refer to the Fulbe as Peul. Yet in Nigeria, the
Hausa call them Fulani, and the Mandinka in
Guinea and Sierra Leone give them the name
Malinke.
Among the major Fulbe social groups are Fulbe
Jaawambe (powerful), Fulbe Ladde (nomadic
herders), and Fulbe wuro (urban). Other Fulbe
groups consist of those in Southern Darfur in
Sudan and those in Northern Darfur in the same
country. They are pastoral or semipastoral, mean-
ing that they may migrate after the harvest. Those
living in Northern Darfur tend to be more inclined
to become teachers and intellectuals. They have a
strong tradition of mastering the Koran and prac-
ticing a strict discipline of Islam. Most of the
politicians and professional among the Fulbe in
Darfur tend to be from the Northern area.
The Fulbe groups, due to their economical and
geographic changes, speak Fulfulde or Arabic.
Although some can recall portions of the era of reli-
gious passion (late 19th century), religion was
never as intense or as high a priority among the
Fulbe as some other groups that had adopted Islam.
They believe they descend from Úkba, who was
a soldier knowledgeable in the Arabic culture and
a devout follower of Islam. According to oral tra-
ditions, some of the Fulbe group maintains that
Ukba intermarried with African women from sev-
eral ethnic groups and that the resulting children
became the Fulbe. This story is probably based on
the fact that, during the expansions of the Arabic
culture in Africa from the 7th to the 14th cen-
turies, many African women had children for
Arab soldiers.
There is no evidence, however, that Ukba ever
went to some parts of Africa where the Fulbe are
found. It is possible that the Fulbe could have
migrated to those parts, but Ukba may well be a
mythical figure that is derived from the fact that
many African people accepted Islam as a religion
and one of the ways to explain this acceptance
was to claim that the father of the people was a
soldier who knew the Arabic culture very well.
Although some people see them as nomadic
people, it is not exactly the case for all of the Fulbe
because now they are resident in numerous coun-
tries, including Central African Republic, Chad,
Senegal, and the Sudan.
Although it is difficult for anyone to say what
the original ethnic religion of the people was, it
must be accepted that the women who were said
to have married Ukba came from some other eth-
nic groups (they were not Arabs) and hence from
some religious tradition before they met Ukba.
They were not without religion; they were without
Islam, and the names of the groups from which
they came have been lost.Molefi Kete AsanteSee alsoFula (Fulbe)Further Readings
Azarya, V. (1978).Aristocrats Facing Change:The
Fulbe in Guinea,Nigeria,and Cameroon. Chicago:
University of Chicago Press.FUNERAL
The funeral, along with birth and marriage, is a
major life ceremony in many African cultures
because it encompasses the full transmission of life.
The numerous rituals associated with the prepara-
tion and placement of the body, mourning, secur-
ing the destiny of the deceased, establishing a new
relationship with the deceased, and restoring of
communal relationships reflect an affirmation of
the continuity of life. There are variations in
funeral rites according to the age, marital status,
and community standing of the deceased. The
most elaborate funerals are held for wise, promi-
nent elders. Funerals for those who are younger,
unmarried, or childless are less intricate. Although
not considered funerals, there are specific rites for
children who have died because they are consid-
ered spirits who did not wish to stay in this world.Ideas About DeathGenerally speaking, there are several fundamentals
to African funerals, although ethnic and
aesthetic traditions differ. The first is that the spirit
of the deceased person must be sent away without
animosity from the earthly community. Africans
acknowledge that the person no longer exists in
Earthly form and must leave. Prayers said at death276 Funeral