Statistics
People name: Fulani
Country: Mali
Language: Fulfulde, Macina
Evangelical: .001%
Population: 1,000,000

Prayer Profile:
Fulani of Mali

Where they live...
The Fulani of Mali are also known as the Fulfulde or Peul. Most estimates of their number in Mali range between 850,000 to 1,000,000 people. The majority of the Fulani are from a sub-group known as the Futa Jalon. The Fulani people comprise the largest nomadic society in the world covering at least six nations in West Africa. Fourteen million Fulani are spread throughout Northwest and Central Africa.

The major concentration of Mali's Fulani population is located within a 150 kilometer radius of the city of Mopti. Most urban Fulani tend to be sedentary, commercial people, whereas the rural Fulani tend to be migratory herdsmen.

What they are like...
The Fulani tribe is considered the most unreached people of Mali. They are viewed with contempt socially, seen as the “Jews of West Africa.” They are wandering cattle grazers that are a proud and aggressive people. The Fulani believe that the greatest good is to maintain their stoic “pulaaku.” To show signs of joy, anger, or pain is to lose “pulaaku.”

Seven droughts since 1970 have devastated the farm land and grazing land for all the peoples of Mali, but this is especially tragic for the Fulani who depend on their livestock grazing in order to survive. Today there are three varieties of Fulani; the herder, who follows the traditions of his ancestors; the farmer, who due to drought and political restrains has settled down to local agricultural pursuits; and the urban city dweller.

What they believe...
The Fulani are strongly Islamic holding their faith even more dearly than their precious cattle. The urban Fulani tend to be more militant for their faith, while the rural Fulani are less orthodox. Both resist change. Outsiders are looked upon with suspicion, even contempt. Though they are fanatically Islamic in faith they are also pragmatic. What is good for the cattle is good for the Fulani. So the Fulani often mix their Islamic faith with elements of superstition, local witchcraft, and animism.

Why they are still unreached...
Christian witness is difficult because the Fulani, also known as the Fula or Fulbe, are highly mobile. They follow Islam and persecute Christians. In the first 30 years of missionary activity, not one Fulani committed his life to Christ. There still are very few Fulani Christians in Mali. There are a few thousand Fulani believers today, but the price has been high. A Fulani Christian convert loses home, cattle, and family. Some Fulani have a Bible, yet the vast majority do not have one available to them. Recently, Gospel Recordings began to reach the Muslim Fulani through cassettes in their language.

What God is doing among them...
Since 1970 severe droughts have ruined most of the farm land and pastures of Mali. In a country where there are only 45,000 evangelical Christians among a total of 7,700,000 people, the efforts of foreign Christian agricultural experts have fostered an unusual friendship between local Christians and Muslims, especially with Fulani farmers. Although the Fulani who live in Mali number more than one million, only a few of them are Christians.

Other Muslim groups in Mali have reacted against this new openness among the Fulani. The more fanatic among them have placed much pressure on the government to shut down the prophet called Isa (Jesus). “In two weeks we'll have a week-long conference where we will talk about Him. Why don't you send someone to hear?” he challenged the chief. Five came! The missionary prayed for them as he spoke, and before the week was out, all had become followers of Jesus. After they returned home, the missionary sent a literacy evangelist to disciple them. Within one month these five had won their first “second generation” convert.