Studies on the Soninke Societal Organization and its Flaws

Abstract

This article investigates the contemporary Soninke societal organization and its flaws. The Soninke are conservative and hate social disorder.  The Soninke families called xabiilo (clans) are stratified hieratically, but profoundly characterized by some social inequalities. Each xabiila (clan), in accordance with the classification of society, is in charge of a social duty that must be upheld consistently and religiously.The xabiilo maintain some reciprocal relationships through the laadani (customs) in a social dynamic marked by some social inequalities (difference between people and endogamy).  Despite being thought to be the backbone of the Soninke societal organization, that stratification is biased by some social inequalities.