Felup

Felup (properly Fulup), a Negro people of Senegambia, whose territory extends along the Atlantic coast from the Gambia river south to the Cacheo (Kajiu) river. It is thus mainly limited to the Casa-manza basin, though it appears to have formerly extended to the Geba and the Bissagos Islands, some 70 miles farther south. Fulup was originally the name of a single tribe, which was later extended by the Portuguese traders to the Yola, Ayamat, Jigush, Karon, Vaca, Joat, Banyfin, Banjar, Bayot, and all the other kindred tribes, who jointly with the Sereres, Filhams, Bolas, Pepels, and Kanyops of the Rio Grande, form a Negro family distinct at least in speech from all the other natives of Senegambia. The Fulfips proper exhibit all the physical and moral characteristics of the typical Negro in an almost exaggerated form. The complexion is decidedly black, the face flat, the nose flat and broad at the base, the lips very thick and everted, the hair short and woolly and absent from the face, the figure rather short but strong and muscular. There is no tribal cohesion, every village being independent, and mostly at war with its neighbours. Even the family is scarcely developed, promiscuous unions being still everywhere prevalent. The kidnapping or sale of children is also universal, and the passion for drink is carried to an excess elsewhere unknown. The people go naked, armed with the bow and arrow, and live in log huts, which are substantially built, but indescribably filthy. (Bertrand-Bocande, Sur les Floups ou Feloups, Bulletin de la Soc. de Geograpltie, 1849.)