Lika / Balika

Lika / Balika / Liko / Malika / Walika

The Balika (Lika, Malika, Walika) are a Bantu tribe who are reported to be culturally similar to the Bandaka but linguistically akin to the Ababua. With the Balika are tentatively included the Abulu and Liko to the south on the basis of 1953 maps.

The Lika are found in Democratic Republic of the Congo and are numbering 173,000 (Peoplegroups.org, 2024)

Their primary language is Lika.

Lika People

 

Basic Economy

Primarily agricultural, with bananas the staple crop.

 

Settlement Pattern

There are concentrated villages consisting of a double row of dwellings along a broad street with men's houses in the center. Rectangular dwellings with gabled roofs are the norm.

 

Community Organization

The settlement is definitely a patrilocal clan-community. Circumcision is practiced.

 

Local Government

Various sources mention of chiefs with little authority.

 

State

Political integration presumably is lacking above the local level.

 

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