| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 17,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 Central African Republic  Chad  Sudan | |
| Languages | |
| Gula, Arabic, French | |
| Religion | |
| Islam (majority) Christianity (minority) |
Gula, also spelled Goula, is an ethnic group who lives in Central African Republic, Chad, and Sudan. [1] In the Central African Republic, they live in the northern regions of Vakaga, Bamingui-Bangoran, and Haute-Kotto. [2]
Gula people are believed to have originated from Blue Nile region in Ethiopia. Around 1750, they migrated to Darfur. In Darfur, the Gula people faced hostility from the Fur. Consequently, they migrated to an area near Lake Mamoun, Vakaga, in 1795. [3] Lake Mamoun was chosen because there was plenty of fish, and the area was uninhabited before they arrived. [4]
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. [3] 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. [5]
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 project. [6] [5] Some Gula refused to follow France's order and fled to Chad. [7] Around 1960, Gula converted from animism to Islam. Nevertheless, they still retained some pre-Islam practices. [8]
Gula is divided into two major groups and eight subgroups: [7]
| Major Group | Sub Group | Villages |
| Water People | Molo or Gula Mamoun | Ndolo Sere or Kididji, Vodomasa, Oulou, Mangafara, Jenzir, Sadjer, Ngede, and Boromata |
| Mele | Mélé | |
| Moto Mar | Gordil and Manou | |
| Sara | Maka, Ndiffa I, Kava Guludu (Ndifa), Ketebe, Kabala, Dem Ngonj and Lemena III | |
| Mere | Tiringoulou and Ouandjia | |
| Mountain People | Zura or Koto | Sergobo and Kumba |
| Woso | ||
| Mutu | ||
Each sub-group has its dialect and Sara is the most distinct dialect. [7]
Gula is a patrilineal society. For marriage, Gula allows levirate marriage. [9] Polygamy is common practice among Gula people. [10]
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. [11]
Nowadays, Gula also involve in diamond mining activity in Bria. [12]
N'Délé or Ndele is a market town and sub prefecture in the north eastern Central African Republic, lying east of the Bamingui-Bangoran National Park. Ndélé is the capital of Bamingui-Bangoran, one of the 16 prefectures of the Central African Republic. N'Délé had a population of 10,850 as of the 2003 census; and a calculated 2013 population of 13,704.
Kabo is a town in the northern Central African Republic, lying north west of Kaga Bandoro. It is a market town and the border post for Chad.
Gordil is a town in the Vakaga Prefecture of the northern Central African Republic.
Zemio is a town and sub-prefecture in the Haut-Mbomou prefecture of the south-eastern Central African Republic. Zemio was the former capital of the Sultanate of Zemio before it was abolished in 1923 by France.
Mingala is a sub-prefecture and town in the Basse-Kotto Prefecture of the southern Central African Republic.
Joseph Kalite was a Central African politician and doctor. 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 Bangui during the Central African Republic conflict. He was killed with machetes on the day in Bangui after interim president Catherine Samba-Panza took power. At the time of the attack Kalite held no government position, nor did he under the Séléka rule. He was reported to have supported the rule of Séléka leader Michel Djotodia.
Bambouti is a sub-prefecture of Haut-Mbomou in the Central African Republic. The town is abandoned by the country.
The Runga are an ethnic group in Chad as well as the Central African Republic, in which they are found in the north and northeast of the country. The majority of the Runga are Muslim.
Sam Ouandja is a town located in the Central African Republic prefecture of Haute-Kotto near the border with Sudan. It has historically served as important arms trafficking hub for armed groups in Central African Republic. Artisanal diamond mining is also active in the commune.
Tiringoulou, also spelled Tirigoulou or Tiroungoulou, is a village in the Vakaga Prefecture in the northern Central African Republic.
Sikkikede , also spelled Sikikédé and Sikikede, is a town in Vakaga Prefecture, Central African Republic. It is the largest settlement in Vakaga, with a population of around 20.000 people. CPJP established the headquarter in Sikkikede.
Boungou is a village located in Haute-Kotto, Central African Republic. There is diamond mining in the village located on the bank of the Boungou River.
Aïfa is a village located near Sikkikede in Vakaga Prefecture, Central African Republic.
Ndim is a village located in Lim-Pendé, Central African Republic.
Tissi, also known as Tissi-Fongoro, is a village situated across the Central African Republic-Chad border in Vakaga Prefecture, Central African Republic. Tissi is the northernmost settlement in the Central African Republic.
Herbert Gontran Djono Ahaba is a Central African politician from Vakaga Prefecture who is currently serving as a minister of transport and civil aviation.
Mouka is a village situated in Haute-Kotto Prefecture, Central African Republic.
Manou is a mining village situated 5 km from Gordil in Vakaga Prefecture, Central African Republic.
Armel Mingatoloum Sayo, also known as Armel Bedaya or Commandant Sayo, is a Central African politician and warlord who served in three different ministerial positions under Panza and Touadera's presidencies. He also served as the leader of Revolution and Justice until its disarmament in 2019.
Virginie Baïkoua, also known as Virginie Mbaïkoua, is a Central African politician.
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