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The Toucouleurs (or Haalpulaaren) are a Fula agricultural people who live primarily in the north of Senegal (where they comprise 10% of the population) in the Senegal River valley, Mauritania, Mali and Guinea.

The Toucouleurs are the descendants of the Iron Age state of Takrur, and their French name, Toucouleur (popular etymology from the French for 'all colors'), is a corruption of this name.

Umar Tall founded a jihad state, the Toucouleur Empire, in present Mali in the nineteenth century.

The Toucouleurs speak the Fouta-Toro dialect of Pulaar (Fula). They call themselves Haapulaaren, which means "those who speak Pulaar". They are largely Muslim, although a small amount are animist. Culturally, the Toucouleur only differ from other Fulas by the sedentary nature of their society.

Toucouleur society is patriarchal and divided into strict hierarchies, with 12 castes subdivided into 3 classes. The highest caste, the Toorobbê, is made up of religious leaders and marabouts.

When girls turn thirteen years old, they are considered eligible for marriage, or dewgal, which is arranged by her parents. While the bride-to-be celebrates with her friends, the groom goes to the mosque to validate the marriage. Later, the bride and her family go to the husband's house, where they will sit with elders and discuss the marriage. The next day, the bride's aunt will determine if the girl is a virgin, and then bathe and massage her. The bride greets the village and then her husband, and food is prepared, and eventually the celebration ends.

One week after childbirth, or pémbougale, the baby is named and a woman known as a googo(sister of the father) cuts the child's hair. The father tells the marabout the name he has chosen, after which the marabout whispers the name in the infant's ear and prays. Following this, the marabout informs a griot, or gawlo, of the name that has been chosen, and the griot announces the name to the village.

This article is based on a translation of the corresponding article from the French Wikipedia, accessed July 5, 2005.

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