Africa, African Anthropology - General Resources
By peoples
The peoples of Africa are often described in terms of their ethnic background or their languages. There are several thousand ethnic groups in Africa, ranging in physical stature from the short Pygmies to the tall Maasai, each with its own cultural traditions. Here are only a few of them.
Akan Akuapem Akye Anyi Aowin Asante Babanki Baga Bali Bamana Bamileke Bamum Bangubangu Bangwa Baule Beembe Bembe Berber Bidyogo Bobo Bushoong Bwa Chokwe Dan Diamande Dogon Eket Fang Fante Fon Frafra Fulani Hausa Hemba Holoholo Ibibio Idoma Igbira Igbo Ijo Kabre Karagwe Kassena Katana Kom Kongo Kota Kuba Kusu Kwahu Kwere Laka Lega Lobi Luba Luchazi Luluwa Lunda Luvale Lwalwa Maasai Makonde Mambila Mangbetu Manja Mbole Mende Mitsogo Mossi Mumuye Ngbaka Nkanu Nok Nuna Oron Owo Pende Pokot Punu San Senufo Shambaa Shona Songo Songye Suku Swahili Tabwa Tuareg Urhobo We Wimiama Wodaabe Wolof Woyo Wum Yaka Yombe Yoruba Zaramo Zulu
Please note: Some of the peoples and associations presented here are so closely related that more than one topic heading may apply. For example, The Akan people are given a page of their own, yet the Asante ( Ashanti ) are also an Akan people, as are the Akuapem. So, a full search for the 'Akan' may involve looking at pages dedicated to sub-groups as well. Some sub-group pages may contain only a link or two, but they are still part of a much larger picture.
You will find a similar relationship among some of other peoples listed here. This is a case where a little advanced knowledge of the subject may be an advantage when using these pages.
Bamun __ A sample and translation of Bamun written language. - From language-museum.com - http://www.language-museum.com/b/bamun.php
Bamun Art __ A good overview of Bamun art including a gallery. - illustrated - From African Art Museum - http://www.zyama.com/Grassland/index.htm
Bamun Art Worlds __ "This project looks at the arts of the Bamum and its neighbors in the grasslands of Cameroon (West Africa) from the vantage of invention, apropriation, and retranslation of local and foreign artistic and cultural elements from 1700 to the present. The construction and reconstruction of artistic identity--individual as well as social--is examined historically as well as cross-culturally." Thus begins an essay about a cultural project underway in grassland Cameroon. - illustrated - From Harvard University - http://tinyurl.com/dscub
Bamun People __ "The Cameroon Grasslands can be divided into three smaller subgroups, one of which is the Bamum. Within the Bamum complex there are numerous smaller ethnic groups, which are loosely affiliated with one another and share many historical and political similarities while retaining separate identities. All members of this group originally came from an area to the north and migrated in various complex patterns throughout the last several centuries." You will find material related to history, political structure, religion, culture and art. - From University of Iowa - http://www.uiowa.edu/~africart/toc/people/Bamum.html
Bamun people __ A brief encyclopedic entry. - From Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamun_people
Linguistic Lineage for Bamun __ A look at the timeline and evolution of the Banum language. - From ethnologue.com - http://www.ethnologue.com/show_lang_family.asp?code=bax
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