The Maure are a nomadic group who probably migrated from Senegal to the Gambia River for trade purposes. They are 100% Muslim and some of them are the descendants of the Wolof of Senegal. Even though English is the official language of Gambia, the Maure speak their own Arabic language known as Hassani.

Gambia gained its independence from the British in 1965. In 1982, the Confederation of Senegambia was formed, which allowed Gambia and Senegal to combine armed forces. However, this association ended in 1989 because the two countries differed on coordinating domestic and economic policies.

What are their lives like?
The Maure are a very proud people, conveying a sense of superiority to others. They do not mix with most African blacks, except for commercial reasons. They meet only among themselves and travel only when accompanied by one of their own tribe. Their restraint, calmness, and thriftiness separate them from other people groups.

The Maure of Gambia are farmers, with peanuts being the chief crop and export. However, drought in the 1980's severely affected agriculture in Gambia. Because the Maure live in tents made of woven wool, their basic family unit is often referred to as the "tent." Most of the Maure in Gambia are a mixture of Arab-Berber-Negroid. They are very proud of the fact that their origin can be traced to the Arabs.

Maure marriages are pre-arranged by the parents, with the groom's father requesting the hand of the bride. A Maure woman never marries against her family's wishes. She is given a dowry (money or property) upon marriage. After the wedding, the groom never enters the tent of his in-laws, nor does he share their table or look them in the eye when talking. The parents visit their daughter only when their son-in-law is absent. Sadly, divorce is common among the Maure.

When Maures from different nomadic tribes meet, several rigid customs are followed. These customs, which are a consequence of the long history of raids in the desert, are used by the groups to regulate the meeting. For example, when two people are talking, several mannerisms are used to indicate their involvement in the conversation. If a Maure blows on his hand during a conversation, it means he does not believe anything that is being said. If he puts his finger in his ear, it means that he is not interested in what is being said.

In the Maure social structure, each tribe believes that they are the descendants of a common ancestor. At times, this has led to open hostility. However, peaceful competitions often take place to secure tribal positions. Tribal ties affect the relationships Maure have with one another, whether they live in towns, cities, or the desert.

Among the Maure, there are four basic social classes, ranging from aristocracy to slavery. The White Maure form the two upper classes, while the Black Maure make up the two lower classes. The Maure of Gambia are classified as White Maure. This division is based solely on parental descent, not on skin color. For example, if a father is considered white, his children, despite the darkness of their skin or the social condition of their mother, inherit the status of "White Maure." One subdivision of the White Maure, known as the bidan, are aristocratic Arab-Berber nomads.

What are their beliefs?
Virtually all of the Maure of Gambia are Malikite Muslims. They faithfully adhere to the laws of the Koran. The Maure acknowledge two main Islamic brotherhoods: the Qadiri and the Tajani. The Qadiri is the most widespread group and is characterized by many secret societies that are saturated with mysticism.

What are their needs?
Currently, there are no known believers among the Maure of Gambia. In fact, the overwhelming majority of them have never heard a clear presentation of the Gospel. Fervent prayer is vital to see them come to Christ.

Prayer Points

• Ask the Lord of the harvest to send full-time Christian laborers to the Maure of Gambia.
• Pray for effectiveness of the Jesus film among the Maure, with many conversions resulting.
• Ask the Holy Spirit to soften the hearts of the Maure towards the Gospel.
• Pray that the Maure will hunger to know Jesus and that God will reveal Himself to them through dreams and visions.
• Ask the Lord to save key leaders among the Maure who will boldly declare the Gospel.
• Take authority over the spiritual principalities and powers that have kept the Maure bound for many generations.
• Ask God to raise up prayer teams who will begin breaking up the soil through worship and intercession.
• Pray that strong local churches will be raised up among the Maure.

THE PEOPLE

• People name: Maure
• Country: Gambia
• Their language: Hassani
• Population: (1990) 13,900
  (1995) 16,800
  (2000) 19,400
• Largest religion: Muslim (Malikite) 100%
• Christians: 0%
• Church members: 0
• Scriptures in their own language: None
• Jesus Film in their own language: Available
• Christian broadcasts in their own language: None
• Mission agencies working among this people: 0
• Persons who have heard the Gospel: 1,700 (10%) Those evangelized by local Christians: 0 (0%)
  Those evangelized from the outside: 1,700 (10%)
• Persons who have never heard the Gospel: 15,100 (90%)

• Country: Gambia
• Population: (1990) 923,500
  (1995) 1,118,500
  (2000) 1,290,800
• Major peoples in size order: Mandinka 39.7%
  Gambina Wolof 14.4%
  Fulakunda 13.5%
  Saninke 7.3%
  
• Major religions: Muslim 87.8%
  Ethnic religionist 8%
  Christian 3.6%