CASTE first appeared in Africa in the 18th century, in what was then the Malian empire. It depended on a social stratification which distinguished the 'griots' (traditional musicians) and other artisans (blacksmiths, shoemakers, carpenters) from the ruling nobles. In the Sudan-Sahelian area, this caste system continued down the centuries, hugging the contours of a kingdom that stretched over much of western Africa and following myriad migrations.
From Senegal to Niger, people's ...