Baka people (Congo and South Sudan)

Last updated
Baka man Richard Buchta - Portrait of a Baka man.jpg
Baka man
Baka homestead Richard Buchta - Baka homestead.jpg
Baka homestead

The Baka is an ethnic group found in both the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the majority in Western and Central Equatoria Regions in South Sudan. In South Sudan, they are mainly Christians and number about 65,000 people (1993). [1]

Contents

The Baka are of the Central Sudanic group and they inhabit the land mass stretching from the Suuwe Stream to Logo around Yei. The majority of them have inhabited the areas of Maridi for thousands of years. Between 1926 and 1930, E. E. Evans-Pritchard, while conducting fieldwork in the Southern Sudan referred to the Baka people as the Central Sudanic group (not the Baka Pygmies of Congo and elsewhere) and they inhabit the areas of Maridi and Yei and they form the largest ethnic group in Maridi. Evans Pritchard further stated that the Baka people are linguistically akin to the Morokodo, Bongo, Nyamusa and ‘Beli of Southern Sudan. [2]

Baka Flute in 1930 Baka Flute in 1930.jpg
Baka Flute in 1930

Richard Buchta was an Austrian explorer in East Africa. [3] A translation from his personal diary said: "I have visited the Baka people and tracked for months throughout their land of Maridi, southern part of the Sudan, and I experienced the wrath of the humidity from under the canopied forests, the freshness of the air from the mountains, the cooling drops from the rains, the soothing sounds from the flow of the streams from the highlands and the lulling sounds from the Baka songs. The Baka people of Sudan are truly masters of their forests, rivers, wild plants and mountains, and they are hunters and gatherers mixed with the practices of subsistence farming in patches of lands here and there in the deep forests. Above all they are excellent songsters of their jungles, and their songs are often interwoven with the echoes from the rolling mountains, responsive to the flowing rivers and bounces back from the flapping leaves of the trees of their lands. Even the birds and insects of the jungles sing back to the Baka songsters". [4]

Baka Legend and Creation Mythos

In Buchta's diary, he wrote: "the Baka people are mythical, and the essence of their mythology is the creation mythos which advanced a set of recurrent beliefs and fairy tales about the creation of the first man by Lomo (God). This mythos is embedded in a deep belief that according to legend, the first human being ever been created by Lomo (God) was a Baka man and Lomo named him Mái-yána (Mái-I am, yána – here), which means that I am here. Lomo then ordered Mái-yána to go to Ambingiri Mountain to sing and wait on the foot of the mountain for a companion. Mái-yána did exactly what Lomo instructed him to do. By dusk, he continued to sing and suddenly from a far distance, he heard beautiful voices of ladies singing along with him. The voices which drew closer and closer were of the seraphim ladies who were returning to enter into the mountain which happens to be their homestead. The ladies passed by Mái-yána and as the stone wall of Ambingiri Mountain opened up for the ladies to enter in, Mái-yána rushed and held one of the ladies by the arm and said to her "I know you". The lady replied that "I know you too". God immediately poured his blessings which came down from the mountain in the form of a heavy fog to cover Mái-yána and the seraphim lady. God then said to Mái-yána. "This is my daughter and I name her Mîîlumaa" (Mîîlu – I like or love it, maa – myself), which means I like or love it myself or by myself". [5]

Planting the first coffee and ngofo Planting the first coffee and ngofo.jpg
Planting the first coffee and ngofo

"As the fog cleared, God then handed to Mái-yána a bow and arrows and a spear. God turned to Mîîlumaa and gave her a kubi (a flat basket made out of reeds and grasses) containing three important seeds which are a Coffee seed, a seed of mgberi and a seed of Ngofo. God said to Mái-yána and his companion Mîîlumaa to go on a journey to Muroko forest to plant the seed of Ngofo and wait for it to grow into a big tree. From the Ngofo tree, Mái-yána must extract its buck to make many beehives in order for the bees to colonize it and make the best honey with a distinct tang and flavor. God also instructed Mái-yána to plant the one coffee seed under a tree canopy and watch over it to grow so that he and his companion can roast the coffee beans and to send its relishing aroma for God to enjoy and also for them to drink for generation to come. Finally, God instructed Mîîlumaa to plant and cultivate the seed of mgberi and make out of its harvests some of the best delicacies for them to eat and enjoy for generation to come". [6]

Mái-yána and his companion Mîîlumaa therefore began their journey to Muroko forest which lasted 20 days and 20 nights. Mái-yána and Mîîlumaa schemed through the lush green land of Maridi; listening to the chirping birds, and the trilling and hissing insects; crossing cold and gushing streams; hiking and descending through mountains; and evading the ever drizzling and rain drops. According to legend, God then gave them leopard skin cloths to cover up and to keep them warm. God then said to Mái-yána and Mîîlumaa that with the leopard skin cloths, they must always sing and dance in expression of their feelings, emotions, sorrows, arts, and messages. So, before any of their singing and dancing performances, they must sing and chant the leopard's name so as to fend off the undesirable energy and invite in the leopard's agility and Vigor.

Mái-yána and Mîîlumaa arrived in Muroko forest and settled. They planted the seeds of coffee, mgberi and Ngofo. The seeds germinated and multiplied into healthy trees and creepers. Mái-yána and Mîîlumaa produced children and had grandchildren. They toured together the vast lush green land, the impenetrable forests, the rolling hills and the gushing rivers. As Mái-yána and his companion Mîîlumaa grew old, they gathered their children, the grandchildren and hiked into a range of mountains. After a few days they reach the summit of one of the mountains. They stood on the summit of the mountain and Mái-yána turned to his companion, children and grandchildren and chanted "Lomo ni bo, Lomo ni mongu eyii" (meaning is present and God is the Almighty) in acknowledgement of the wonders of God's creation. Mái-yána then sat down, leaned on one of the rocks and raised his hands to point towards the sunrise direction and said: "Put me to rest as I face that sunrise and when Mîîlumaa follows me, put her to rest next to me but to face the sunset". With these words he closed his eyes and passed on". [7]

Baka Spiritualism

A picture of a Baka Tribe Royal Sceptre A picture of a Baka Tribe Royal Sceptre.jpg
A picture of a Baka Tribe Royal Sceptre

‘riçart ‘buxtɐ (Richard Buchta) has also written that: "The most remarkable and unique nature of the Baka people is their spiritualism which is intertwined within their mythology. In the first place, the basis of the Baka people spiritualism is deeply rooted in their belief that a Baka man and woman are products of creation by one supernatural power known as Lomo, which is translated to mean God. This spiritualism and its distinctive emphasis on one God (Lomo) denote monotheism. Furthermore, the Baka spiritualism is also embedded into a creed which illustrates that the same one God (Lomo) can translate himself separately to each individual according to his or her required role in the community or family. Many times a Baka prayer is usually recited in a homestead by a call for the God of so and so, and the God of this or that person. This does not imply in any way that the Baka people believe in many Gods. It simply means that the same one God manifests himself separately to each and every person depending on the roles and powers God ascribes to him or her for intercession purposes. The purpose of such a call during prayers by the Baka is to place emphasis on the belief on the already ascribed roles and powers that God has granted. Above all, such a call of belief is a recognition that the same God's manifestation runs through the family or community's chain of consanguinity from time in memorial to the present and must be utilized during worship and plight.

Secondly, the Baka people spiritualism goes further to manifest itself in the roles and functions of the Baka Chiefs or Ngére (translated to mean lord). So all Baka Chiefs whether they are on official affirmation as Chiefs or not, are all believed to be ordained by God (Lomo). Thus each of the Chiefs (Ngére) has been granted specialized and distinct tasks and responsibilities which they are required to execute here on earth. In special times, Ngére can even conduct an act of intercession. As a result there is a Ngére for human fertility; a Ngére for protection; a Ngére for war; a Ngére for rituals; a Ngére for blessings; a Ngére for production and harvests; a Ngére for rain; a Ngére for wind, fog and fire; a Ngére for dispute management and justice, a Ngére for land, forests, mountains and rivers; a Ngére for artisan and blacksmith works, a Ngére for songs and folklore, a Ngére for conferment, a Ngére for constellation, a Ngére as an emissary and a Ngére for prophecy". [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghost</span> Supernatural being originating in folklore

In folklore, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a dead person or non-human animal that is believed to be able to appear to the living. In ghostlore, descriptions of ghosts vary widely, from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes to realistic, lifelike forms. The deliberate attempt to contact the spirit of a deceased person is known as necromancy, or in spiritism as a séance. Other terms associated with it are apparition, haunt, haint, phantom, poltergeist, shade, specter, spirit, spook, wraith, demon, and ghoul.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Syncretism</span> Combination of beliefs and traditions

Syncretism is the practice of combining different beliefs and various schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the theology and mythology of religion, thus asserting an underlying unity and allowing for an inclusive approach to other faiths. While syncretism in art and culture is sometimes likened to eclecticism, in the realm of religion, it specifically denotes a more integrated merging of beliefs into a unified system, distinct from eclecticism, which implies a selective adoption of elements from different traditions without necessarily blending them into a new, cohesive belief system. Syncretism also manifests in politics, known as syncretic politics.

A creator deity or creator god is a deity responsible for the creation of the Earth, world, and universe in human religion and mythology. In monotheism, the single God is often also the creator. A number of monolatristic traditions separate a secondary creator from a primary transcendent being, identified as a primary creator.

Dinka spirituality is the traditional religion of the Dinka people, an ethnic group of South Sudan. They belong to the Nilotic peoples, which is a group of cultures in Southern Sudan and wider Eastern Africa. The Dinka people largely rejected or ignored Islamic and Christian teachings, as Abrahamic religious beliefs were incompatible with their society, culture and traditional beliefs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Azande people</span> Ethnic group of North Central Africa

The Azande are an ethnic group in Central Africa speaking the Zande languages. They live in the south-eastern part of the Central African Republic, the north-eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and the south-central and south-western parts of South Sudan. The Congolese Azande live in Orientale Province along the Uele River; Isiro, Dungu, Kisangani and Duruma. The Central African Azande live in the districts of Rafaï, Bangasu and Obo. The Azande of South Sudan live in Central, Western Equatoria and Western Bahr al-Ghazal States, Yei, Maridi, Yambio, Tombura, Deim Zubeir, Wau Town and Momoi.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Equatoria</span> Region in South Sudan

Equatoria is the southernmost region of South Sudan, along the upper reaches of the White Nile and the border between South Sudan and Uganda. Juba, the national capital and the largest city in South Sudan, is located in Equatoria. Originally a province of Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, it also contained most of northern parts of present-day Uganda, including Lake Albert and West Nile. It was an idealistic effort to create a model state in the interior of Africa that never consisted of more than a handful of adventurers and soldiers in isolated outposts.

Georgian mythology refers to the mythology of pre-Christian Georgians, an indigenous Caucasian ethnic group native to Georgia and the South Caucasus. The mythology of the Kartvelian peoples is believed by many scholars to have formed part of the religions of the kingdoms of Diauehi, Colchis and Iberia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madi people</span> Ethnic group

The Mà'dí are a Central Sudanic speaking people that live in Magwi County in Eastern Equatoria, South Sudan and the districts of Adjumani and Moyo in Uganda. From south to north, the area runs from Nimule, at the South Sudan Uganda border, to Nyolo River where the Ma’di mingle with the Acholi, the Bari, and the Lolubo. From the east to west, it runs from Parajok/Magwi to Uganda across the River Nile.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Avukaya people</span>

The Avukaya are an ethnic group of South Sudan. Some members of this ethnic have fled to the Democratic Republic of the Congo due to persecution. About 50,000 members of this ethnic group live in South Sudan. Many members of this ethnic group belong to the Christian minority of South Sudan. The Avukaya traditionally live in a rain-forest area in Equatoria close to the Democratic Republic of Congo in Southern Sudan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Traditional African religions</span> Diverse traditional beliefs and practices of African people

The beliefs and practices of African people are highly diverse, and include various ethnic religions. Generally, these traditions are oral rather than scriptural and are passed down from one generation to another through folk tales, songs, and festivals, and include beliefs in spirits and higher and lower gods, sometimes including a supreme being, as well as the veneration of the dead, and use of magic and traditional African medicine. Most religions can be described as animistic with various polytheistic and pantheistic aspects. The role of humanity is generally seen as one of harmonizing nature with the supernatural. Unlike Abrahamic religions, African traditional religions are not idealisations, and they seek to come to terms with reality as it is. They generally seek to explain the reality of personal experience by spiritual forces which underpin orderly group life, contrasted by those that threaten it.

Moru is an ethnic group of South Sudan. Most of them live in Western Equatoria. They speak Moru, a Central South Sudanic language. Many members of this ethnicity are Christians, most being members of the Episcopal Church of the South Sudan (ECS). The Pioneer missionary in the area was Dr Kenneth Grant Fraser of the Church Missionary Society (CMS). The population of this ethnicity possibly does not exceed 200,000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Richard Buchta</span> Austrian photographer, writer and explorer (1845–1894

Richard Buchta(Austrian German pronunciation: [ˈrɪçart ˈbuxtɐ], 19 January 1845 – 29 July 1894) was an Austrian explorer in East Africa, travel writer, painter and photographer. Born in Radlow, Galicia, Austrian Empire, he traveled widely, first to Germany, France, the Balkans, and Turkey, Egypt and the Sudan. Upon his return to Germany and later to Austria, he published several books on the geography, ethnic groups and political conditions of the historic Sudan in the 1870s and 1880s. His historical photographs, taken mainly in southern Sudan, are regarded as the earliest photographs of ethnic people living along the White Nile and beyond.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keliko people</span> Ethnic group

The Keliko or Kaliko are an ethnic group in South Sudan and the Democratic Republic of the Congo, with immigrants in Uganda. Most members of the Keliko are Christians. In the Democratic Republic of the Congo, they are called kaliko umi, more especially from Laibo, Mado, awubha awuzi and so on. There is a slight pronunciation between Kaliko people in South Sudan and those in the DRC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jewish mythology</span> Body of myths associated with Judaism

Jewish mythology is the body of myths associated with Judaism. Elements of Jewish mythology have had a profound influence on Christian mythology and on Islamic mythology, as well as on Abrahamic culture in general. Christian mythology directly inherited many of the narratives from the Jewish people, sharing in common the narratives from the Old Testament. Islamic mythology also shares many of the same stories; for instance, a creation-account spaced out over six periods, the legend of Abraham, the stories of Moses and the Israelites, and many more.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Sudan People's Defence Forces</span> Combined military forces of South Sudan

The South Sudan People's Defence Forces (SSPDF), formerly the Sudan People's Liberation Army (SPLA), is the army of the Republic of South Sudan. The SPLA was founded as a guerrilla movement against the government of Sudan in 1983 and was a key participant of the Second Sudanese Civil War, led by John Garang. After Garang's death in 2005, Salva Kiir was named the SPLA's new Commander-in-Chief. As of 2010, the SPLA was divided into divisions of 10,000–14,000 soldiers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maridi</span> Place in Equatoria, South Sudan

Maridi is a town in South Sudan.

Ikotos County is an administrative area in the Eastern Equatoria state of South Sudan with headquarters in the town of Ikotos. The people, who live in the county's area by subsistence agriculture and cattle herding, are poverty-stricken. Years of civil war have made violence commonplace: most people have experienced the murder of a close family member. In 2009, AK-47 rifles were used in 42 per cent of killings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Sudan</span> Country in East Africa

South Sudan, officially the Republic of South Sudan, is a landlocked country in East Africa. It is bordered on the north by Sudan; on the east by Ethiopia; on the south by the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda and Kenya; and on the west by Central African Republic. South Sudan's diverse landscape includes vast plains and plateaus, dry and tropical savannahs, inland floodplains, and forested mountains. The Nile River system is the defining physical feature of the country, running south to north across its center, which is dominated by a large swamp known as the Sudd. South Sudan has a population of 12.7 million. Juba is the capital and largest city.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Yei River County</span> County in Central Equatoria, South Sudan

Yei River County is an administrative area in Central Equatoria with a large population of people who settled in that particular county.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mount Koubru</span> Sacred Mountain in Manipur, India

Mount Koubru (Meeteilol:ꯀꯧꯕ꯭ꯔꯨ) also known as Mount Koupalu is one of the highest mountains in Manipur, India and the abode of the god Lainingthou Koubru and the goddess Kounu in Manipuri mythology. Saparmeina town lies below the peak. It is located in the Kangpokpi district of Manipur and is one of the most visited pilgrimage sites in Manipur.

References

  1. Gurtong Peace Project Dead link
  2. L.F. Nalder ed., 1937, A Tribal Survey of Mongalla Province, p. 185-6
  3. "Biography information for Buchta at the Southern Sudan Project". web.prm.ox.ac.uk. Retrieved 2 June 2020.
  4. Friedrich Ratzel (1903), "Buchta, Richard", Allgemeine Deutsche Biographie (in German), vol. 47, Leipzig: Duncker & Humblot, p. 332
  5. Pitt Rivers Museum Photograph and Manuscript Collections. "Richard Buchta's photographs of Equatoria, 1878–1880". Pitt Rivers Museum, Oxford. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
  6. Morton, Christopher. "Richard Buchta and the Visual Representation of Equatoria in the Later Nineteenth Century". The African Photographic Archive: Research and Curatorial Strategies. pp. 19–38
  7. ‘riçart ‘buxtɐ (Richard Buchta), “The Baka People of Southern Sudan and their Spiritualism, Legend and Mythology (A translation from the personal dairy of an Austrian German, ‘riçart ‘buxtɐ in 1877)
  8. ‘riçart ‘buxtɐ (Richard Buchta), “The Baka People of Southern Sudan and their Spiritualism, Legend and Mythology (A translation from the personal dairy of an Austrian German, ‘riçart ‘buxtɐ in 1877)