Mythologies of the Gurma Tribe

Gurma (also called Gourma or Gourmantché) is an ethnic group living mainly in northeastern Ghana, Burkina Faso, around Fada N'Gourma, and also in northern areas of Togo and Benin, as well as southwestern Niger. They number approximately 1,750,000. They might include the Bassaries who live in northern Togo and the Northern Volta of Kingdom of Dagbon, Ghana.Gurma is also the name of a language spoken by the Gurma (or bigourmantcheba - as they call themselves) people, which is part of the Gur language family. See Gurmanchema language and Oti-Volta languages for related languages spoken by the Gurma.

Gurma, an ethnic group that is chiefly centred on the town of Fada N’Gourma in eastern Burkina Faso, although smaller numbers inhabit northern Togo, northern Benin, and southwestern Niger. They speak a language of the Gur branch of Niger-Congo languages. Like the closely related Mossi, Konkomba, Tallensi, and LoDagaa, the Gurma are believed to have migrated from the Gambaga Scarp (escarpment) of present-day northeastern Ghana. Some of these migrants stopped at Tenkodogo and founded the first Mossi kingdom; others continued northeastward to the Fada N’Gourma region. Mossi and Gurma disputed their common frontier until French conquest. The Gurma live in a wooded savanna that becomes drier and grassier to the north; their mostly flat land is marked by occasional inselberg hills. They live in round mud-brick houses arranged in circular compounds that are enclosed by woven-straw fences. Descent is patrilineal; a man and his one or more wives, perhaps a younger brother or an aging mother, and the children of all these live together. They are mostly farmers. During the agricultural season (June–October) millet is grown between compounds. The closest neighbours belong to kin groups, and hamlets consist of compounds of lineage members, clan members, those who profess the same introduced religion (Islam or Christianity), or people with a common skill, such as blacksmithing. These associations are generally more important than ethnic identification. A village is a collection of hamlets, and chiefdoms (today sometimes corresponding to the administrative categories arrondissements and cantons) include several, or occasionally many, villages; chiefs then recognize the morho naba, or paramount chief, in Fada N’Gourma, as well as the authorities of the Burkina Faso government. Weaving, dyeing, pottery, and basketry are important crafts. Most Gurma men, and many women, migrate to seek work in coastal West African states, but most later return to reside in their homeland.

The Gurma live in a wooded savanna that becomes drier and grassier to the north; their mostly flat land is marked by occasional inselberg hills. Farming is the chief occupation (millet, rice, sorghum), but cattle are also raised. Weaving, dyeing, pottery, and basketry are important crafts. According Peoplegroups 2023, the global population is 2,614,000 distributed in Ghana, Benin; Burkina Faso, Niger, Nigeria and Togo. Gurma is also the name of a language spoken by the Gurma (or bigourmantcheba - as they call themselves) people, which is part of the Gur language family. The Gurma language belongs to the Gur linguistic group. Is related to the Mossi language and belongs to the Oti‐Volta sub‐group of the Gur languages. The Gurma have preserved local traditional beliefs, although some practice Islam. Hamlets consist of compounds of lineage members, clan members. Lived in scattered settlements of circular compounds that were composed of small earthen huts with straw roofs. The round mud-brick houses areb arranged in circular compounds that are enclosed by woven-straw fences. A village is a collection of hamlets, and chiefdoms (today sometimes corresponding to the administrative categories arrondissements and cantons) include several, or occasionally many, villages; chiefs then recognize the morho naba, or paramount chief, in Fada N’Gourma, as well as the authorities of the Burkina Faso government.

The Gurma ethnic group is the eighth largest in Niger, accounting for 0.3% of the population. Most of the population of this group live in the country of Burkina Faso around the city of Fada N'Gourma, with the rest of the Gurma population living in southwestern Niger and northern parts of Benin and Togo. The major language of the Gurma people is Gourmanchéma, which is part of the Gur languages of the Niger-Congo group. The religion that most of the Gurma people follow is Islam. The area that the Gurma people live in is a wooded savanna area that is flat land with rare, isolated hills. Most of the Gurma are farmers that live in round houses made of mud bricks inside compounds that are made up of woven-straw fences.

Gurma (also known as Gourma or Gourmantché) is a Ghanaian ethnic group that lives primarily in northeastern Ghana, Burkina Faso, and northern Togo and Benin, as well as southwestern Niger. They number around 1.750 million people. The Bassaries of northern Togo and the Northern Volta of Ghana’s Kingdom of Dagbon could be among them. Gurma is also the name of the Gurma (or bigourmantcheba, as they call themselves) people’s language, which belongs to the Gur language family. The Gurma speak Gurmanchema and Oti-Volta languages, which are related languages.

Gurma (also called Gourma or Gourmantché) is an ethnic group living mainly in northeastern Ghana, Burkina Faso, around Fada N'Gourma, and also in northern areas of Togo and Benin, as well as southwestern Niger. They number approximately 1,750,000. They might include the Bassaries who live in northern Togo and the Northern Volta of Kingdom of Dagbon, Ghana. Gurma is also the name of a language spoken by the Gurma (or bigourmantcheba - as they call themselves) people, which is part of the Gur language family. See Gurmanchema language and Oti-Volta languages for related languages spoken by the Gurma.