The Fulani, the word's largest group of nomadic herders, have long played an influential role in the region not only for their cattle, but for their advocacy of Islam. Their neighbors, the Dogon, practice a set of traditional beliefs that illustrate the power of the relationship between Africans and their environment.
Covering most of Northern Africa, the Sahara is the largest hot desert in the world. For millennia, it has served as a nearly impenetrable barrier, dividing African peoples between the north and south. However, humans are nothing if not stubborn and over time many cultures have emerged within this vast ecosystem. It may be considered harsh, barren, and treacherous; but it is also home to many.
