The Bakota (or Kota) are a
Bantu ethnic group from the northeastern region of
Gabon
Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the nort ...
and
Congo. The language they speak is called
iKota
Kota, or ''iKota'', is an Bantu language spoken by the Bakota people. It is spoken in northeastern Gabon, Ogooué-Ivindo Province and in some areas of Republic of Congo. According to ''Ethnologue
''Ethnologue: Languages of the World'' (s ...
, but is sometimes referred to as Bakota, ikuta, Kota, and among the
Fang, they are known as Mekora. The language has several dialects, which include: Ndambomo, Mahongwe, Ikota-la-hua, Sake, Menzambi, Bougom. Some of these dialects themselves include regional variations of some kind.
Culture
The Kota are traditionally a
patriarchal society, however some of the sub-groups such as the Mahongwe have over time adopted a
matrilineal
Matrilineality is the tracing of kinship through the female line. It may also correlate with a social system in which each person is identified with their matriline – their mother's lineage – and which can involve the inheritance ...
system of
lineage (Mahongwe means, "from your father"). Another key feature of the Kota people is the originality of its circumcision and widow-purification rituals, which are generally kept secret.
The true meaning of Bakota is unclear, however it may be derived from the word kota, which means to bind/to attach/to link, hereby suggesting they view themselves as a united people bound by a common fate.
Most Kota people are
Roman Catholic
Roman or Romans most often refers to:
*Rome, the capital city of Italy
* Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD
* Roman people, the people of ancient Rome
*'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a let ...
. The area of Gabon they live in is home of the
Apostolic Vicariate of Makokou.
Population
Estimates indicate that there are at least 43,500 Kota speakers in the world, of whom 34,442 people (79%) live in the
Ogouee-Ivindo province of northeastern Gabon, and 9055 people (21%) in neighboring
Congo-Brazzaville. They make up the majority of the population of the regional capital city
Makokou.
Politically, the Kota have been classified under the disputed "stateless societies" category. They have a strong egalitarian background, which in some instances cuts across age and gender lines. Kota children are taught to value tradition, respect for the elderly, and the concept of "Ewele" (loosely translated as 'pride').
Mbulu Ngulu Reliquary Figures
They are noted for their
copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu (from la, cuprum) and atomic number 29. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. A freshly exposed surface of pure copper has a pinkis ...
and
brass
Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn), in proportions which can be varied to achieve different mechanical, electrical, and chemical properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other wit ...
reliquary guardian figures, which are part of a powerful religious and mystical order known as Bwete. However, it is unclear if these figures were made by the Kota people themselves, of other people living in the same area of Gabon.
In the iKota language these figures are called mbulu ngulu. As the people of Gabon began to convert to Christianity in the 18th and 19th centuries, missionaries and colonial officials began to collect these figures. Today, most reliquary figures are found in museums in Europe and North America.
Influential Kota People
The Kota are not considered big players in Gabonese politics, however some Kota have been appointed to key positions in the Government.
Alexandre Sambat, a long-time ambassador to the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
who later ran for president in 1993, was of Kota origin. Pascal Desire Misongo, another Kota, has served as minister of Justice in Gabon.
Emmanuel Issoze-Ngondet was an established representative in the United Nations and served as Prime Minister of Gabon as well.
References
External links
Ethnologue report for language code:koqWolfram, Alfa, Kota Information on mbulu ngulu figure at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
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