The Bella (also known as Bellah or Ikelan) are a Black ethnic group originating from the Sahel region, primarily in Mali and Burkina Faso, though they are also found in Niger. Their estimated population ranges from 300,000 to 500,000. Historically linked to the Tuareg through a relationship of servitude, the Bella are known as sedentary pastoralists and farmers who speak Tamasheq or Songhai.
The Bella are one of the most complex and least understood ethnic groups in the Sahel, with a history marked by assimilation, servitude, and a constant struggle for their own identity.
Traditionally considered a captive or servile "caste" of the Tuareg (Ikelan in Tamasheq), although servitude has been abolished, complex social and economic ties persist, and many Bella work in domestic service or herding.
Photo Gallery:© Viktor Cerny - Sylvia Furrer - Holger Hoffmann / Niger and Burkina Faso 2005-2009
Extended info about Bella People.