Do You Speak Pulaar?

Some say the Pulaars stretch as far east as the Sudan and as far south as the Congo. Others say it is the third most widely spoken language in Africa. Any way you look at it, it's a vast ethnic group, and Kedougou is lucky to have its own little slice of the pie, in the Pula Foutas.

This branch of the Pulaars hails mainly from Guinea Conakry. During the reign of Sekou Toure - the first president of an independent Guinea - populations scattered quite a bit. Toure was in perpetual fear of a "constant plot" against him at the hands of the CIA, Russians, Pulaars, and teachers. (A motley crew of rebellion if I ever heard one.) As a result, many Guinean Pulaars sought refuge in Senegal.

To see the layout of a Pula Fouta village is to get a glimpse of the effects of colonisation. This once-nomadic group settled into a sedentary life - it's hard to tax nomads - and the layout of the villages reflects this wandering lifestyle. As opposed to the Malinkes who live practically on top of each other in a smothering family kind of way, with fields on the outskirts, the Pulaar villages are spread out with plenty of room between each compound and the fields in the middle of the village.

There's another way in which Pulaar-land differs from Malinke-land: the natural beauty. In Koboye, where my friend Ashleigh lives, there is a cliff behind her house that looks out over the entire valley below in one of the most beautiful sights I've ever seen. It is peaceful and contemplative. Near Jamie's house in Lesfelo, there is a waterfall. In dry season, which is now, this is a water-less fall, yet even in dry season, it's not lacking in beauty. Here, with several other volunteers, we laid on the rocks, saw snakes and chimp nests, and talked about life. Contrast this to Malinke-land; there we have gold mining and prostitutes.

With ethnic tensions high right now between Pulaars and Malinkes in Guinea, I was curious to see the relationship between the same groups in Senegal. Senegal prides itself on being a peaceful country even when all the countries around it fall by the wayside. If any tensions exist, they must be subtle. For example, to ask a Malinke if they speak Pulaar, you say simply "Do you speak Pulaar?" However, if the tables are turned and a Pulaar asks someone if they speak Malinke, they say "Do you speak ceddo?" (Ceddo here means warrior, an interesting point to consider if you read my blog post The Outsiders.)

Also, Pulaars have some interesting verbs; for example, there's a verb that means to look at someone or touch them to get them to stop talking when someone enters the room. They also have the verb "domogol" - which means to show up somewhere just in time to eat. "Domo" is the Malinke word for eating. While it's not confirmed, I have a feeling the Pulaars are commenting on our eating habits.

The Malinkes, however, are nothing but kind and sweet to everyone. (Perhaps with the exception of the Wolof. See my blog post entitled Uncle Wolof.)

Regardless, Pulaar-land is a natural wonderland and well worth a visit. Just don't show up right before lunch - they may accuse you of being a warrior.