Yalunka people

The Yalunka or Jallonke (French: Djallonké or Dialonké) are a Mande people who were one of the original inhabitants of the Futa Jallon (French: Fouta Djallon), a mountainous region in Guinea, West Africa. They are a branch of the Mandinka people of West Africa. Today, the Yalunka are concentrated mostly in Guinea and Sierra Leone, while small communities also live in Senegal and Mali. In both Guinea and Sierra Leone, the Yalunka are typically classified as ethnic Mandinka because of the similarities in languages and culture, including dress.

The name Yalunka literally means "inhabitants of the Jallon (mountains)." In the 18th century, many of the Yalunka were displaced from the Futa Jallon by the Fulani, another major ethnic group in the region.

The Yalunka language belongs to the Mande branch of the Niger–Congo language family. Yalunka is partially understood by those who speak Susu, another Mande language. The Yalunka often refer to themselves as the ancestors of the Susu people, and some scholars classify the two as one group. The Yalunka region has tall grass with a few trees and some bush areas. The country is hilly, and most of it is 1,000 to 2,000 feet above sea level.