Religious Beliefs. Over 90 percent of the Town Fulani are Muslims. It is, in fact, rather
difficult to discover any Fulani—Town or Cattle—who admits to not being Muslim,
no matter how lax his or her practice may be. The Fulani share many beliefs
with other West African Muslims. They use Islam both as a means to distinguish
themselves from others, through the reputation of Fulani clerics, and as a link
to members of other African groups.
At the same time, there is belief in
the steady-state nature of culture that preceded Islam. Culture is seen to be
unchanging and constant from generation to generation. The only improvement a
Cattle Fulani sees possible is to have more children than his or her parents.
Otherwise, the appropriate thing to do is to live according to the code of the
ancestors.
That code stresses the symbolic
importance of cattle in defining Fulani ethnicity. There is also a requirement
to respect one's seniors and to love one's mother. The ethos of the Fulani is
best summed up in the concept of palaaku. It portrays the
ideal Fulani as one who has stoic sobriety, reserve, and strong emotional ties
to cattle. At the same time, the model Fulani is gentle in demeanor. His
carriage conveys a proud reserve, almost a disdain toward non-Fulani. It is
said that no one knows what a Fulani is thinking. The true Fulani is physically
as well as psychologically distant from other people, especially non-Fulani.
Moreover, he is enjoined from displays of strong emotions. His demeanor is taciturn,
loathing the boisterousness of others. Wealth is not to be vulgarly displayed
but carefully and quietly tended.
The Fulani have a number of taboos.
They may not pronounce the name of a spouse, a first son, a first daughter, a
father or mother, or a parent-in-law or the names of the parents of any
beautiful girl or young woman. In addition to observing the usual Islamic
dietary laws, they may not eat goat meat, lest they become lepers.
Religious Practitioners. As Muslims, the Fulani share with other Muslims reliance on traditional
Islamic religious practitioners and are themselves prominent members of the
Islamic clerical class. In common with other West Africans, however, Fulani
will frequent local religious practitioners who have established reputations
for their curative powers and supernatural abilities.
Ceremonies. Various life-cycle events—naming, acceptance of young girls into the
group, marriage, first child, and so on—are marked by ceremonies. The Shar'o
ceremony demonstrates to the community that a young man has come of age. In it,
adolescent friends take turns beating each other across the chest with their
walking sticks. No sign of pain or discomfort can be shown. Although
adolescents have died in this ceremony, young men are eager to participate and
display their scars with pride throughout their lives.
Arts. The Fulani are noted for their oral literature, which celebrates the
concept of palaaku and serves to define Fulani identity. Fulani oral literature
has been influenced both by surrounding peoples and by Islam. The major
categories of Fulani literature are poetry, history, story, legend, proverb,
magic formula, and riddle. Many of these genres are sung, either by amateurs or
by professionals.
Medicine. The Fulani participate in a number of medical systems. One is an Islamic
system, basically derived from the Arabs and through them from Greco-Roman
sources. They share many traditions with the groups among whom they live. Since
the onset of British colonization—around the turn of the twentieth century—they
have been exposed to Western medical practices. In common with other West
Africans, they have incorporated elements from these various systems in a
rather syncretistic and pragmatic fashion.
Death and Afterlife. If one lives up to the palaaku code and obeys Allah's laws, there will
be rewards in the afterlife. The Fulani, in common with other Muslims, believe
in an afterlife of material rewards for the followers of Allah.
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