The
Mandinka people of West
Africa number over one million and live in
The Gambia,
Senegal and
Guinea Bissau. Mandinka society has three divisions: free-born, artisans, and
slaves. The Mandinka are farmers with
peanuts,
rice,
millet, and
sorghum being their main crops. Mandinka society is
patrilineal (male-dominated) and the smallest social unit is the family.
Islam is practiced faithfully among the Mandinka. Most of the Mandinka observe Islamic rituals with little understanding of what they really mean. Today, it is not uncommon for someone to first pray in the village mosque, then sacrifice a chicken to the "village spirit."
A Sample of the Mandinka Language:
- Uâ-da ke yin a to wnyal;
- ghôg a wlyèc rin-ku abi lêc,
- pan-du abi ben;
- puón-du abî loy piñ-ic acit wynal-ic.
- Yeke ghog mîwd-kua akolé awtong;
- pal ghôg karác-kua,
- acit ghôg ya a pal koye ci kerác loy etong ghôg,
- ko dûne pal,
- bi ghôg kuat temac-ic,
- lone koyn ghôg etong kerác.
Alternate spelling of Mandinka are: Mandingue, Mandingo, Mandinque and Manding.
Mandinka is also the name of a unique hairstyle made popular in the
1980s by star of
The A-Team,
Mr. T. Influenced by the Mandinka warriors of West
Africa , it consists of a partially shaven head with a strip running down the middle of the head from the forehead to the back of the head joining with strips starting at each ear at the back of the head. It can be incorporated with a beard for maximum effect.
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