Bambara

The Bambara (sometimes Banmana) are a group of people living in west Africa, primarily in Mali but also in Guinea, Burkina Faso and Senegal. The name Bambara means "infidel" or "barbarian" and is the name their enemies used to describe them. Banmana in contrast, means "accept no master" and is the name they use to refer to themselves.

Before their 19th century conquest by the Islamic Toucouleur Empire, they were organised into the Bambara Empire. They became the dominant cultural community in Mali under French colonialism and the Bambara language has become the principal interethnic language and the main official language of the state alongside French And the main people who speak french are the muslims. Half of the population of Mali are under the age of fifteen.

See also

• Bambara language
• Bambara Empire

bm:Bamànan br:Bambara de:Bambara (Volk) fr:Bambaras it:Bambara sh:Bamana fi:Bambarat sv:Bambara