User:Prioryman/Bozo people

The Bozo are a West African ethnic group located predominantly along the Niger River in Mali, particularly near Djenné and Lake Débo, as well as in the central Niger Delta. The name Bozo is thought to derive from the Bambara term bo-so, meaning 'bamboo house'. The people accept it as referring to the whole of the ethnic group but use more specific clan names for themselves such as Hain, Sorogama, Tièma Cièwè and Tiéyaxo.[3] They are famous for their fishing and are occasionally referred to as gui-tigui, "masters of the river", in Bambara.

Languages and clans
Their languages, belonging to the Soninke—Bozo subgroup of Northwestern Mande languages, have traditionally been considered dialects of one language, though in reality there are at least four distinct varieties (see Bozo languages) corresponding to the major clans of the Bozo.

The Hain–Bozo (also known as the Hainyaxo, Hanyaxo, Xanyaxo, Kelenga or Kélinga) predominately live on the Niger River between Mlérou and Tamani and can be found working as fishermen on the major rivers across much of west Africa. They call themselves the Hain (or Xan in the singular) and their language Hainyaxo; they also speak Bambara as a second language.

The Sorogama–Bozo (also known as the Corogama, Sorko, Sarkanci, Sarkawa, Jenaama or Nononke) call themselves the Sorogo (singular) or Sorogoye (plural). Their language, which they call Sorogama, has a number of dialects based around particular regions that they inhabit; the Pondori dialects are spoken between the Bani and Niger rivers, the Koya dialect is spoken between the Diaka and Niger rivers, and the Kouakourou and Débo dialects are spoken along the Niger River between Mopti and Lake Débo. There are also populations of Sorogama-Bozo in Cote d'Ivoire and in Nigeria, where they speak the Hausa language. They are bilingual to an extent, speaking Songai and Fula as second languages in the north and Bambara in the south.

The Tièma Cièwè Bozo, who call themselves the Tié (singular) and their language Tiema Cièwè, live in the region where the Niger River exits Lake Débo. Like the Sorogama—Bozo, they speak Songai and Fula as a second languages.

The Tiéyaxo–Bozo live along the Niger River between Koa and Miérou and on the Diaka River, a tributary of the Niger, between Diafarabé and Sendédaga. There is also a population of Tiéyaxo—Boso in Burkina Faso. They speak Tieyaxo and call themselves the Tié (singular) or Tieye (plural).

History and culture
The Bozo trace their origins back to the 13th century Mali Empire, though it has been suggested that they are related to the Soninke people who migrated to modern-day Mali after the collapse of the Ghana Empire in the 11th century.

Aspects of Bozo culture took shape under the 10th century Ghana Empire, when the Bozo took possession of the banks of the Niger. The Bozo were the founders of the Malian cities of Djenné and Mopti.

Though the Bozo are predominantly Muslim, they preserve a number of animist traditions as well. Their animal totem is the bull, whose body represents the Niger and whose horns represent the Bozo fishing pirogues.

A 2000 census counted the Bozo population of Mali to be 132,100.