Eastern Maninka in Mali


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Eastern Maninka are a subgroup of a much larger people group known as the Manding, who inhabit the western portion of Africa's northern plains and coastal forests. The Maninka are known for their ingenuity and leadership qualities, as well as their trading, farming, and mining abilities. They are the descendants of the people of the Mali Empire, which lasted from the early 1200s to 1600. The empire amassed a great fortune taxing the trade of gold and ivory in the region. Before becoming a part of the empire, the Manding were credited with revolutionizing agriculture in the area; they discovered the use of millet, one of the most important grains in West Africa today.

The Maninka speak a Manding language that is also called Maninka. Manding languages are spoken in many West African nations, including Mali. Although some of these languages have no written script, their oral literature is regarded as some of the best in the world.


Where Are they Located?

The Eastern Maninka people live in Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, and Sierra Leone as well as Mali.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Maninkas live in large, walled-in villages. Within the villages, families live in separate, fenced-in compounds. Their homes are round, thatch-roof huts made of mud and sun-dried brick. Few of the homes have electricity or running water. The Maninka primarily work as farmers, miners, or merchants. Some raise cattle to gain prestige within the community or to use in ceremonies.

While each village is ruled by its own chief, the oldest descendants of the first Maninka settlers are counted as nobility and also have a certain amount of authority. There is a clear social order among the Maninka that ranges from nobility to commoners. The lowest and most despised class consists of craftsmen and former slaves. Maninka society is patriarchal, or male-dominated. The line of descent is traced through the fathers, and inheritances are passed down through the males. Men commonly have more than one wife.

Some of the Maninka people prefer living in cities where they can develop a trade or work in a service occupation. Nevertheless, while living in the cities, they usually remain attached to their villages in some way.
A typical Maninka meal consists of steamed rice covered with a spicy stew of vegetables and meat or fish. Mangoes, bananas, oranges, papayas, and cashews add balance to their diet.

The Maninka value such characteristics as honesty, logical thinking, and the ability to speak in public. They do not approve of dishonesty. Ironically many Maninka use manipulation and deceit as methods of getting ahead in society. For this reason, they are a very suspicious people. Men rarely have close personal relationships with each other because they expect even their closest friends to be cunning and deceitful.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Muslim merchants first introduced Islam to West African peoples like the Maninkas. Since the Maninka were not required by Islamic leaders to abandon their old customs and mystical beliefs, Islam was simply mixed with their traditional religions, resulting in a variety of Muslim sects. Divination, healing, and the casting of spells are all important parts of their religion. In fact, Maninka Islam approves and even encourages certain magical procedures-particularly those directed towards healing the sick, preventing misfortunes, and ensuring prosperity.

Fear plays a big role in the spiritual lives of the Maninka. It is not uncommon for someone to first pray in the village mosque, and then sacrifice a chicken to the spirit of the land on which his village rests. Practically every villager has at least one or two charms in his possession.


What Are Their Needs?

Although evangelistic tools such as the New Testament and the JESUS Film have been made available to the Maninka, the villagers are very reluctant to accept Christ. Prayer is the key to reaching these precious souls with the gospel.


Prayer Points

Pray that fear will be replaced with faith and joy when the Maninkas hear about the power of Jesus Christ.
Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will break up the soil through worship and intercession.
Pray for the effectiveness of the JESUS Film among the Maninkas.
Ask the Lord of the harvest to send many laborers to the Maninka people in Mali.
Ask the Holy Spirit to grant wisdom and favor to mission agencies focusing on the Maninka. There are SIM missionaries in neighboring Guinea.
Ask the Lord to bring forth a triumphant Maninka church for the glory of His name.


Scripture Prayers for the Maninka, Eastern in Mali.


References

http://www.sim.org/index.php/content/maninka
http://www.peoplegroups.org/explore/ClusterDetails.aspx?rop2=C0126
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandinka_people


Profile Source:   Global Prayer Digest  

People Name General Maninka, Eastern
People Name in Country Maninka, Eastern
Natural Name Eastern Maninka
Pronunciation mah-NEENG-kah
Alternate Names Konyanke; Mandingo; Mandinka; South Maninka; Wangara
Population this Country 541,000
Population all Countries 4,337,000
Total Countries 10
Indigenous No
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 11
People ID 13511
ROP3 Code 106265
ROP25 Code 305137
ROP25 Name Maninka
Country Mali
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 14  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Koulikoro region: Kati circle, south of Bamako capital district, west of Niger river, into Kangaba circle, 5 communes; Sikasso region: Yanfolila circle.   Source:  Ethnologue 2016
Country Mali
Region Africa, West and Central
Continent Africa
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 14  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country Koulikoro region: Kati circle, south of Bamako capital district, west of Niger river, into Kangaba circle, 5 communes; Sikasso region: Yanfolila circle..   Source:  Ethnologue 2016

No people group map currently available. Use the above button to submit a map.



Primary Religion: Islam
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.02 %
Ethnic Religions
1.98 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
98.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Maninkakan, Eastern (541,000 speakers)
Language Code emk   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Maninkakan, Eastern (541,000 speakers)
Language Code emk   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Maninkakan, Eastern

Primary Language:  Maninkakan, Eastern

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1931-1964)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1932-1993)
Bible-Complete No
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Story of Jesus audio Jesus Film Project
Film / Video God's Story video God's Story
Film / Video Jesus Film: view in Maninkakan, Eastern Jesus Film Project
Film / Video World Christian Videos World Christian Videos
General Bible for Children Bible for Children
General Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  International Mission Board-SBC  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Profile Source Global Prayer Digest 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



Joshua Project logo    Joshua Project    Copyright © 2024