Gula, also spelled ''Goula'', is an ethnic group who lives in Central African Republic,

Chad Chad (; ar, تشاد , ; french: Tchad, ), officially the Republic of Chad, '; ) is a landlocked country at the crossroads of North and Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic ...

, and

Sudan Sudan ( or ; ar, السودان, as-Sūdān, officially the Republic of the Sudan ( ar, جمهورية السودان, link=no, Jumhūriyyat as-Sūdān), is a country in Northeast Africa. It shares borders with the Central African Republic t ...

. In the Central African Republic, they live in the northern regions of Vakaga, Bamingui-Bangoran, and

Haute-Kotto Haute-Kotto is one of the 16 prefectures of the Central African Republic. Its capital is Bria. It is the largest prefecture in the Central African Republic The Central African Republic (CAR; ; , RCA; , or , ) is a landlocked country in C ...

History

Gula people are believed to have originated from Blue Nile region in Ethiopia. Around 1750, they migrated to

Darfur Darfur ( ; ar, دار فور, Dār Fūr, lit=Realm of the Fur) is a region of western Sudan. ''Dār'' is an Arabic word meaning "home f – the region was named Dardaju ( ar, دار داجو, Dār Dājū, links=no) while ruled by the Daju, ...

. In Darfur, the Gula people faced hostility from the Fur. Consequently, they migrated to an area near Lake Mamoun, Vakaga, in 1795. Lake Mamoun was chosen because there was plenty of fish, and the area was uninhabited before they arrived. In the 19th century, Gula people were often attacked by slave raiders from Darfur, Dar al Kuti, and Kara. Moreover, they had to pay a tribute of 1,000 slaves, ivory, honey, and copper to Darfur. Enslavement of Gula reached its peak in 1890-1911 when Dar al Kuti's ruler, Muhammad al-Sanussi, sent slave raiders to the Gula region to obtain slaves and pillage the villages. Hence, by 1905, Vakaga was depopulated and Gula fled to either N'Délé or Abéché. Gula only returned to Vakaga after France subjugated Dar al Kuti in 1911. In 1926–1927, France ordered Gula to live in settlements along the Ouanda Djalle-Birao Road for defensive purposes. They also recruited Gula men for the

Congo–Ocean Railway The Congo–Ocean Railway (COR; french: Chemin de fer Congo-Océan, ) links the Atlantic port of Pointe-Noire (now in the Republic of Congo) with Brazzaville, a distance of . It bypasses the rapids on the lower Congo River; from Brazzaville, r ...

project. Some Gula refused to follow France's order and fled to

. Around 1960, Gula converted from animism to Islam. Nevertheless, they still retained some pre-Islam practices.

Groups

Gula is divided into two major groups and eight subgroups: Each sub-group has its dialect and Sara is the most distinct dialect.

Social life

Gula is a patrilineal society. For marriage, Gula allows

levirate Levirate marriage is a Types of marriages, type of marriage in which the brother of a deceased man is obliged to marry his brother's widow. Levirate marriage has been practiced by societies with a strong clan structure in which exogamous marriage ...

marriage. Polygamy is common practice among Gula people.

Economic life

Gula people heavily rely on agriculture, hunting, and fishing for their livelihood. Millet, sorghum, and peanuts are the plants that the Gula people cultivate. They also made alcoholic beverages made from millet. Manovo-Gounda St. Floris National Park is the place where Gula does their hunting activities. Nowadays, Gula also involve in diamond mining activity in Bria.

Notable people

Arnaud Djoubaye Abazène Arnaud Djoubaye Abazène is a Central African politician from Vakaga who is currently serving as the minister of justice and the founder of RPRC. Early life and education Abazène was born in Birao. He completed his primary in Birao and seconda ...

, current minister of justice *

Herbert Gontran Djono Ahaba Herbert Gontran Djono Ahaba (born 7 February 1974) is a Central African politician from Vakaga Prefecture who is currently serving as a minister of transport and civil aviation. Early life and education Djono was born on 7 February 1974 in Birao ...

, Central African politician and current minister of transport and civil aviation * Michel Djotodia, former president of Central African Republic *

Joseph Kalite Joseph Kalite (died 24 January 2014) was a Central African politician. As a government minister he either held the housing or health portfolio. Kalite, a Muslim, was reported to be killed by anti-balaka outside the Central Mosque in the capital Ba ...

, former minister of agriculture and health. * Damane Zakaria, Central African warlord and former leader of Patriotic Rally for the Renewal of the Central African Republic *

Joseph Zoundeiko General Joseph Zoundeiko (or Zindeko) (died 11 February 2017) was the leader of military wing of the Central African rebel militia alliance, Séléka. Born in Tiringoulou, Vakaga, he worked as a guard and tracker, securing parklands on the nort ...

, Central African warlord

References

Ethnic groups in the Central African Republic Ethnic groups in Chad {{CentralAfricanRepublic-stub