The Medieval Empire of Mali

The medieval empire of Mali will become a moasic of farmers, blacksmiths, herdsmen, fisherman and professional traders. The professional traders will be called Wangara in the west and Dyula in the east. These traders were Malinke, Bamana or Soninke in origin but usually practiced Islam. The Dyula traders from Mali will open the Akan goldfields enabling Timbuktu and Jenne to become major ports of exchange (from History of Africa 3rd edition by Kevin Shillington p.104)