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Bamana

The Bamana people belong to the Mande group and can be found primarily in Mali. However, sizable Bamana communities also exist in neighboring West African countries, in particular, in Guinea, Burkina Faso, and Senegal. There are about 2 million Bamana, making them one of the largest Mande subgroups, as well as the dominant ethnic group in Mali, where about 80% of the population speak the Bamana language. The Bamana, as they call themselves, are often referred to as Bambara, which is likely an inaccurate rendition on the part of the French of Bamana. This entry looks at their history and social organization, and then it turns to their religion and ritual.

History and Social Life

The Bamana emerged as a distinct Mande group when the Songhay empire dissolved, after being invaded in 1591 by troops from Morrocco. Some of the Mande people then turned inward and created the Bamana empire in the mid-1700s, with Segu and Kaarta as major centers of Bamana power and lasting influence. This explains how the Bamana came into existence as an autonomous group.

However, they do share with their Mande relatives many striking similarities. For instance, the Bamana social structure is patrilocal and patrilineal. The basic social unit is the family, which may include anywhere between 100 and 1,000 individuals. Families are formed on the basis of each one of its members tracing their descent from a common male ancestor. Families (or gwa) assume collective ownership of the land and work together to grow millet, rice, sorghum, peanuts, melons, and other crops. It is not uncommon for them to also raise cattle, goats, fowl, and sheep. Families then form villages, each with a central figure of authority.

One's position in the social hierarchy is predicated on one's position in the initiation groups, which play a major role in Bamana life and society. There are six initiation societies known as dyow. The main function of the dyow is to teach members of the Bamana society about critical issues, such as the dual (material and spiritual) nature of the world and ethical standards and expectations of the community. Without proper socialization, a person may hinder their own well-being, as well as the welfare of their community. The six societies correspond to different levels of education.

Religious Belief

The Bamana religion is based on the belief in one supreme God, Maa Ngala, “Lord of All,” or Masa Dembali, “Uncreated and Infinite Lord.” God is responsible for creating the world and all that is in the world. It is both immanent and transcendent. As in other African religious traditions, however, once the initial creative process was over, the Supreme Being elected to reside in the sky and delegated the governance of the world to lesser spiritual entities. It is to those entities, rather than to God, that the Bamana men and women address their requests and make offerings. These include divinities such as Nya, Nyawrole, Jarawera, Ntomo, Nama, and Komo, which act as Maa Ngala's ministers and agents.

In addition to the divinities, ancestors also play a major role as intermediaries between the living and God. Ancestors are buried within the family compound because their involvement in human affairs remains constant. Libations must be poured to them regularly, especially before consulting with or requesting something from them. Upon dying, one is expected to become an ancestor. However, this is largely predicated on the performance of the proper funerary rites on the 1st, 3rd, 7th, and 40th days after death has occurred.

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