[ChristianAMR]

In the many sources that I tend to use , numerous regions of the 2 main important countries Guinea and Mali are mentioned . But often I see that some of the names of regions that are used , are not always to be found among the official administrative divisions like prefectures , sub-prefectures etc ...
A part of this research involves also distinguishing historical regions from today´s actual administrative regions .

An example is the info given for the rhythm Sunu as listed in the book by Rigert/Koné : The corresponding region is listed as Kaarta .
So I tried to find out about this region and found that it actually is a historical region , even though the name seems to be continued to be used to this day :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaarta

Additionaly , it is also the name of a plateau ( even though in this link the term region is used , though it is clear that the term plateau is more exact ) :

http://www.encquran.brill.nl/entries/en ... 28?s.num=9

So , after looking for some more time I found out that the actual ( bigger ) current administrative region is Kayes .

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cercles_of_Mali

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kayes_Region

Well , ok , the Kayes region having 7 administrative cercles , I couldn´t find out where this Kaarta region and/or plateau is situated . This is the point where the research didn´t bring any fun anymore and turned out to be a little dry ...
Anyway , it has shown me my limits .

Subsequently I also tried to pin down the Hamanah region , but could not find it among the 12 sub-prefectures ( Kouroussa-Centre • Babila • Balato • Banfélé • Baro • Cisséla • Douako • Doura • Kiniéro • Komola-Koura • Koumana • Sanguiana ) of the Kouroussa prefecture :

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kouroussa_Prefecture

( The link says Hamanah is the historical name of the region , but somehow I gained the impression that the Hamanah region mentioned in djembe literature is somehow smaller than the whole Kouroussa prefecture ... ( wrong ? )]

Since the names Baro and Koumana have been mentioned here quite often , I think there could maybe be a connection ; but I don´t know if these sub-prefectures correspond to the seemingly smaller villages of Baro and Koumana ( correct ? or am I mixing up things ? ) .

From what I´ve read here and there I think it should be quite near to Gberedu . Then again I found a sub-prefecture called Gbérédou-Baranama in the Kankan prefecture .
Here again I don´t know if this sub-prefecture correponds to the Gberedu that is often mentioned together with Hamana ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kankan_Prefecture

On the other hand Hamanah ( Hamana ) is mentioned on different sites as being either a canton or a district . Well , I can not find any index of administrative entities of Guinea being either Districts or Cantons ( smaller than sub-prefectures ?... )

Below is a reference to the " Gberedou/Hamana region " , unfortunately it is not mentioned to which sub-prefecture(s) it corresponds ...
Additionally Baro and Koumana are mentioned as villages ... ( pointing maybe to the sub-prefectures mentioned above ?... )

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gberedou/_Hamana


Ok , this was the point where I left the whole thing for good .


In the future , I´ll use this thread when trying to ascertain some administrative or historical region , that can not be easily pinned down .

[Paul]

I don't have the information off hand but will look it up.

Also it will depend on the colonial power and the governments since independence on how districts are formed. When I wrote my dissertation on the mano river area of Forestiere, sierra leone and liberia the difference in the form of administrative districts was apparant. Guinea abolished cantons chiefs under Sekou Toure and actively recruited people from outside the region or from within the party system to be district leaders. Also as a method of state building it was important to break up ethnic regions where possible otherwise you will always have a malinke candidate winner from the north east and a Susu from the coast etc... Though this still happens.

Will look for the relevant research

[korman]

Here is a map showing Hamanah and Wassolon regions from Mamady Keita's first book. Shaded area shows all the territories where Malinke live.