The Kurumba (Fulse, Koromba), speakers of Koromfe, hold the north of the later Burkina Faso round Djibo, Aribinda and the old Lurum (north of Ouahigouya), on the edge of the Gourma.
Their tradition brings them from the region later held by the Dogon, and many link them with the Tellem. Their kingdom of Lurum, whose first king 'came down from heaven' (Izard), stood before the Mossi conquests, but its founding date is not known; on 1 January 1200 they are shown as a people under their lineage heads. The Oudalan to the north-east (the Oursi lakes), whose people in 1200 are not known, is included for want of better evidence.
Who holds it
- Title
- Kurumba lineage heads; the later king (ayo) of Lurum
- Since
- not known
- Confidence
- low
How things stand that morning
Self-governing. The Mossi kingdom of Yatenga, which later took much of their land, is not founded until the sixteenth century (Izard).
Customs and assemblies
Clans and lineages with earth priests; a sacred kingship of Lurum later.
Overlord claims
None attested.
What the year holds
What happened next, if nothing in play changes it. Each event carries what it depends on and what would stop it.
- 1200No dated event is recorded.
Where the sources disagree
Evidence: Later tradition and ethnography (Izard); no dated evidence for 1200.
On the map: The Oudalan's people in 1200 are not known; its inclusion here is a convention.
Sources and studies
- Kurumba people (West Africa) (Wikipedia)
- UNESCO General History of Africa IV (1984): Niane ch. 6, Cissoko ch. 8 (the Songhay), Izard ch. 9 (the Niger bend and the Volta basin), Lange ch. 10
Last revised 4 November 2026. Published 4 November 2026. Suggest a correction on the OMNIA Discord.