Africa
of the Zandeh peoples on the Nile-Congo watershed. These Libyans or
Berbers, included by G. Sergi in his ``Mediterranean Race,'' were active on
the north coast of Africa in very early times, and had relations with the
Egyptians from a prehistoric period. For long these movements continued,
always in the same direction, from north to south and from east to west;
though, of course, more rapid changes took place in the open country,
especially in the great eastern highway from north to south, than in the
forest area. Large states arose in the western Sudan; Ghana flourished in
the 7th century A.D., Melle in the 11th, Songhai in the 14th, and Bornu in
the 16th.
Meanwhile in the east began the southerly movement of the Bechuana, which
was probably,spread over a considerable period. Later than they, hut
proceeding faster, came the Zulu-Xosa (``Kaffir'') peoples, who followed a
line nearer the coast and outflanked them, surrounding them on the south.
Then followed a time of great ethnical confusion in South Africa, during
which tribes flourished, split up and disappeared; but ere this the culture
represented by the ruins in Rhodesia had waxed and waned. It is uncertain
who were the builders of the forts and ``cities,'' but it is not improbable
that they may be found to have been early Bechuana. The Zulu-Xosa, Bechuana
and Herero together form a group which may conveniently be termed
``Southern Bantu.',
Finally began a movement hitherto unparalleled in the history of African
migration; certain peoples of Zulu blood began to press north, spreading
destruction in their wake. Of these the principal were the Matabele and
Angoni. The movement continued as far as the Victoria Nyanza. Here, on the
border-line of Negro, Bantu and Hamite, important changes had taken place.
Certain of the Negro tribes had retired to the swamps of the Nile, and had
become somewhat specialized, both physically and culturally (Shilluk,
Dinka, Alur, Acholi, &c.). These had blended with the Hamites to produce
such races as the Masai and kindred tribes. The old Kitwara empire, which
comprised the plateau land between the Ruwenzori range and Kavirondo, had
broken up into small states, usually governed by a Hamitic (Ba-Hima)
aristocracy. The more extensive Zang (Zenj) empire, of which. the name
Zanzibar (Zanguebar) is a lasting memorial, extending along the sea-board
from Somaliland to the Zambezi, was also extinct. The Arabs had established
themselves firmly on the coast, and thence made continual slave-raids into
the interior, penetrating later to the Congo. The Swahili, inhabiting the
coast-line from the equator to about 16 deg. S., are a somewhat
heterogeneous mixture of Bantu with a tinge of Arab blood.
In the neighbourhood of Victoria Nyanza, where Hamite, Bantu, Nilotic
Negro and Pygmy are found in close contact, the ethnic relations of tribes
are often puzzling, but the Bantu not under a Hamitic domination have been
divided by F. Stuhlmann into the Older Bantu (Wanyamwezi, Wasukuma,
Wasambara, Waseguha, Wasagara, Wasaramo, &c.) and the Bantu of Later
Immigration (Wakikuyu, Wakamba, Wapokomo, Wataita, Wachaga, &c.), who are
more strongly Hamitized and in many cases have adopted Masai customs. These
peoples, from the Victoria Nyanza to the Zambezi, may conveniently be
termed the ``Eastern Bantu.''
Turning to the Congo basin in the south, the great Luba and Lunda peoples
are found stretching nearly across the continent, the latter, from at any
rate the end of the 16th century until the close of the 19th century, more
or less united under a single ruler, styled Muata Yanvo. These seem to have
been the most recent immigrants from the south-east, and to exhibit certain
affinities with the Barotse on the upper Zambezi. Among the western Baluba,
or Bashilange, a remarkable politico-religious revolution took place at a
comparatively recent date, initiated by a secret society termed Bena Riamba
or ``Sons of Hemp,'' and resulted in the subordination of the old fetishism
to a cult of hemp, in accordance with which all hemp-smokers consider
themselves brothers, and the duty of mutual hospitality, &c., is
acknowledged. North of these, in the great bend of the Congo, are the
Balolo, &c., the Balolo a nation of iron-workers; and westward, on the
Kasai, the Bakuba, and a large number of tribes as yet imperfectly known.
Farther west are the tribes of Angola, many of whom were included within
the old ``Congo empire,'' of which the kingdom of Loango was an offshoot.
North of the latter lies the Gabun, with a large number of small tribes
dominated by the Fang who are recent arrivals from the Congo. Farther to
the north are the Bali and other tribes of the Cameroon, among whom many
primitive Negroid elements begin to appear. Eastward are the Zandeh peoples
of the Welle district (primitive Negroids with a Hamitic or, more probably,
Libyan strain), with whom the Dor trine of Nilotes on their eastern border
show certain affinities; while to the west along the coast are the Guinea
Negroes of primitive type. Here, amidst great linguistic confusion, may be
distinguished the tribes of Yoruba speech in the Niger delta and the east
portion of the Slave Coast; those of Ewe speech, in the western portion of
the latter; and those of Ga and Tshi speech, on the Gold Coast. Among the
last two groups respectively may be mentioned the Dahomi and Ashanti.
Similar tribes are found along the coast to the Bissagos Islands, though
the introduction in Sierra Leone and Liberia of settlements of repatriated
slaves from the American plantations has in those places modified the
original ethnic distribution. Leaving the forest zone and entering the more
open country there are, on the north from the Niger to the Nile, a number
of Negroids strongly tinged with Libyan blood and professing the Mahommedan
religion. Such are the Mandingo, the Songhai, the Fula, Hausa, Kanuri,
Bagirmi, Kanembu, and the peoples of Wadai and Darfur; the few aborigines
who persist, on the southern fringe of the Chad basin, are imperfectly
known.
Peculiar conditions in Madagascar.
The island of Madagascar, belonging to the African continent, still
remains for discussion. Here the ethnological conditions are people were
the Hova, a Malayo-Indonesian people who must have come from the Malay
Peninsula or the adjacent islands. The date of their immigration has been
line subject of a good deal of dispute, but it may be argued that their
arrival must have taken place in early times, since Malagasy speech, which
is the language of the island, is principally Malayo-Polynesian in origin,
and contains no traces of Sanskrit. Such traces, introduced with Hinduism,
are present in all the cultivated languages of Malaysia at the present
day.The Hova occupy the table-land of Imerina and form the first of the
three main groups into which the population of Madagascar may be divided.
They are short, of an olive-yellow complexion and have straight or faintly
wavy hair. On the east coast are the Malagasy, who in physical
characteristics stand halfway between the Hova and the Sakalava, the last
occupying the remaining portion of the island and displaying almost pure
Negroid characteristics.
Though the Hova belong to a race naturally addicted to seafaring, the
contrary is the case respecting the Negroid population, and the presence of
the latter in the island has been explained by the supposition that they
were imported by the Hova. Other authorities assign less antiquity to the
Hova immigration and believe that they found the Negroid tribes already in
occupation of the island.
As might be expected, the culture found in Madagascar contains two
elements, Negroid and Malayo-Indonesian. The first of these two shows
certain affinities with the culture characteristic of the western area of
Africa, such as rectangular huts, clothing of bark and palm-fibre,
fetishism, &c., but cattle-breeding is found as well as agriculture.
However, the Negroid tribes are more and more adopting the customs and mode
of life of the Hova, among whom are found pile-houses, the sarong, yadi or
tabu applied to food, a non-African form of bellows, &c., all
characteristic of their original home. The Hova, during the 19th century,
embraced Christianity, but retain, nevertheless, many of their old
animistic beliefs; their original social organization in three classes,
andriana or nobles, hova or freemen, and andevo or slaves, has been
modified by the French, who have abolished kingship and slavery. An Arab
infusion is also to be noticed, especially on the north-east and south-east
coasts.
It is impossible to give a complete list of the tribes inhabiting Africa,
owing to the fact that the country is not fully explored. Even where the
names of the tribes are known their ethnic relations are still a matter of
uncertainty in many localities.
The following list, therefore, must be regarded as purely tentative, and
liable to correction in the light of fuller information:-
AFRICAN TRIBAL DISTRIBUTION
LIBYANS
(North Africa, excluding Egypt)
Berbers, including – Kabyles, Mzab, Shawia, Tuareg
LIBYO-NEGROID TRANSITIONAL
Fula (West Sudan)
Tibbu (Central Sudan)
HAMITES
(East Sudan and Horn of Africa)
Beja, including – Ababda, Hadendoa, Bisharin, Beni-Amer, Hamran, Galla,
Somali, Danakil (Afar)
Ba-Hima, including — Wa-Tussi, Wa-Hha, Wa-Rundi, Wa-Ruanda
HAMITO-SEMITES
Fellahin (Egypt)
Abyssinians (with Negroid admixture)
HAMITO-NEGROID TRANSITIONAL
Masai
Wa-Kuafi
NEGROID TRIBES
West Sudan Central Sudan Eastern
Tukulor Songhai Fur Kargo
Wolof Hausa Dago Kulfan
Serer Bagirmi Kunjara Kolaji
Leybu Kanembu Tegele Tumali
Mandingo, including— Kanuri Nuba
Kassonke Tama
Yallonke Maba Zandeh Tribes
Soninke Birkit (Akin to Nilotics,
but
Bambara Massalit probably with
Fula
Vei Korunga element)
Susu Kabbaga Azandeh (Niam
Niam)
Solima &c. Makaraka
Malinke Mundu
Mangbettu
Probably also— Ababwa
Mossi Mege
Borgu Abisanga
Tombo } Mabode{ probably
Gurma } Momfu { with Pygmy
Gurunga } { element
Dagomba } Probably with Mandingan element Allied are—
Mampursi } Banziri Languassi
Gonja } Ndris Wia-Wia
&c. } Togbo Awaka
&c.
NEGROES
West African Tribes
Tribes of Tshi and Ga Tribes of Yeruba
speech, including—- speech, including—
Khabunke
Balanta Ashanti Yoruba
Bagnori Safwi Ibadan
Bagnum Denkera Ketu
Felup, including— Bekwai Egba
Ayamat Nkoranza Jebu
Jola Adansi Remo
Jigush Assin Ode
Vaca Wassaw Illorin
Joat Ahanta Ijesa
Karon Fanti Ondo
Banyum Angona Mahin
Banjar Akwapim Bini
Fulum Akim Kakanda
Bayot Akwamu Wari
&c. Kwao Ibo
Bujagos Ga Efik
Biafare Andoni
Landuman Tribes of Ewe speech, Kwa
Nalu including— Ibibio
Baga Ekoi
Sape Dahomi Inokun
Bulam Eweawo Akunakuim
Mendi Agotine Munshi
Limba Krepi Ikwe
Gallina Avenor
Timni Awuna
Pessi Agbosomi
Gola Aflao
Kondo Ataklu
Bassa Krikor
Kru Geng
Grebo Attaldoami
Awekwom Aja
Agni Ewemi
Oshiu Appa
Central Negroes Eastern Negroes
Bolo Pure Nilotics
Yako Shilluk
Tangala Nuer
Kali Dinka
Mishi Jur (Diur)
Doma Mittu
Mosgu, including— Jibbeh
Mandara Madi
Margi Lendu
Logon Alur (Lur)
Gamergu Acholi
Keribina Abaka
Kuri Golo
&c.
Nilotics with affinity
Nilotics with Affinity with Masai
with Zandeh tribes Latuka
Dor (Bongo) Bari
NEGRO-BANTU NILOTIC-BANTU
TRANSITIONAL TRANSITIONAL
Bali Ba-Kwiri Ja-Luo
Ba-Kossi Abo
Ba-Ngwa Dualla
Ba-Nyang Bassa PYGMY TRIBES
Ngolo Ba-Noko Central Arica
Ba-Fo Ba-Puko Akka
Ba-Kundu Ba-Koko Ja-Mbute
Isubu Ba-Bongo
Ashango
&c.
BANTU NEGROIDS
Western Central Eastern
Ogowe Luba-Lunda Group Lacustrians
Ashira Ba-Luba, including— Ba-Nyoro
Ishogo Ba-Songe Ba-Toro
Ashango Wa-Rua Wa-Siba
Bakalai Wa-Guha Wa-Sinja
Nkomi Katanga Wa-Kerewe
Orungu Ba-Shilange (with Wa-Shashi
Mpongwe Ba-Kete element) Wa-Rundi
Oshekiani Ba-Iro
Benga Ba-Lunda Ba-Ganda
Ininga Probably connected Ba-Soga
Galao are— Ba-Kavirondo,
Apingi Manyema including—
Okanda Ba-Kumu Awaware
Osaka Wa-Regga Awarimi
Aduma Ba-Rotse, including— Awakisii
Mbamba Ma-Mbunda &c.
Umbete Ma-Supia
Bule Ma-Shukulumbwe
Bane Ba-Tonga Bantu of Recent
Yaunde and probably Immigration
Maka Va-Lovale
Bomone Wa-Kikuyu
Kunabembe Tribes of the Congo Wa-Kamba
Fang (recent immigrants bend Wa-Pokomo
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