View source for Beti-Pahuin peoples

{{Short description|Bantu Ethnic Group}}
{{More citations needed|date=June 2022}}
{{hatnote|"Okak" redirects here. For the Canadian settlement, see [[Okak, Newfoundland and Labrador]]. "Yaunde" redirects here. For the capital of Cameroon, see [[Yaoundé]].}}

The '''Beti-Pahuin''' are a [[Bantu people|Bantu]] ethnic group located in Center region of [[Cameroon]]. Though they separate themselves into several individual [[clans]], they all share a common origin, history and culture. Estimated to be well over 8 million individuals in the early 21st century, they form the largest ethnic group in central [[Cameroon]] and its capital city of [[Yaounde]].{{citationneeded|date=July 2022}} Their [[Beti language|Beti languages]] are [[Mutual intelligibility|mutually intelligible]].

==Group distinctions==
The Beti-Pahuin are made up of over 20 individual clans. Altogether, they inhabit a territory of forests and rolling hills that stretches from the [[Sanaga River]] in the north to Equatorial Guinea and the northern halves of Gabon to Congo to the south, and from the [[Atlantic Ocean]] to the west to the [[Dja River]] in the east.

===Beti===
{{main article|Beti people}}
The first grouping, called the '''Beti''', consists of the '''Ewondo''' (more precisely '''Kolo'''), '''Bane''', '''Fang''' (more precisely '''M'fang'''), '''Mbida-Mbane''', '''Mvog-Nyenge''', '''Bran''' (more precisely '''Brang''' or '''Brong''') and '''Eton''' (or '''Iton''').{{Inconsistent|date=December 2019|reason=There's no mention of these subgroups in the main article}} The Eton are further subdivided into the '''Eton-Beti''', '''Eton-Beloua''', and '''Beloua-Eton'''.{{cn|date=December 2019}}

The Ewondo, or Yaunde, are centered on [[Yaoundé]], Cameroon's capital, which was named for them. They also populate the eastern [[Mefou division]] and the [[Mfoundi division|Mfoundi]] and [[Nyong and So division]]s in the [[Centre Province, Cameroon|Centre Province]]. The remainder of their territory lies in the northern portions of the [[Ocean division]] in the [[South Province, Cameroon|South Province]]. Their language (or Beti dialect), also called [[Ewondo language|Ewondo]], is the most widely spoken of the Beti languages in Cameroon, with an estimated 1,200,000 speakers in 1982. It serves as a ''[[lingua franca]]'' in Yaoundé and much of the rest of Cameroon's Center and South Provinces.

The Eton live primarily in the [[Lekie division]] of Cameroon's Centre Province with major settlements at [[Sa'a, Cameroon|Sa'a]] and [[Obala]]. They speak the [[Eton language]] or dialect, which had 500,000 speakers in 1982.<ref>Lewis, M. Paul (ed.), 2009. "[http://www.ethnologue.com/show_language.asp?code=eto Eton: A Language of Cameroon]". ''Ethnologue: Languages of the World'', Sixteenth edition. Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Accessed 28 July 2011.</ref>

===Fang===
{{main article|Fang people}}
[[File:Fang Christians (c.1912).jpg|thumb|250px|Fangs in a [[Mission (Christian)|Christian mission]], c. 1912]]
The Fang (or Fan) form the second group. Individual ethnic groups include the '''Fang''' proper, the '''Ntumu''', the '''Mvae''', and the '''Okak'''. Fang territories begin at the southern edge of Cameroon south of [[Kribi]], [[Djoum]], and [[Mvangan]] in the South Province and continue south across the border, including all of [[Río Muni]] in [[Equatorial Guinea]] and south into [[Gabon]] and [[Republic of the Congo|Congo]].

===Bulu===<!-- This section is linked from [[Bulu]] -->
{{Unreferenced section|date=April 2023}}
The third grouping is called the '''Bulu''' and makes up about a third of all Beti-Pahuin in Cameroon. The Bulu include the '''Bulu''' proper of [[Sangmélima]], Kribi, and [[Ebolowa]], the '''Fong''' and '''Zaman''' of the Dja River valley, the '''Yengono''', '''Yembama''' and '''Yelinda''' of the [[Nyong River]] valley, and the '''Yesum''', '''Yebekanga''', '''Yebekolo''', and '''Mvele'''.

===Other groups===
In addition, several other peoples are currently being assimilated or "Pahuinised" by their Beti-Pahuin neighbours. These include the ''[[Manguissa]], [[Yekaba]], [[Bamvele]], [[Evuzok]], [[Batchanga (Tsinga)]], [[Omvang]], [[Yetude]]'', and, to some extent, the ''[[Baka (nomadic Central African people)|Baka]]''.

[[File:Afrikaabteilung in Ethnological Museum Berlin 61.JPG|thumb|150px|[[Ngil mask|Fang mask]] used for the ''ngil'' ceremony, an inquisitorial search for sorcerers. Wood and pigment, 19th century. [[Ethnological Museum of Berlin]], III C 6000.]]

==Society and culture==
A large number of Beti-Pahuin are involved in lucrative enterprises such as cocoa and [[coffee]] farming.

The Beti-Pahuin peoples organised themselves according to a series of [[patrilineal]] kinships, although some of its subgroups seem to have practiced [[matriliny]] in the past.<ref name=":0">{{cite book|last1=Laburthe-Tolra|first1=Philippe|title=Les seigneurs de la forêt: essai sur le passé historique, l'organisation sociale et les normes éthiques des anciens Beti du Cameroun|date=2009|publisher=Editions L'Harmattan|location=Paris|pages=77,123|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=WjE4RIBs1lYC|isbn=9782296212473}}</ref> As a consequence of this matrilineal past we can still nowadays see the strong link among the maternal uncle and the nephew.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Binet|first=Jean|date=1956|title=Condition des femmes dans la région cacaoyère du Cameroun|journal=Cahiers internationaux de sociologie|volume=20|pages=109–123}}</ref> The family (a man, his wife or wives, and his children) forms the backbone of this system. Several families of a common lineage live together in a [[village]], and in turn, several related villages form a [[clan]]. These clans come under the nominal rule of a chief, who is also traditionally regarded as a religious authority.

The majority of the Beti-Pahuin ethnic groups live in small, roadside villages of no more than a few hundred inhabitants. These villages are mostly linear, with houses paralleling the road and backed by forest. The typical dwelling unit is constructed of dried-mud bricks placed onto a bamboo frame and roofed with raffia-palm fronds. In recent times, metal roofing has become increasingly common, and wealthier individuals may construct their homes in concrete.

Beti-Pahuin territory also includes a number of sizable towns and cities, most of which were begun by the Germans or French. Here, settlements are more in the European pattern, with a network of streets, various neighborhoods, and central administrative or commercial districts.

=== Diet ===

Most individuals maintain an [[sustenance farming|agrarian lifestyle]]. [[Manioc]] and [[maize]] form the staple crops with [[Plantain (cooking)|plantain]]s, [[yam (vegetable)|yams]], and [[peanut|groundnut]]s also playing a vital role (in fact, "Ewondo" and/or "Yaoundé" mean "groundnut" and in general the earth). A variety of forest products, such as [[leaf vegetable|greens]], [[insect]]s, [[mushroom]]s, and various palm products, supplements the diet. [[Livestock]] is limited to small animals that may be left to forage unattended, such as [[goat]]s, [[pig]]s, and [[chicken]]s.

These are typically saved for special occasions such as [[funeral]]s or [[New Year's Day]]. Instead, the main source of animal protein during the year, comes from [[bushmeat]], that is, wild game such as [[pangolin]], [[porcupine]], and [[monkey]] brought in by jungle [[hunting|hunters]]. Likewise, [[fishing]] is central to the lives of many Beti-Pahuin, particularly in Equatorial Guinea and São Tomé and Príncipe.

In addition, a substantial number of Beti-Pahuin are involved in the cocoa plantations that dot the territory of Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and Cameroon's south. Most of these are Bulus or Fangs, since their territory contains the largest concentration of plantations. In contrast, the Ewondos farther north often find work as unskilled labor, as their environment is much more urbanized. Many Beti-Pahuin were highly skilled workers in wood, ivory, and [[soapstone]]. They were particularly noted for their lively [[mask]]s.

== Religion ==

Most Beti-Pahuin peoples were [[Christianity|Christianised]] by 1939 (though the Fang were also influenced by the [[Mitsogo]]). At that time, much of their traditional culture was abandoned, including much native [[dance]] and [[song]]. After the colonial era ended, their traditional religion has enjoyed a resurgence, such as the [[Bwiti]] religion and, as has a flowering of new styles of music and dance, such as the [[Bikutsi]] of the Ewondos.

Thus, today many Beti-Pahuin consider themselves Christian, go to church on Sundays, and then attend various [[secret society|secret societies]] or visit a [[traditional medicine|traditional healer]] at other times during the week.

==Other languages==
Some Fang peoples also speak or understand their countries’ official languages: [[Spanish language|Spanish]] in [[Equatorial Guinea]] ; [[French language|French]] in [[Cameroon]], [[Equatorial Guinea]], and [[Gabon]]; [[Portuguese language|Portuguese]], [[Angolar language|Angolar]], [[Principense language|Principense]], and [[Forro language|Forro]] in [[São Tomé and Príncipe]], [[English language|English]] in [[Cameroon]].

==References==
{{reflist|30em}}

===Bibliography===
* Neba, Aaron, PhD. (1999) ''Modern Geography of the Republic of Cameroon,'' 3rd ed. Bamenda: Neba Publishers.
* Ngoh, Victor Julius (1996) ''History of Cameroon Since 1800.'' Limbé: Prebook.
* Laburthe-Tolra, P. (1984)." Les Seigneurs de la Foret." Paris: Publications de la Sorbonne.

{{Ethnic groups in Cameroon}}
{{Ethnic groups in Equatorial Guinea}}
{{Ethnic groups in Gabon}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Beti-Pahuin| ]]