Yalunka People
The Yalunka (Jallonke) are a Mande people who were one of the original inhabitants of the Futa Jallon (or Fouta Djallon), a mountainous region in Guinea, West Africa and they are a branch of the Mandinka people of West Africa. Today, the Yalunka(Jallonke) are concentrated mostly in Guinea and Sierra Leone. Most of the Mandinka in both Guinea and Sierra Leone are considered ethnic Mandinka primarily because of the similarities in costume and languages.
Small communities also live in Senegal and Mali. The Yalunka are also known as the Dialonke or Jallonke, which literally means "inhabitants of the Jallon (mountains)." In the 18th century, many of the Yalunka(Jallonke) were dispersed from the Futa Jallon by the Fulani, another vast people group in the region. Most of the Mandinka in
Their language, also called Yalunka, belongs to the Mande branch of the Niger–Congo language family. Yalunka is partially understood by those who speak Susu, another Mande language. In fact, the Yalunka often refer to themselves as the ancestors of the Soso, and some scholars see the two as one group. The Yalunka region has tall grass with a few trees and some bush areas. The country is hilly, and most of it is 1,000 to 2,000 feet above sea level.
Read more about Yalunka People: Settlements, Economy, Costume and Culture, Religion and Traditional Beliefs, Notable Yalunka
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