Somono

It is made up of a few tens of thousands of fishermen living around the Niger River.

Biton Coulibaly entrusted them with a war fleet to expand his kingdom in  the 18th century.

In principle, they extended from Bamako to Dioro, but some settled in Conakry at the beginning of  the 20th century.

The Somono are highly skilled in pottery and canoe construction, and also traditionally master ironwork, which makes them indispensable to the Bozos.

The Somono adopted the Islamic traditions following their conquest by the Toucouleurs of Omar Saidou Tall.

Somono village near the river in Kankan , Guinéa . (circa 1905)
Somono woman on the banks of the River Niger (photo: Fortier ).
Bozo-Somono jar (Confluences Museum ).