Koyraboro Senni
Encyclopedia
Koyraboro Senni is a variety of Songhai in Mali
, spoken by some 400,000 people along Niger River
from Gourma-Rharous
, east of Timbuktu
, through Bourem
, Gao
, and Ansongo
to the Mali
–Niger
border.
The expression “koyra-boro senn-i” literally denotes “the language of the town dwellers” as opposed to nomads (like the Tuareg) and other mobile people.
Although Koyraboro Senni is associated with settled towns, it is a cosmopolitan language which has spread east and west of Gao
, to the Fulani living at the Mali
–Niger
border and to the Bozo
. East of Timbuktu, Koyra Senni gives way relatively abruptly to another Songhai language, Koyra Chiini.
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
, spoken by some 400,000 people along Niger River
Niger River
The Niger River is the principal river of western Africa, extending about . Its drainage basin is in area. Its source is in the Guinea Highlands in southeastern Guinea...
from Gourma-Rharous
Gourma-Rharous
Gourma-Rharous is a Rural Commune and small town in the Tombouctou Region of Mali. The town is the administrative center of the Gourma-Rharous Cercle and lies on the right bank of the Niger River 110 km east of Timbuktu. The commune has an area of approximately 7,000 km2 and contains...
, east of Timbuktu
Timbuktu
Timbuktu , formerly also spelled Timbuctoo, is a town in the West African nation of Mali situated north of the River Niger on the southern edge of the Sahara Desert. The town is the capital of the Timbuktu Region, one of the eight administrative regions of Mali...
, through Bourem
Bourem
Bourem is a commune and small town in the Gao Region of south-eastern Mali. The town sits on the left bank of the River Niger....
, Gao
Gao
Gao is a town in eastern Mali on the River Niger lying ESE of Timbuktu. Situated on the left bank of the river at the junction with the Tilemsi valley, it is the capital of the Gao Region and had a population of 86,663 in 2009....
, and Ansongo
Ansongo
Ansongo is a Rural Commune and small town in the Gao Region of south-eastern Mali. The town lies on the left bank of the Niger River 90 km south of Gao. It is the administrative center for the surrounding Ansongo Cercle. The commune has an area of 445 km2 and had a population of 32,709...
to the Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
–Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
border.
The expression “koyra-boro senn-i” literally denotes “the language of the town dwellers” as opposed to nomads (like the Tuareg) and other mobile people.
Although Koyraboro Senni is associated with settled towns, it is a cosmopolitan language which has spread east and west of Gao
Gao
Gao is a town in eastern Mali on the River Niger lying ESE of Timbuktu. Situated on the left bank of the river at the junction with the Tilemsi valley, it is the capital of the Gao Region and had a population of 86,663 in 2009....
, to the Fulani living at the Mali
Mali
Mali , officially the Republic of Mali , is a landlocked country in Western Africa. Mali borders Algeria on the north, Niger on the east, Burkina Faso and the Côte d'Ivoire on the south, Guinea on the south-west, and Senegal and Mauritania on the west. Its size is just over 1,240,000 km² with...
–Niger
Niger
Niger , officially named the Republic of Niger, is a landlocked country in Western Africa, named after the Niger River. It borders Nigeria and Benin to the south, Burkina Faso and Mali to the west, Algeria and Libya to the north and Chad to the east...
border and to the Bozo
Bozo people
The Bozo are a West African ethnic group located predominantly along the Niger River in Mali. The name Bozo is thought to derive from Bambara bo-so, 'Bamboo house'; the people accept it as referring to the whole of the ethnic group but use more specific clan names such as Sorogoye, Hain, and Tieye...
. East of Timbuktu, Koyra Senni gives way relatively abruptly to another Songhai language, Koyra Chiini.