page_title: Bambara people
section_title: Religion
hierarchical_section_title: Bambara people / Culture / Religion
caption_attribution_description: Female figure Bamana peoples, Mali Late 19th to early 20th century Wood African Art Museum, Smithsonian
context_page_description: The Bambara are a Mandé ethnic group native to much of West Africa, primarily southern Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso and Senegal. Today they make up the largest Mandé ethnic group in Mali, with 80% of the population speaking the Bambara language, regardless of ethnicity.
context_section_description: Although most Bamana today adhere to Islam, many still practise the traditional rituals, especially in honoring ancestors. This form of syncretic Islam remains rare, even allowing for conversions that in many cases happened in the mid to late 19th century. This recent history, though, contributes to the richness and fame (in the West) of Bamana ritual arts.
caption: Bambara Female figure, Mali Late 19th to early 20th century. Wood. African Art Museum, Smithsonian.
exif: {}