SAMORY AND THE SENUFO JUDAS

SAMORY,
TEXTILE TRADER, SLAVE RAIDER AND CONQUEROR,
 KNOWN EXCLUSIVELY FOR OPPOSING THE FRENCH 

They push him back from his first empire
 (in 1875).
He falls back on Djimini
 (in 1894-98)

• A fifth column, the "Sonnangui:"
Senufo who with the cowrie currency

emerge as producers for market,
with slaves as laborers  

They are "indigenous people... who have adopted the language the customs, the ways and the external aspects of the Dyulas' religion while keeping the Senufo tattoos... 

They have neither the elevation of ideas nor the education of the Dyula, but having opened their arms and land to Samory, have profited from the victor's friendship to exploit the Senufo, toward whom they display an arrogance and a despotism that the  Dyula ignore."

-- Abidjan archives, bold added

• Among them is Pelegayan,

who grows millet for a market
on the conqueror's route
(Foumbolo)

 In small letters, villages that Samory destroys. In large ones, villages that are new or enlarged.

 "He wanted to be king, 

but did not have the right"

The Djimini forces stop Samory near Foumbolo. 

Pelegayan gets up at night, goes to Samory and says,   

-- "Don't be discouraged, you'll win this battle. 

-- How?

-- Oh, don't worry, I am a child of this country and I will show you its secrets.

-- You tell me not to be discouraged, but I've been here for three months and I'm not getting anywhere. 

-- Oh, don't worry, I am a child of this country, I know the secrets, you will win out. 

He gives the secrets and tells his army not to load their guns. "

-- Serisio Coulibali

The Sonnangui are remembered for their "curious" Islam,

 which brings them closer to the conquerors
and separates them from their animist slaves.

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Slave liberation and colonial economies