Few of them have electricity or running water. Some of the Maninka prefer living in cities where they can develop a trade. Nevertheless, while living in the cities, they usually remain attached to their villages in some way. Maninka society is patriarchal, or male-dominated. The line of descent is traced through the fathers, and inheritances are passed down through the males.
Men commonly have more than one wife.
There is a clear social order among the Maninka that ranges from nobility to commoners. The lowest and most despised class consists of craftsmen, former slaves, and griots, or musicians and singers. The griots are responsible for passing down the oral traditions of the Maninka. A typical Maninka meal consists of steamed rice covered with a spicy stew of vegetables and meat or fish. Mangoes, bananas, oranges, papayas, and cashews add balance to their diet.