SUMMARY
The Malinké people (alternate names are: Mandinka, Maninka, Manding, Mandingo, Mandin and Mande) have lived in sub-Saharan Africa for almost 7000 years. They are the descendants of the great Mali merchant empire in western Africa that flourished between the thirteenth and sixteenth centuries.
There are over 1,5 million Malinké spread across several African states in a wide arc that covers over 1300 kilometres of territory in Gambia, Senegal, Mali, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia and Côte d’Ivoire.
The Malinké are divided into several groups differentiated by a variety of dialects. Each group is governed by a tribal chief, a position that can only be achieved by inheritance. Some chief dynasties of the Malinké people are today considered as some of the oldest ones still in existence with over 13 centuries of uninterrupted ruling.
As many ethnicities located in the northern parts of the country, the majority of the Malinké people are Muslims and most villages have its own mosque. Historically, the Malinké are cultivators and pastoralists. In the Ivorian society of today, the ethnic group has however reoriented itself towards commerce and is well known for the manufacturing of pottery.
The Malinké have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organized violence.
The Konianke (also known as Konyanke) are a Mande-speaking people that live in West Africa, mainly in Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia. The Konianke are a sub-group of the larger Malinké ethnic group.
The Konianke people are traditionally nomadic traders and farmers. The majority of the Konianke are Muslim and have been so since the 13th century. Their origin can be traced back to the 13th century Mali Empire and it is believed that the Konianke first arrived in Guinea and Sierra Leone in the 1600s. When Guinea was under French rule during the late 19th century, the Konianke people migrated from northern Guinea to the country’s more southern parts, where they established a strong presence in Guinea’s Forest Region. Their arrival sparked tensions as other ethnic groups perceived them as outsiders who were trying to impose their religion on others in the area.
During the Liberian civil war, the Liberian rebel movements LURD and ULIMO drew much of their support from the Konianke community and many young Koniankes were offered money to fight in Liberia. When the conflict in Liberia ended, Guinea’s Forest Region saw an influx of Konianke ex-combatants of Liberian origin.
The Konianke have been involved in the non-state category of UCDP organized violence.
