Bambara

Part of speech: noun, adjective

Definitions

1. A term referring to a group of West African ethnic people known for their agricultural practices and vibrant culture
2. The language spoken by the Bambara people, which belongs to the Mande language family and is widely used in Mali
3. A name for a variety of crops cultivated by the Bambara, particularly the millet and sorghum associated with their traditional farming methods

Etymology: The name first belonged to a people of Mali, the Bambara, whose Mande language is also called Bambara (Bamanankan). The origin of the people's name is uncertain, and scholars have not settled on a single explanation for it. The name was later extended to crops grown in the Bambara farming tradition, most famously the Bambara groundnut, "Vigna subterranea," a West African legume that ripens its pods underground. The adjective use follows the same link: something described as Bambara is connected with these people or their cultivation.

Synonyms: Bamana, Bambara language, Bambara people