Kaabu

State in the Senegambia region of West Africa (1537 1867)

Kaabu (1537–1867), also written Gabu, Ngabou, and N'Gabu, was a federation of Mandinka kingdoms in the Senegambia region centered within modern northeastern Guinea Bissau, large parts of today's Gambia, and extending into Koussanar, Koumpentoum, and the Casamance in Senegal. It rose to prominence as an imperial military province of the Mali Empire. After the decline of the Mali Empire, Kaabu became independent. Kansala, the imperial capital, was captured by Fula forces from the Futa Jallon during the 19th century Fula jihads. However, Kaabu's successor states across Senegambia continued to thrive even after the fall of Kansala; this lasted until total incorporation of the remaining kingdoms into the British, Portuguese and French spheres of influence during the Scramble for Africa.

Scholars and oral historians have proposed various etymologies for the name Kaabu. These include it being derived from Kaba or Kangaba, Mali, the capital of the Mali Empire; from the Mandinka phrase kaa bung folo, meaning 'let's keep fighting'; or from Kambutchi, meaning 'the circumcised people' in the Bainuk language, the name of the pre existing Bainuk kingdom.

The region that would become Kaabu, stretching from the banks of the Gambia river south and east towards the Futa Djallon massif and the coast of present day Guinea Bissau, was thinly inhabited. Nevertheless, a Bainuk kingdom did exist, founded in the 7th century CE, that ruled from the Gambia to the Cacheu river. The earliest dynasty was called the Jenung, but almost nothing is known of this period. There were Mande traders and immigrants in the area, but they were politically and demographically dominated by their local hosts. Bainuk legends describe a cruel king named Gana Sira Bana or Masopti Biaye, whose tyranny caused a general rebellion, and the kingdom split apart. These decentralized societies were ultimately unable to resist Mande expansion.

According to Senegambian oral histories, the Mandinka arrived in the region around the year 1230CE. One of the generals of Sundiata Keita, Tiramakhan Traore, conquered the area, founding many new towns and making Kaabu one of Mali's western tinkuru, or provinces. He, or perhaps his sons by his Bainuk wife, defeated Kikikor, the king of the Bainuks and captured Mampatim. His son or grandson Sama Coli became the first mansa of Kaabu. The savannah areas were mostly conquered and ruled by Mandinka vassals to the Mali Empire. Meanwhile the swampy areas near the coast were still dominated by the natives. As in many places that saw Mandinka migrations, much of the native population was dominated or assimilated, with slaves either eventually being integrated into Mandinka society or sold via the trans Sahara trade routes to Arab buyers. Although the rulers of Kaabu were Mandinka, many of their subjects were from ethnic groups who had resided in the region before the Mandinka invasion. Mandinka became a lingua franca used for trade. Mansa Sala Sane founded the city of Kansala to replace the old capital of Mampatim. It was more centrally located, and the location of the sacred wood where the new mansaba was crowned.

After the middle of the 14th century, Mali saw a steep decline due to raids by the Mossi to their south, the growth of the new Songhai Empire in the north, and succession disputes. Even its historically secure possessions in what is now Senegal, the Gambia, and Guinea Bissau were cut off by the expanding power of Koli Tenguella in the early 16th century. As Mali's authority collapsed, the Mandinka states of the region formed a federation. These included among others, Firdu, Pata, Kamako, Jimara, Patim Kibo, Patim Kanjaye, Kantora, Sedhiou, Pakane Mambura, Kiang, Kudura, Nampaio, Koumpentoum, Koussanar, Barra, Niumi, Pacana etc. The kingdoms of Sine and Saloum were established at this time, ruled by Serer kings and Mandinka queens (the Guelowar dynasty), although these became independent by 1600. The principal tax, collected in cloth or pagnes, was known as the kabunko. Slaves worked large scale cotton plantations to produce this form of currency. The nyancho warrior aristocracy used increasing tax revenue to fund more wars, thereby capturing more slaves, who produced more cloth, which financed still more wars. The Kora was traditionally used by the griots as a tool for preserving history, ancient tradition, to memorize the genealogies of patron families and sing their praises, to act as conflict intermediaries between families, and to entertain. Its origins can be traced to the time of the Mali empire and linked with Jali Mady Fouling Diabate, son of Bamba Diabate. According to the griots, Mady visited a local lake in which he was informed that a genie who granted wishes had resided. Upon meeting him, Mady requested that the genie make him a brand new instrument that no griot had ever owned. The genie accepted, but only under the condition that Mady release his sister into his custody. After being informed, the sister agreed to the sacrifice, the genie complied, and hence, the birth of the legendary Kora. Aside from oral testimony, historians propose that the Kora appeared with the apogee of war chiefs from Kaabu, allowing the tradition to spread throughout the Mande area until it was made popular by Koryang Moussa Diabate in the 19th century.

Kaabu was explicitly a non Islamic state. The most important shrine was that of the snake Tamba Dibi, set in a sacred forest of tabo trees whose fruit could supposedly protect warriors from harm.