The Yalunka or Jallonke ( or ) are a Mande people who were one of the original inhabitants of the Futa Jallon , a mountainous region in Guinea, West Africa. They are a branch of the Mandinka people of West Africa. Today, the Yalunka are concentrated mostly in Guinea and Sierra Leone, while small communities also live in Senegal and Mali. In both Guinea and Sierra Leone, the Yalunka are typically classified as ethnic Mandinka because of the similarities in languages and culture, including dress.