Gbaya people

The Gbaya (also Gbaja, Baja, Baya ) are a people in Central Africa.

The ethnic groups of the Gbaya live mainly in the Central African Republic, also held in east-central Cameroon, the north of the Republic of Congo and the northwest of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Overall, there were 970,000 Gbaya at the end of the 20th century. They are the largest ethnic group in the Central African Republic and put there by now 34 % of the population. About 20% are Muslims, the rest Christians and followers of traditional religions.

The important Gbaya subgroups are Mbodomo, Kara, Lai, Dooka, Buli, Bofi, Biyanda, Gbeya, Suma, Ali, Gbanu, Mbusuku, Yangere, Bokare, Yayuwe and Bokoto. Each sub-group speaks a dialect of Gbaya language. Some dialects are similar, others an understanding with one another is difficult. The cultures of the groups are different, but still similar enough that they must have a common origin.

The Society of Gbaya is organized in patrilineal clans. Traditionally, they live in mud huts in a fenced and practice slash and burn economy by growing maize and cassava for own use and for sale. Of the Fulani have also taken over the cattle.

Little is known about the history of Gbaya known written records begin about 1800. Originally Gbaya lived in the north of Nigeria, but they have migrated in the 19th century to the south to the Fulani, in the course of jihad against the Fulbe of their neighbors have led, among other things against the Gbaya, war, dodge. Some Gbaya groups have cooperated with the Fulbe, others could resist them. The Gbaya were little affected by the Atlantic slave trade. Through their contacts with the Fulbe they participated in the trans- Saharan slave trade generic; mostly as slave catchers, sometimes called Enslaved. End of the 19th century, the Gbaya and French ( French Equatorial Africa) colonial government .. Christian missionaries came under the German ( German - Cameroon) Around 1920 reached Gbaye. By the end of the colonial period, they resisted. Early 1920 they rose against the French government because they were obliged to do forced labor. In 1929 they rose again, because they were again obliged to work building the Congo - Ocean Railway. The second uprising lasted three years and resulted in the death of most rebels. Later, the French built some of the clan chiefs in their administrative structure.