Fulani Cattle Crossing
Fulani Cattle Crossing
Afrika Afrique Africa
The Fulani people, known variously as Peule, Fula, Fulbe, or Felaata, inhabit the savanna and Sahelian plains of West Africa. Nomadic herders until the fifteenth century, they gradually migrated from Senegal to Chad, spreading across the region in search of new pasture lands. On reaching Nigeria, they came under the influence of Islam, and adopted a semisedentary way of life, attempting to retain their cattle by supplementing their livelihood with agriculture.
The Fulani, living in Mali between Lake Debo and the town of Djenne, have retained their strong pastoral tradition despite the arid terrain that they inhabit. Every year between December and March, they hold a grand festival, celebrating the return of their herds after a six-month-long search for pasture in the inhospitable Sahelian steppe, northwest of the Niger. The ceremony is highlighted by the dramatic crossing of the Niger River and its tributaries by thousands of head of cattle, who are forced into the fast-flowing waters and made to swim. Their goal is the rich grasslands and vast, swampy plains of the interior delta of the Niger. For the herders, who have been separated from their families and living in isolation, the river crossing marks a triumph over adversity.
These young men have managed to return with the cattle alive and healthy, assuring the survival of their people. They receive gifts from their families and are courted by alluring Fulani girls, who adorn themselves with gold earrings and dress their hair with amber beads. The annual cattle crossing is one of the most impressive spectacles in West Africa; a huge feat of skill celebrated by villages throughout the Delta region.
The Fulani people, known variously as Peule, Fula, Fulbe, or Felaata, inhabit the savanna and Sahelian plains of West Africa. Nomadic herders until the fifteenth century, they gradually migrated from Senegal to Chad, spreading across the region in search of new pasture lands. On reaching Nigeria, they came under the influence of Islam, and adopted a semisedentary way of life, attempting to retain their cattle by supplementing their livelihood with agriculture.
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The Fulani people, known variously as Peule, Fula, Fulbe, or Felaata, inhabit the savanna and Sahelian plains of West Africa. Nomadic herders until the fifteenth century, they gradually migrated from Senegal to Chad, spreading across the region in search of new pasture lands. On reaching Nigeria, they came under the influence of Islam, and adopted a semisedentary way of life, attempting to retain their cattle by supplementing their livelihood with agriculture.
More...