Bassa people (Liberia)

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Bassa
Bassa women in 1922
Total population
c. 1,140,000
Regions with significant populations
Liberia900,000[1]
United States80,000-135,000
Ivory Coast65,000
Sierra Leone40,000
Languages
Bassa, Kru Pidgin English
Religion
Christianity
Related ethnic groups
Krahn, Kru, Grebo, Jabo

The Bassa people are a West African ethnic group primarily native to Liberia. The Bassa people are a subgroup of the larger Kru people of Liberia and Ivory Coast. They form a majority or a significant minority in Liberia's Grand Bassa, Rivercess, Margibi and Montserrado counties.[2] In Liberia's capital of Monrovia, they are the largest ethnic group.[3] With an overall population of about 1.1 million, they are the second largest ethnic group in Liberia (18%), after the Kpelle people (26%).[1] Small Bassa communities are also found in Sierra Leone and Ivory Coast. They are also the largest or one of the largest Liberian tribes in the United States.

The Bassa speak the Bassa language, a Kru language that belongs to the Niger-Congo family of languages.[4] They had their own pictographic writing system but it went out of use in the 19th century, was rediscovered among the slaves of Brazil and the West Indies in 1890s, and reconstructed in early 1900 by Thomas Flo Darvin Lewis.[5][6] The revived signs-based script is called Ehni Ka Se Fa.[7]

In local languages, the Bassa people are also known as Gboboh, Mani, Manidyu or the Koko people.[8] But, their original name is Gbooh(Gbɔ̌ɔ̀) meaning People of the East, as oral history recites a history from Ivory Coast. But to be more specific, it recalls a journey from Northwestern Ivory Coast through the 8th to 10th centuries to Eastern Guinea through the 9th to 11th centuries to Grand Gedeh through the 10th to 13th centuries and to the coast by 11th-14th centuries.

History

A lid carved from wood, embedded with glass by an early 20th century Bassa artist.

The linguistic evidence and oral traditions of these geographically diverse, small yet significant group suggests that their name Bassa may be related to Bassa Sooh Nyombe which means "Father Stone's people". Early European traders had trouble pronouncing the entire phrase, and the shorter form Bassa has been used in Western literature ever since.[8]

Bassa oral history sites that their journey from Ivory Coast began either before or during the subsequent collapse of the Nyanya (also spelled Nyanyan, Nahn, or Pahn) Kingdom or State, in which the journey to the coast between the 7th and 17th centuries. It happened when the Krahn and Sapo began fighting over an artifact called the Dii and began fighting many skirmishes, and those skirmishes turned into large-scale battles, which caused more warriors to be killed in battle than legally allowed (usually 7 to 60+ depending on the scale of the skirmish), which caused an outrage among many of the Kru tribes. The Kuwaa were so distraught that they were the first to leave and isolated themselves in Gbarpolu and Lofa before being surrounded by Mande tribes. Next left the Bassa which now has much Mande influence, then the Krahn themselves, then the Kru, then the rest of the Kru tribes separated, now adhering to decentralized culture after proving that a centralized kingdom was too powerful. Many leaders contributed to this journey, including Ɓǎ Gìà-xwí Sàwá, who helped the Bassa survive wars while the other Kru groups were fighting, Ɓǎ vɛ̀nɛ̀ (Great Father) who was one of the leaders who began the journey away from Nyanya (intermediate leaders led through Guinea and Grand Gedeh), and one of the most famous of them, Ɓǎ Sɔ́ɔ́ (Father Rock, from whom the Bassa inherit their name by Europeans), a strong-willed chief who was one of the first to trade with Europeans, known for his kind but firm iron fist on trade and powerful influence.

The Dan people, neighbors of the Bassa in Liberia, were especially attracted to brass jewelry. Dan women wore significant amounts of brass jewelry, as the amount of brass was directly correlated to their husband's wealth. Many Dan women would wear several pairs of anklets and bracelets that could weigh up to 8 pounds each. Until brass jewelry was banned in the late 1930s by Liberia's minister of health, Rudolf Fuszek, that claimed the brass jewelry was the cause of chafing infections and orthopedic problems. The sudden surplus of brass would be melted down and recast for other purposes. The Bassa people are likely responsible for producing some of these new uses for brass among the Dan. they were miniature brass cast masks called ma go, or "small head".[9]: 93–94 

Demographics and distribution

The Bassa territory has and is categorized into 15-17 distinct subgroups and dozens more clans(xwéɖé-dù), each with its own dialect and origin story.

The range of the Bassa range spans from the eastern borders of Bomi to the southern half of Bong's Electoral District 1 to the extreme western borders of Sinoe. The subgroup that encompasses Bomi, southern Montserrado, southern Margibi, and Owensgrove District are the Mambahn(Mabã̀a), known for being the first subgroup to enter Liberia and they also have many myths concerning them, the two main ones being that they are "short and stout" and that they "sold their land for smokefish", both of which are unlikely and not proven by data or history, but instead could stem from the Americo-Liberian era or trade with Europeans or the ACS and are now considered offensive and hurtful stereotypes. It also has its own subdialect spoken in Monrovia called Monrovia Bassa(Dúgbɔ̀-wùɖù). Another western subgroup are the Gibi (Gìɓii) who encompass almost all of Gibi District in Margibi, the western top half of Grand Bassa District 1 and Kakata. These two groups form the Western Bassa cluster.

The Hwengbarkon(Hwɛ̃-gbǎ-kɔ̃) encompass most of Grand Bassa Grand Bassa District 1 and Grand Bassa District 2 along the Farmington River and their territory extends north into far southern Fuamah. They also inhabit the Western parts of Margibi near the coast of Grand Bassa District 2 and St. John River District, there is the Mehnwein(Gmɛwĩín) and in Nekreen District and interior St. John River District there is the Nekreen Bassa or Níxwíníín(Ní = water,xwíníín = within). In the capital of Grand Bassa, Buchanan, there is the Gbehzohn Bassa(Gbɛ̌-zɔ̃̀) which might be a mix of most of the subgroups mixed together or a dialect by itself developed independently by Buchanan's status pre- and pro-1839. This subgroup also has presence in the greater Commonwealth. The Kor(Kɔɔ) Bassa inhabit the mid- to northern parts of Grand Bassa District 3 and the western half of District 4. They are known for their fast-paced tongue and their dialect is one of the hardest Bassa dialects to learn. The Central Bassa(it is debated whether they and Kor are the same or separate subgroups) inhabit the southern parts of Grand Bassa Districts 3 and 4 are most famous for their dialect being the most used in publications and Christian studies. It is also one of the most widespread subgroups, with significant presence in Monrovia. The subgroup with the widest range are the Gbor(Gbɔ̌ɔ̀) Bassa. They span from the eastern parts of Margibi and Grand Bassa District 2 (Gàɖàà-kɔ̃) all the way to Norwein(Nɔɔ́wĩín) District in Rivercess. The Gbor are also known for having the original name for the Bassa tribe. They also have the widest range of all Bassa subgroups. The most northern subgroup are the Kokoyah (Kókódyà) Bassa, who encompass the southern half of Bong Electoral District 1(Boinsen, Tukpahblee, and Kokoyah). These 7-8 groups make up the Central Bassa complex.

In District 4 of Grand Bassa, where Grand Bassa Electoral District 5 is located, there are three small subgroups: Gba Sor(Gbásɔ̀) and Kplor(Kpɔɖɔɔ) in the southeast and central east and Dorbor (Ðɔbɔɔ) in the northeast. Kor also has a presence in the west. The Gba Sor subgroup also has significant presence in Rivercess, encompassing over 80% of the Kpowein (Kpòwĩín) clan. The Rivercess Bassa or Nibue Kli/Nibuehnkreen(Níbũ̌ɛ̀xwíníín) is the most populous dialect in Rivercess and is most famous for being the most divergent of the Western-Central-Rivercess Bassa subgroups(or the core Bassa) and dialects, sharing many cognates with Western Krahn The subgroup's dialect is a dialect isolate and is also known for being "sweet on the tongue."Speakers of the Western and Central dialects often say that they have some trouble understanding some parts of the dialect, others do not. The two subgroups present in Northwestern Sinoe and Lower Nimba are the Gbii and the Dowlu (Ðɔwuɖu), which are the most divergent of any subgroup of Bassa. The smallest eastern subgroup is called the Beleto (Ɓeɖeto), and is spoken somewhere between Rivercess and Sinoe. It remains a growing subgroup but endangered along with all of the eastern subgroups. These last six dialects compromise the Eastern Bassa cluster and the Rivercess cluster.

Society

The Bassa people are traditionally settled farmers who grow yam, cassava, eddoes and plantain. They are lineage-linked independent clans who live in villages, each with a chief.[10]

The Bassa people, before colonial occupation, had populations with occupational categories of farmers, barterers / traders, and lagoon fishermen. As well as a set of categories that had hierarchies based on practitioner skill, consisting of blacksmiths, carvers, weavers, potters, and other craftsmen.[11]: 46 

The Bassa people acquired the Port Society and "Gree-Gree" bush traditions of education and initiation of children, from their neighboring Dei and Kpelle tribes.[11]: 45 

The Bassa people are among those that practice the woman initiation society called Sande. (Also referred to as Bondo). The Sande / Bondo sub-culture is believed to be originated from the Mende people.[9]: 56  The practice Sande (or Bondo), which consist of rituals involving special helmet / masks that some practicing cultures called Sowei / sowo. The masks themselves are not named, and Sowei / sowo refers to the title of the association official that wears the helmet mask. These types of masks are made by numerous cultures leading to some distinction in style, but the purpose of the helmet mask is always a representation of a primordial ancestor spirit that originates from a body of water during a sacred journey by a member or official.[9]: 57 

Religion

The traditional religion of the Bassa people has a moral and ethical foundation, one that reveres ancestors and supernatural spirits.[8]

The Sande / Bondo helmet masks, worn by a society official during special ceremonies, represent the idealized beauty of a female primordial ancestor spirit, believed to reside in bodies of water.[9]: 57 

Christianity arrived among the Bassa people during the colonial era, and the first Bible was translated into Bassa language in 1922. The adoption process fused the idea of Christian God with their traditional idea of a Supreme Being and powerful first ancestor who is merciful and revengeful, rewarding the good and punishing the bad.[8] The traditional religion has included secret rites of passage for men and women, such as the Sande society.[12]

The introduction of Christianity created a division between the inland forest Bassa that maintained Bassa traditional practices and rituals, and the Coastal Bassa, that converted to Christianity.[11]: 45 

Numerous missionaries from different denominations of Christianity have been active among the Bassa people during the 20th century. These has led to many Bassa independent churches from Europe, North America, Africa and Evangelical movements.[13] In contemporary times, the Bassa people predominantly practice Christianity, but they have retained elements of their traditional religion.

Village Layout and Architecture

Inland Forest Bassa took extra consideration to the location and layout of villages. The choice of location is determined by simple factors, access to fresh water, good farmland, and the presence of certain reeds for use as roofing material.[11]: 46 

The layout of the village appears to be disorganized clusters of huts placed seemingly at random but is actually very intentional. The village layout is arranged in such a way, looking in any direction one's line of sight is interrupted by huts, this inability to get bearings as an outsider is specifically for spies and attackers, as they would get lost easily, giving the Bassa, familiar with their own village an advantage. A Bassa village with this layout lacks any sort of main road and do include several empty 'lots' making traveling through the village intentionally difficult and confusing for outsiders.[11]: 46 

Art

During the late 1930s, the brass jewelry the Dan wore was banned, the surplus brass from the jewelry was melted down and recast for other things. One of those things were created by the Bassa for the Dan. Those were ma go, "small head", miniature masks that featured protruding open lips, flared nostrils, and pierced slit eyes, as well as a tattoo pattern from forehead to chin.[14]: 93–94 

Another brass work of the Bassa people is the Brass Finial. the Brass Finial is an iron rod that had brass cast over it. the top of the staff features a woman's head, with five rows of hair that run from front to back, as well as an encircling herringbone pattern. According to Bassa legend, the staff was the walking stick of a mythical ancestor by the name of Sma Vlen. Who was believed to have migrated towards the coast during the 16th century.[9]: 101 

Bassa Masks were wood carved and are distinguished from neighboring peoples own masks through a style that gives the masks angular faces. With the mask, the wearer would also wear a braided bonnet, fastened at an angle to the forehead.[9]: 164–171 

Other Bassa Masks have perorated eyes but are not worn directly on the face of the performer, but rather fastened to the forehead area of a weaved basket that is worn by the performer.[11]: 44 

Bassa Masks have a hierarchy based on the purpose that each mask is meant to fulfill, whether it be private or for a ritual. One type of Bassa masks are made with the intent of projecting reverence and fear with monstrous face with protruding eyes, swollen lips and contorted human and animal features. These masks depict the likeness of spirits from the darkest parts of the forest.[11]: 46 

The next type of mask are the portrait masks created exclusively by skilled carvers following tribal sculptural laws passed down by masters of the craft for generations. These masks are made to embody the defined concepts of beauty, within this category are ancestor masks, meant to give leniency, be at peace, and promise peace to heirs. these masks are deliberately made to not resemble specific individuals.[11]: 46 

An exception to the making of a mask that resembles a specific individual came when there was a need to accustom the people of a village to the disfigurement of someone. A mask in their likeness was made and used by a performer that danced with crowds and told jokes, giving the features of the individual's disfigurement positive association, as part of deliberate act of social to prevent a member of the village from becoming an outcast.[11]: 46 

Another type of portrait masks, known in English as "devil" masks are worn by soothsayers and various performers like acrobats and jugglers, and said wearers are agents of social control.[11]: 46 

References

  1. People and Society: Liberia, CIA Factbook, United States
  2. James Stuart Olson (1996). The Peoples of Africa: An Ethnohistorical Dictionary. Greenwood. pp. 78–79. ISBN 978-0-313-27918-8.
  3. Patricia Levy; Michael Spilling (2008). Liberia. Marshall Cavendish. p. 92. ISBN 978-0-7614-3414-6.
  4. Bassa, Ethnologue
  5. Paul Rozario (2003). Liberia. Gareth Stevens. pp. 52–53. ISBN 978-0-8368-2366-0.
  6. Bassa: A language of Liberia: Writing, Ethnologue
  7. Ayodeji Olukoju (2006). Culture and Customs of Liberia. Greenwood. p. 44. ISBN 978-0-313-33291-3.
  8. Emmanuel Kombem Ngwainmbi (2009). Molefi Kete Asante and Ama Mazama (ed.). Encyclopedia of African Religion. SAGE Publishers. pp. 108–110. ISBN 978-1-4129-3636-1.
  9. Grootaers, Jan-Lodewijk (2014). Visions from the forests : the art of Liberia and Sierra Leone. Minneapolis Institute of Arts. ISBN 9780989371810.
  10. James Stuart Olson (1996). The Peoples of Africa: An Ethnohistorical Dictionary. Greenwood. pp. 78–79. ISBN 978-0-313-27918-8.
  11. Meneghini, Mario (1972). "The Bassa Mask". African Arts. 6 (1): 44–88. doi:10.2307/3334641. ISSN 0001-9933. JSTOR 3334641.
  12. Daniel Mato; Charles Miller (1990). Sande: Masks and Statues from Liberia and Sierra-Leone. Galerie Balolu. pp. 15–16. ISBN 978-90-800587-1-2.
  13. Paul Gifford (2002). Christianity and Politics in Doe's Liberia. Cambridge University Press. pp. 20, 105–107, 140–141, 197, 215, 228–230 with footnotes. ISBN 978-0-521-52010-2.
  14. Grootaers, Jan-Lodewijk (2014). Visions from the forests : the art of Liberia and Sierra Leone. Minneapolis Institute of Arts. ISBN 9780989371810.

Sources

  • Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.), 2005. Ethnologue: Languages of the World, Fifteenth edition. Dallas, Tex.: SIL International. Online version.
  • Somah, Syrulwa (2003), Nyanyan Gohn-Manan History, Migration and Government of the Bassa; Lightning Source Inc.