Gurunsi

Gurunsi

Infobox Ethnic group
group = Gurunsi people


caption =
poptime = 551,400 in Ghana
750,000 in Burkina Faso
5% of Burkina Faso's population
popplace = Primarily native to northern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso.
Diaspora present in USA, UK, France, Germany etc.
langs = Gurunsi, Dagbani, Hausa, Sissala, English, French
rels = Traditional, Islam, Christianity
The Gurunsi are a set of ethnic groups inhabiting northern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso.

Pre-Colonial History and Origins

Oral traditions of the Gurunsi hold that they originated from the western Sudan near Lake Chad. While it is unknown when the migration occurred, it is believed that the Gurunsi were present in their current location by 1100 AD. Following the 15th century, when the Mossi states were established to the north, Mossi horsemen often raided Gurunsi areas for slaves, but the Gurunsi peoples were never fully subjugated, remaining independent.

According to doctor Salif Titamba Lankoande, in "Noms de famille (Patronymes) au Burkina Faso", the name Gurunsi comes from the Djerma language of Niger words “Guru-si”, which means “iron does not penetrate”. It is said that during the Djerma invasions of Gurunsi lands in the late 19th century, a Djerma leader by the name of Babatu recruited a battalion of indigenous men for his army, who after having consumed traditional medicines, were invulnerable to iron.s

Partition

The 1884 Conference of Berlin, which partitioned the continent of Africa into European colonies, saw the French, British and Germans each claiming part or all of Gurunsi territory. After establishing the protectorates of Yatenga (1895) and Ouagadougou (1896), the French annexed Gurunsi lands in 1897. Eventually the Germans withdrew to Togoland (modern Ghana & Togo), and an 1898 Anglo-French agreement officially established the boundary with the Gold Coast (now Ghana). This partition divided Gurunsi peoples among French and British administrative systems, facilitating the political and cultural divergence of sub-groups on each side of the boundary.

Sub-Groups

There are numerous ethnic sub-groups among the Gurunsi, such as the Frafra, Kusasi, and Talensi in Ghana; and the Bwa, Ko, Lele, Nuni, and Sissala in Burkina Faso. The sub-groups Kassena and Nankani inhabit both countries. Although characterized by neither a common language nor common political institutions, the social, economic, and religious practices of these sub-groups are sufficiently similar for them to constitute a distinct cultural unit.


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Gurunsi — ou Gourounsi ensemble de populations vivant au Burkina Faso (env. 500 000 personnes), en Côte d Ivoire, au Ghana et au Togo. Ils parlent des langues nigéro congolaises du groupe gur (sous groupe gurunsi) …   Encyclopédie Universelle

  • Gurunsi — Gurunsi, Landschaft in Französisch Senegal, zwischen 10°30´ 12° nördl. Br. und 0°40´ 2°10´ östl. L., begrenzt im O. von Gurma, im N. von Mossi, dem G. tributpflichtig ist, im W. vom Schwarzen Volta und im SO. vom Roten Volta durchzogen. Das wenig …   Meyers Großes Konversations-Lexikon

  • Gurunsi — Die Gurunsi Sprachen, auch Grusi Sprachen, sind eine Sprachfamilie des Zweigs der Gur Sprachen innerhalb der Familie der Niger Kongo Sprachen. Sie umfassen in einem Nördlichen, Östlichen und Westlichen Zweig 23 Einzelsprachen. Der Begriff Gurunsi …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gurunsi — Gurunsis Gurunsi Populations significatives par régions  Burki …   Wikipédia en Français

  • gurunsi — gəˈru̇n(t)sē noun (plural gurunsi or gurunsies) Usage: usually capitalized 1. : a Negro people of the Ivory Coast of West Africa 2. : a Gur language of the Gurunsi people …   Useful english dictionary

  • Gurunsi peoples — Gurunsi people Total population 551,400 in Ghana 750,000 in Burkina Faso 5% of Burkina Faso s population Regions with significant populations Primarily native to northern Ghana and southern Burkina Faso. Diaspora present in USA, UK, France,… …   Wikipedia

  • Gurunsi-Sprachen — Die Gurunsi Sprachen, auch Grusi Sprachen, sind eine Sprachfamilie des Zweigs der Gur Sprachen innerhalb der Familie der Niger Kongo Sprachen. Sie umfassen in einem Nördlichen, Östlichen und Westlichen Zweig 23 Einzelsprachen. Der Begriff Gurunsi …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • Gurunsi — Gurụnsi,   Volk in Westafrika, Grusi …   Universal-Lexikon

  • gurunsi — gu·run·si …   English syllables

  • mossi-gurunsi — mossi gurunsi; Mossi Gurunsi; …   English syllables

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”