,
"they are vassals to the Hassan (Arab) tribes, particularly of the Awlad
Bou Sbä. They live in dismal huts and of fishing in the region stretching
from Cape Timiris to Nouadhibou" ( Gerteiny, 1967:56).
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