Bakota
Encyclopedia
The Bakota are a Bantu ethnic group
Ethnic group
An ethnic group is a group of people whose members identify with each other, through a common heritage, often consisting of a common language, a common culture and/or an ideology that stresses common ancestry or endogamy...

 from the northeastern region of Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...

. The language they speak is called iKota
IKota
iKota or Kota, not to be confused with the Indian-dravidic Kota language, is an African language spoken by the Bakota people. It is spoken in northeastern Gabon, Ogooué-Ivindo Province and in some areas of Republic of Congo...

, but is sometimes referred to as Bakota, ikuta, Kota, and among the Fang, they are known as Mekora. The language has several dialects, which include: Ndambomo, Mahongwe, Ikota-la-hua, Sake, Menzambi, Bougom. Some of these dialects themselves include regional variations of some kind.

The Kota are traditionally a patriarchal society, however some of the sub-groups such as the Mahongwe have over time adopted a matrilineal system of lineage (Mahongwe means, "from your father").

The true meaning of Bakota is unclear, however it may be derived from the word kota, which means to bind/to attach/to link, hereby suggesting they view themselves as a united people bound by a common fate.

Estimates indicate that there are at least 43,500 Kota speakers in the world, of whom 34,442 people (79%) live in the Ogouee-Ivindo province of northeastern Gabon, and 9055 people (21%) in neighboring Congo-Brazzaville.

They are noted for their copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...

 and brass
Brass
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties.In comparison, bronze is principally an alloy of copper and tin...

 reliquary
Reliquary
A reliquary is a container for relics. These may be the physical remains of saints, such as bones, pieces of clothing, or some object associated with saints or other religious figures...

 guardian figures, which are part of a powerful religious and mystical order known as Bwete. Another key feature of the Kota people is the originality of its circumcision and widow-purification rituals, which are generally kept secret.

Politically, the Kota have been classified under the disputed "stateless societies" category. They have a strong egalitarian background, which in some instances cuts across age and gender lines. Kota children are taught to value tradition, respect for the elderly, and the concept of "Ewele" (loosely translated as 'pride').

The Kota are not considered big players in Gabonese politics, however some Kota have been appointed to key positions in the Government. Alexandre Sambat
Alexandre Sambat
Alexandre Sambat was a Gabonese politician and diplomat. He was Gabon's Ambassador to the United States from 1991 to 1993 and then joined the opposition in Gabon, standing unsuccessfully as a candidate in the December 1993 presidential election...

, a long-time ambassador to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

who later ran for president in 1993, was of Kota origin. Pascal Desire Misongo, another Kota, has served as minister of Justice in Gabon.

External links

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