Caste systems in Africa

Caste systems in Africa are a form of social stratification found in numerous ethnic groups, found in over fifteen countries, particularly in the Sahel, West Africa, and North Africa.^[1] These caste systems feature endogamy, hierarchical status, inherited occupation, membership by birth, pollution concepts and restraints on commensality.^[2]

The specifics of the caste systems in Africa vary among the ethnic groups. Some societies have a rigid and strict caste system with embedded slavery, whereas others are more diffuse and complex. Countries in Africa that have societies with caste systems include Mali, Mauritania, Senegal, Gambia, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Niger, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Liberia, Sudan, Sierra Leone, Algeria, Nigeria, Chad, Ethiopia, Somalia, Djibouti, Eritrea and others.^[3]^[4] It is unclear exactly when and how these caste systems developed, some likely emerged sometime between the 9th century and 15th century in various ethnic groups.^[5]^[4]^[6] Others, such as the occupational segregation and caste-based endogamy practiced by the Ari people, have been revealed by advances in archaeogenetics to be among the oldest continuous caste systems in existence.^[7]

^ Tal Tamari (1991). "The Development of Caste Systems in West Africa". The Journal of African History. 32 (2). Cambridge University Press: 221–250. doi:10.1017/s0021853700025718. JSTOR 182616. S2CID 162509491., Quote: "Castes, endogamous artisan and musician groups, are characteristic of over fifteen West African peoples, inhabiting at least fourteen states. They are found among the Soninke, the various Manding-speaking populations (including the Bambara, Malinke and Khassonke), the Wolof, Tukulor, Senufo, Minianka, Dogon, Songhay, and most Fulani, Moorish and Tuareg populations".
^ Cite error: The named reference Levine2014p56 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Human Rights Watch Page 9.
^ ^a ^b Cite error: The named reference Tamari 1991p13c was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Cite error: The named reference DeCorse2001p17 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
^ Tal Tamari (2005), Kingship and Caste in Africa: History, Diffusion and Evolution, Editor: Declan Quigley in The Character of Kingship, Berg, ISBN 978-184-520-2910, pages 141–169
^ David Reich (2019), Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past ISBN 978-019-882-1250, pages 219-223. Quote: "Today there is an intricate caste system that shapes the lives of many people within Ethiopia, with elaborate rules preventing marriage between groups with different traditional roles. The Ari include three subgroups--the Cultivators, Blacksmiths, and Potters--who are socially and genetically differentiated from one another and from non-Ari groups. Since the Ari have a distinctive genetic affinity to the forty-five-hundred-year-old ancient highland individual compared to other Ethiopian groups, it is clear that there were strong local barriers to gene exchange and homogenization within the region of present-day Ethiopia that persisted for at least forty-five hundred years. This is the best example of strong endogamy that I know of even more ancient than the evidence of endogamy in India that so far is only documented as going back a couple of thousand years."

[1] Tal Tamari (1991). "The Development of Caste Systems in West Africa". The Journal of African History. 32 (2). Cambridge University Press: 221–250. doi:10.1017/s0021853700025718. JSTOR 182616. S2CID 162509491., Quote: "Castes, endogamous artisan and musician groups, are characteristic of over fifteen West African peoples, inhabiting at least fourteen states. They are found among the Soninke, the various Manding-speaking populations (including the Bambara, Malinke and Khassonke), the Wolof, Tukulor, Senufo, Minianka, Dogon, Songhay, and most Fulani, Moorish and Tuareg populations".

[Levine2014p56-2] Cite error: The named reference Levine2014p56 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[3] Human Rights Watch Page 9.

[Tamari_1991p13c-4] Cite error: The named reference Tamari 1991p13c was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[DeCorse2001p17-5] Cite error: The named reference DeCorse2001p17 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

[6] Tal Tamari (2005), Kingship and Caste in Africa: History, Diffusion and Evolution, Editor: Declan Quigley in The Character of Kingship, Berg, ISBN 978-184-520-2910, pages 141–169

[7] David Reich (2019), Who We Are and How We Got Here: Ancient DNA and the New Science of the Human Past ISBN 978-019-882-1250, pages 219-223. Quote: "Today there is an intricate caste system that shapes the lives of many people within Ethiopia, with elaborate rules preventing marriage between groups with different traditional roles. The Ari include three subgroups--the Cultivators, Blacksmiths, and Potters--who are socially and genetically differentiated from one another and from non-Ari groups. Since the Ari have a distinctive genetic affinity to the forty-five-hundred-year-old ancient highland individual compared to other Ethiopian groups, it is clear that there were strong local barriers to gene exchange and homogenization within the region of present-day Ethiopia that persisted for at least forty-five hundred years. This is the best example of strong endogamy that I know of even more ancient than the evidence of endogamy in India that so far is only documented as going back a couple of thousand years."

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

[7]