Dyula people

De **Dyula** (**Dioula** anaa **Juula**) be Mande ethnic group wey dey inhabit chaw West African countries, wey dey include Mali, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana, den Burkina Faso.

Dem characterize dem as highly successful merchant caste, *Dyula* migrants begin dey establish communities wey dey trade across de region for de fourteenth century insyd. Since dem dey conduct business under non-Muslim rulers, de *Dyula* develop set of theological principles give Muslim minorities wey dey non-Muslim societies insyd. Dema unique contribution for long-distance commerce, Islamic scholarship den religious tolerance be significant factors for de peaceful expansion of Islam for West Africa insyd.
## Historical background

During de thirteenth century de Mandé embrace Islam following introduction to de faith thru contact plus de North African traders. By de 14th century de Malian empire (c.1230-1600) reach ein apogee, dem acquire considerable reputation give de Islamic rulings of ein court den de pilgrimages for several emperors wey follow de tradition for Lahilatul Kalabi, de first black prince to make *[[Hajj]]* go Mecca. E be dis time wey Mali begin encourage sum of ein local merchants make dem establish colonies close to de gold fields for West Africa. Dis migrant trading class be known as *Dyula*, de Mandingo word give “merchant”.

De *Dyula* spread thru out de former area for Mandé culture from de Atlantic coast for Senegambia come de Niger den from de southern edge for de Sahara go forest zones further south. Dem establish decentralized townships for non-Muslim colonies insyd wey dey link to extensive commercial network, for what professor Philip D. Curtin describe as a “trading diaspora.” Dem motivate dem by business imperatives, dem expand for new markets insyd, dem found settlements under de auspices for chaw local rulers wey often dem permit dem self-governance den autonomy. Organization for *dyula* trading companies dem based for clan-family structure top wey be known as de *lu* - working unit wey dey consist of father den ein sons den oda attach males. Members for given *lu* disperse from de savanna go de forest dem manage circulation of goods den info, dem place orders, den effectively dem control de economic mechanisms for supply den demand.
## Dioula language
De *dyula* dey speak de Dioula language anaa *Julakan*, wey dey include for de group of closely interrelated Manding languages wey chaw ethnic groups dey speak spread across Western Africa. Dioula dey closely relate to de Bambara language (de most widely spoken language for Mali insyd), in a manner wey e be similar to de relation between American English den British English. E be probably de most used language for trade for West Africa insyd.

De Dioula language den people be distinct from de Diola (Jola) people for Guinea-Bissau den Casamance.
## Notable Dyula people
*Al-Hajj Salim Suwari, a 13th-century *karamogo* (Islamic scholar).
* Alban Lafont
*Amadou Touré
*Amadou Ouattara, Footballer
* Christian Manfredini
* Cyrille Bayala
* Issouf Ouattara
* Kalpi Ouattara
* Modibo Sagnan
* Mohamed Touré
*Samory Touré (1830–1900)
*Kolo Touré, Ivorian footballer
*Yaya Touré, Ivorian footballer

*Seku Ouattara (Wattara) - *dioula* warrior.
*Alassane Ouattara, Presido for Ivory Coast (Côte d'Ivoire) since 2010.
* Vincent Angban
* Yacouba Songné

## References



## External links
Wikimedia Commons get media wey dey relate to ***[[c:Category:Dyula_people|Dyula people]]***.

* Launey, Robert. "*Beyond the Stream: Islam & Society in a West African Town*", University of California Press, Berkeley, 1992.
* Launay, Robert. "*Electronic Media & Islam Among the Dyula of Northern Cote de'Ivoire*". Journal Article; Africa, Vol. 67, 1997.
* Samwini, Nathan. "''Muslim Resurgence in Ghana Since 1950''", *Journal of Christian-Muslim Relations*, Vol. 7. LIT Verlag Berlin-Hamburg-Münster
* Ivor Wilks, "*The Juula & the Expansion of Islam into the Forest*", in N. Levtzion and R.L. Pouwels (eds.), *The History of Islam in Africa*, Athens: Ohio University Press, 2000
* Nehemia Levtzion and J.O. Voll (eds.), "*Eighteenth Century Renewal & Reform in Islam*", Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 1987
* Andrea Brigaglia, *[https://web.archive.org/web/20180907205848/http://digital.library.northwestern.edu/arbmss/historical.html Historical Context: Notes on the Arabic Literary Tradition of West Africa]*. Northwestern University
* Elizabeth A. Isichei, 
* Moshe Terdman, *Project for the Research of Islamist Movements* (PRISM): *Islam in Africa Newsletter*, Vol. 2 No. 3 Herzliya, Israel. 2007
* *[http://www.islamawareness.net/Africa/Sudan/medieval.html Islam in Medieval Sudan]*, islamawareness.net