Gbaya people
Total population | |
---|---|
1.2 million[3] | |
Languages | |
Gbaya | |
Religion | |
Christianity |
The Gbaya, also Gbeya or Baya, are a people of western region of
In rural areas, the Gbaya cultivate mainly maize, cassava, yams, peanuts, tobacco, coffee and rice, the latter two of which were introduced by the French. Today, many of the Gbaya people are Christians, though witchcraft is practiced, known as dua.
History
Gbaya people have been present in Central Africa since at least the 16th century.[5] Archaeological researches have determined their place of origin to be located somewhere in the lower valley of the Lobaye River.[6] During the early 19th century, several Gbaya tribes migrated toward the Eastern area of whats is now Cameroon.[6]
During the 19th century, a series of wars opposed Gbaya tribes to
The first contact with Europeans occurred in 1892, when French explorer Antoine Mizon entered Gbaya territory after steaming up the Sangha River.[9]
In the early 1900s, the area where the Gbaya lived became part of
When the
In 1928,
who claimed to possess magical powers that could defeat the French, caused the Gbaya to revolt massively. Karnu was killed early, but revolt kept raging for about three years until the French were finally able to put it down.The Gbaya people felt discriminated against in the political sphere, even after independence from the French.[citation needed] It was only in the 1990s that a notable number of Gbaya leaders began to be admitted into higher administrative positions in government.[16] More recent estimates of the population differ markedly, from 1.2 million,[17] down to 685,100, of which 358,000 are native to Cameroon.[citation needed]
Gbaya culture often takes an interest in the past and various traditions of martial arts, including disciplines that use hand-to-hand weapons.
Subgroups and languages
Subgroups of the Gbaya include the
Cannibalism
Pre-colonial and early
By the end of the 20th century, anthropophagy is considered to have completely disappeared from Gbaya culture. One of the last recorded cases occurred in 1949, when a dozen old Gbaya men from a village near Bertoua were arrested after having indulged in ritual cannibalism.[22]
Economic and cultural practices
In rural areas, the Gbaya cultivate mainly maize, cassava (staple food),[23] yams, peanuts, tobacco, coffee and rice, the latter two of which were introduced by the French. The diamond industry took off in the late 1930s and still remains important.[1] The agriculture method of Gbaya is called "swidden", a type of "slash and burn" farming where the forest is cleared, vegetation burnt on top of the cleared land, the farm used for a few years, then abandoned and the families move to a new area.[23]
The Gbaya make an alcoholic beverage prepared with honey which is known as kuri. Kam, is a Gbaya porridge made from cassava.[16] Today, most of the Gbaya people are Christians (50% Protestant, 33% Catholic), about 12% follows original indigenous beliefs, with only a minority of Muslims (3%).[23][24] Witchcraft is known to be practiced, and is known to the people as dua.[25]
Stories and rituals of the Gbaya people are a feature of everyday society.[26] The rituals employ martial arts equipment such as dual-edged swords and throwing knives.[27]
Famous People
- François Bozizé, 6th president of Central African Republic
- Alexandre Banza, Former minister of finance and state of Central African Republic
- Michel Gbezera-Bria, Former prime minister of the Central African Republic
See also
References
- ^ a b c d "Gbaya". Encyclopædia Britannica. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
- ISBN 978-1-135-45669-6.
- ISBN 978-0-313-27918-8.
- S2CID 145474688.
- ^ Bateranzigo, Léonidas (1995). Les Gbaya et les Kaka de l'Est-Cameroun, des Origines à 1960. University of Yaoundé. p. 33.
- ^ a b Bateranzigo 1995, p. 97.
- ^ Bateranzigo 1995, p. 93.
- ^ Bateranzigo 1995, p. 34.
- ^ Bateranzigo 1995, p. 122.
- ^ Bateranzigo 1995, p. 127.
- ^ Bateranzigo 1995, p. 128.
- ^ Bateranzigo 1995, p. 130.
- ^ Bateranzigo 1995, p. 131.
- ^ Bateranzigo 1995, p. 139.
- ^ a b c d Bateranzigo 1995, p. 140.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-8239-1995-6.
- ISBN 978-0-313-27918-8.
- ^ Bateranzigo 1995, p. 96.
- ^ Webster, Hutton (1942). Taboo: A Sociological Study. Stanford University. p. 126.
- ^ Clozel, François-Joseph (1896). Les Bayas : notes ethnographiques et linguistiques. p. 9.
- ^ Clozel 1896, p. 9.
- ^ Bateranzigo 1995, p. 401.
- ^ ISBN 978-1-4129-3636-1.
- ISBN 978-91-7106-403-5.
- ISBN 978-3-643-90657-1.
- ISBN 978-1-4742-8137-9.
- ISBN 978-0-313-33203-6.