ZSE

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Bassa

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Bassa people (Cameroon)

The Bassa (also spelled Basa or Basaa and sometimes known as Bassa-Bakongo) are a Bantu ethnic group in Cameroon. They number approximately 230,000 individuals. The Bassa speak the Basaa language as a mother tongue, which belongs to the Bantu branch of the Niger–Congo language family.

History

For centuries, the Bassa lived along the Atlantic coast of what is now Cameroon. They lived of subsistence farming and fishing.

The Bassa were displaced by Duala and early European traders, suffering exploitation and marginalization during the era of German Kamerun. Their fishing and farming efforts shrunk. During this German era, most Bassa were anti-colonialists, fighting against German expansion beyond the coast. However, they suffered a major defeat and were subjected to forced labor in the construction of the Douala-Yaoundé "Mittel Kamerun" railway.

Throughout the era of European colonial presence, the Bassa were able to take advantage of Christian missionaries to attain a Western-style education, particularly from German Protestants and American Presbyterians.

Bassa people (Liberia)

The Bassa are a people of Liberia, living in Grand Bassa, Rivercess, Margibi and Montserrado counties, who speak the Bassa language, a Kru language. They numbered about 350,000 in 1991. They have their own writing system, called Bassa Vah which was developed around 1900. There are also about 5000 in Sierra Leone. They practice Christianity, as well as indigenous religions.

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