The Mbaka are a minority ethnic group in the Central African Republic and northwest Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Mbaka are also known as the Bwaka and Ngbaka
The Bwaka (Bouaka, Gbwaka, Mbaka, Mbuaka, Ngbaka, Ngbwaka) are a tribe akin to the Ngbanfli and belong to the eastern branch of the Niger-Congo linguistic stock.
The M'Baka speak the Mbaka language and have a global population of 376,500 (Peoplegroups.org, 2024)
In Democratic Republic of the Congo, they are concentrated in the northwest córner of the country along the Ubangi River near the town of Zongo.
Most Mbakas still residing along the river make their living as fishermen.
They have played a key role in the history of the Central African Republic. In 1890, the Mbakas entered into a long-term political relationship with the French that placed them in powerful positions in the colonial administrative structure. Many key leaders in the recent history of the Central African Republic—Barthelemy Boganda, David Dacko, and Jean-Bedel Bokassa—are members of the Mbaka group.
The Mbakas speak Mbaka language, a Ubangian language. The Gilima variety is assigned to a separate ISO 639-3 code.
Basic Economy. Primarily agricultural. The staple crop is bitter manioc, followed by bananas. Considerable maize, taro, and yams also are grown, and some peanuts and sweet potatoes. The Bwaka keep chickens, dogs (for hunting and food), and a few goats. One source mentions sheep. Fishing is of considerable importance, some hunting is done, larvae and termites are collected. There is some trade but no regular markets.
Sex Division of Labor. Both sexes fish — men with spears and with hook and line; women with poison, nets, and traps. Women do all agricultural work. Men hunt and clear land.
Property. Iron "placques" are used as money. There is communal property in land with individual usufruct.
Inheritance is patrilineal — by sons, all sharing alike.
Family. A source says each local clan is divided into "Familien- verbanden," which probably mean lineages but may mean extended families.
Settlement Pattern. The Bwaka live in settled villages, which are sometimes large towns of several thousand inhabitants. The dwellings are located along either side of a. village street, as well as on
cross-streets in large towns. The settlements usually are located on high ground or in the forest, not on river banks, and they sometimes are fortified by a palisade and a ditch. Each settlement has a men's house. The huts are rectangular in ground plan; the walls are of hewn planks or bark, and the gabled roofs are thatched with palm or banana leaves.
Community Organization. The settlement is normally a patrilocal clan-community. Boys are circumcised at about 12 years, but clitoridectomy (female circumcision) is not practiced.
Local Government. Each village has a headman or clan chief, who presumably is succeeded by his eldest son.
State. There are no paramount chiefs. Political integration above the local level is lacking.
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