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WEEKLY NEWSLETTER
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Mauritania
Index
The Fulbe of Mauritania are part of the larger Fulbe
population that inhabits scattered areas across the African
savanna from Senegal to Sudan. They are thought to have
originated in Senegal and to have slowly migrated eastward to
their present locations over the last 800 years. Known by a
variety of names, including "Peul" in Senegal and "Fulani" in
Nigeria, they call themselves "Pullo" (sing.) or "Fulbe" (pl.) in
Mauritania. Their Fulfulde dialect belongs to the West Atlantic
subfamily of the Niger-Congo language family. It is a rich and
flexible language with a well-developed body of oral literature.
The Fulbe are Muslims, but the manner in which they observe Islam
varies.
Pastoral Fulbe are famed for their herds of cattle and dairy
produce. Much of their culture centers on their pastoral lifestyle . The basic social unit is the nuclear family; the nuclear
families are organized into lineages and clans. Descent is
patrilineal, and the household unit is usually the patrilocal
extended family. Marriage is legitimized by the payment of a
bride-price, and great value and prestige are placed upon
childbearing.
Data as of June 1988
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