Countries and Their Cultures: Mande

"Mande" is a term that has been used to identify the culture that embraces the western third of Africa's great northern savanna and coastal forests. The Mali Empire was the source of the Mande diaspora; therefore, in a broad sense, "Mande" refers to the areas of these countries that are occupied by Mande language speakers. The Mande are comprised of a number of different ethnic groups. There is tremendous regional variation among the Mande, both in dialect and in culture. Some aspects of culture, such as the practice of Islam, also vary greatly from area to area and even from community to community. All Mande are primarily agriculturists, and most are full-time subsistence farmers. Many towns are surrounded by women's garden plots and by much larger family fields. Rice is an important staple crop.