Gula People

History

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. Lake Mamoun was chosen because there was plenty of fish, and the area was uninhabited before they arrived.

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. 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.

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. Some Gula refused to follow France's order and fled to Chad. Around 1960, Gula converted from animism to Islam. Nevertheless, they still retained some pre-Islam practices.