Susu

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Historical map of the coast of Guinea with the settlement area of ​​the Sousou near Dubréka , directly north of the later capital Conakry

The Susu (French: Soussou ), sometimes also known as Soso , are an ethnic group that lives mainly in the southern coastal region of Guinea and in the northwest of Sierra Leone . Further groups are distributed in the neighboring states of Senegal and Mali .

history

The decline of the Ghana Empire favored the rise of smaller empires such as the Mali Empire and Susu. In 1190 Kémoko Kanté united the kingdoms of Susu and Kaniaga into one kingdom, which was to be found in what is now the Malian region of Koulikoro . Around 1250, the Susu were displaced from the Mali Empire to the south into the Fouta Djallon Mountains and to the southeast. In Fouta Djallon they built a dominion around 1400. Around 1510 their presence in the coastal area of ​​Guinea is known. They moved to the area they now live in in 1725 when the Fulani tried to subdue them and tried to force them to convert to Islam . In the years 1882 to 1885 there was an attempt to establish a German protected area in the coastal strip inhabited by the Susu over the domains of Kapitaï and Koba , which failed because of competing claims by France.

society

The Susu are mainly a people of farmers, traders and fishermen. They live mainly in the coastal regions of Guinea, Sierra Leone, Senegal and Mali . Their houses are built from clay and cement mixes. In the cities the buildings have iron roofs, while in the rural areas there are still thatched roofs.

Each Susu village is run by a village chief and a group of elders. These take care of the coexistence of 3,000 to 6,000 people and help to settle disputes and wars.

Culture

The Susu prefer weddings between cousins ​​and live in large families . Family is very important in Susu society. Many Susu men live in polygyny as a Susu man can have up to four wives according to Islamic law . Although families are important to them, the men spend most of their time hunting and sleeping in separate rooms reserved for men. The women collect wood, look after the children, prepare the food and keep the villages clean. In the huts, every woman has her own room or corner.

language

The Susu speak the language of the same name, Susu , which is used as a commercial language in the capital Conakry and its surroundings. For example, most of the Baga and other neighboring peoples have also adopted the Susu language .

religion

Over 99% of the Susu are Muslim and Islam determines their religious culture. Most of the Islamic festivals are observed, including the fasting month of Ramadan . The Susu often combine Islam with traditional notions that witches can transform themselves into animals and threaten their villages.

Population distribution

Over 75% of the Susu live in Guinea, spread around the capital Conakry. The Susu in Sierra Leone make up almost 202,000 people, about 2.9 percent of the total population.

Personalities

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Spelling according to: Historical Dictionary of Guinea, 2014, p. XIII in the Google book search
  2. ↑ Susu in: Encyclopaedia Britannica
  3. ↑ Chronology according to: Historical Dictionary of Guinea, 2014, p. XXXIV in the Google book search
  4. ↑ Sierra Leone 2015 Population and Housing Census national analytical report. Statistics Sierra Leone, October 2017, p. 89ff.