Bariba (people)

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Bariba from Nikki, 1920

The Bariba , their own name Baatonu (plural Baatombu ), are the main people of the Bourgou department in Benin and were the founders of the Kingdom of Borgu , which is now located in northeast Benin and northwest Nigeria . Her mother tongue is the Bariba .

There are a million Bariba in total, 80% of them in Benin, where they form the fourth largest ethnic group and 1/12 of the population. The Bariba are mainly concentrated in the northeast of the country, especially around the city of Nikki , which is considered the Bariba capital. They originally immigrated from the state of Kwara in what is now Nigeria and were very valued horse breeders. One of their most famous annual festivals is the Gani Festival , where horse riding is the most important part. The festival is seen as an integral part of Bariba culture.

The Bariba people have an important place in the history of the country: during the late 19th century, the Bariba had already established several independent states and dominated the north-east of the country with kingdoms in cities such as Nikki and Kandi . In the city of Parakou there are still around 200,000 Bariba of over 365,000 inhabitants.

The Bariba Society consists of a high-ranking official as the chief of the city and his subordinate chiefs. Social status and title are passed on in the family, but the status of the person can also be passed on through work. Distinct social classes of the Bariba are the ruling Wasangari aristocrats, bourgeois Baatombu, slaves of various origins, Dendi traders, Fulbe herd keepers and other sub-groups ( ethnicities ).

Agriculture is the main source of income for the Bariba. They mainly grow corn , sorghum , rice , cotton , cassava (tapioca), yams , beans , palm oil and peanuts , while others raise poultry and cattle. Religion plays an important role in the Bariba groups; they have recently turned increasingly to Islam , whereas in the past - until the 1980s - they were predominantly followers of their traditional West African religion. Islam was introduced to the Bariba by Dendi traders who came from the north. Only a few Bariba communities have retained their indigenous religion.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Encyclopedia Britannica
  2. ↑ a b Stuart Butler: Benin . Bradt Travel Guides, The Globe Pequot Press, Guilford, Connecticut, 2006, p. 21.
  3. ^ " Clarify" , date: October 2010
  4. ^ " Dubious ", date: October 2010
  5. ^ "Clarify ", date: October 2010
  6. ^ A b c d Sargent, Carolyn Fishel: The Cultural Context of Therapeutic Choice . D. Reidel Publishing Company, Holland., 1982.