macina

Macina, also spelled Maasina or Massina, refers to a historical region and the surrounding area in central Mali, along the Niger River and the Inner Niger Delta. The name is derived from the Massina (Fulani) communities that inhabit the area, and the term is used for both the geographic zone and its historical political entity. In modern terms, the area overlaps parts of the Mopti and Ségou Regions.

The Massina Empire, or Macina Empire, was a theocratic Islamic state established in the early 19th century following a jihad led by Seku Amadu. Its capital was Hamdallahi on the Niger River. The empire expanded over much of the Inner Niger Delta, integrating various ethnic groups and controlling important riverine trade routes. Its administration was based on Islamic law and religious scholarship, and it played a significant role in the spread of Islam and Fulani influence in central Mali.

After Seku Amadu’s death, the empire continued under his successors until the late 19th century, when French colonial expansion dissolved its authority. The region was subsequently incorporated into French Sudan, and later became part of the modern state of Mali. The Massina era left a lasting cultural and religious imprint, including the prominence of Fulani communities and the spread of Islamic learning in the area.

Today, Macina is a geographic and historical term for central Mali, characterized by floodplain ecology, agriculture, and fishing in the Niger Delta. It remains home to diverse communities, including Fulani, Bozo, and Bambara, and has faced security and economic challenges in recent decades.