The Fulani people are Africa’s largest pastoralist group. There are between 25 million and 40 million Fulani people across 17 African countries, from the Atlantic shores of Senegal and Mauritania to Sudan.
The Fulani have long intrigued social anthropologists with their complex cultural heritage. They raise mainly cattle, goats and sheep in the vast, arid Sahel region. Some are nomadic but many have adopted a sedentary lifestyle. In the wide geographical belt where they live, they speak 11 dialects.
The Fulani’s origins and migratory patterns have been subjects of scientific debates. Certain physical characteristics are similar to those commonly observed in European populations. These, combined with specific cultural practices like scarification, have given the impression that their ancestors came to west Africa from elsewhere.
