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Dyula

The Dyula, also spelled Dioula or Jula, are a West African ethnic group and language community belonging to the Mande branch of the Niger-Congo language family. The term refers to both the people and the language, with Dioula serving as a widely used lingua franca in regional trade. Dyula communities are concentrated in Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast, with sizable populations in Mali, Ghana, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Senegal, and The Gambia, reflecting a long-standing trading diaspora across the region.

Language and trade

Dioula is spoken as a first or second language by many in urban and cross-border markets, and

History

Dyula traders have long linked inland forest regions with mineral, salt, and other commodity routes, playing

Religion and culture

The Dyula are predominantly Muslim, with many adherents of Sufi orders such as Tijaniyya and Qadiriyya. They

Contemporary presence

Today, Dyula communities continue to be active in urban and rural commerce across several West African states.

it
functions
as
a
common
means
of
communication
among
diverse
groups
in
trade
centers.
The
language
has
numerous
dialects
and
has
spread
beyond
Dyula-speaking
communities
through
commerce
and
interethnic
exchange.
a
significant
role
in
West
African
commerce
from
medieval
times
onward.
Their
commercial
networks
contributed
to
the
growth
of
towns,
regional
integration,
and
the
spread
of
Islam
in
the
area.
maintain
distinctive
cultural
practices,
music,
and
crafts,
and
their
trading
traditions
have
fostered
cross-cultural
connections
across
West
Africa.
The
Dioula
language
remains
a
key
medium
of
trade
and
everyday
communication,
reinforcing
interethnic
connections
within
the
region.