Location: |
Northern Congo
(Zaire) |
Population: |
24,000 |
Language: |
Manja (Equatorial Bantu) |
Neighboring Peoples: |
Ngbandi, Ngbaka |
Types of Art: |
There is not an abundance of Manja art in museum collections, and
those objects that exist are believed to represent the ancestors. Their
style is very similar to the Ngbaka and Ngbandi, although Manja figures
usually do not have the thick scarification patterns that typify their
neighbors. |
History: |
Although little is known about the history of the Manja, linguistic
evidence suggests that during the past 2,000 years they migrated into
their current homeland from the northeast, displacing the groups of
nomadic hunters who previously lived in the area. Their oral history
corroborates this evidence, indicating that they originally migrated from
the area around Lake Chad to the north with their current neighbors, the
Ngbaka and Gbaya peoples, to escape slave traders. Their migration was
complete by the time Europeans arrived in the late 19th century. |
Economy: |
The Manja are primarily an agrarian people, growing sorghum, maize,
and manioc as staple crops amid the dripping rain forest that surrounds
them. Bananas, taro, and yams are also important to the daily diet. The
raising of livestock contributes relatively little to the local economy.
Men fish in the local rivers and manage to snare the occasional meal
through sporadic hunting. Regional trade is carried out along the major
rivers. Men are responsible for clearing the land using slash and burn
techniques, while the remainder of the farming work is done by the
women. |
Political Systems: |
The Manja live in small clusters of houses which remain relatively
isolated and independent of one another. The eldest male member of each
extended family is recognized as the leader among them. Men often marry
several wives, each of whom is given her own house where she can raise her
own children. The first wife is honored and often has significant
influence over her husband. Low population density and the thickness of
the surrounding forest requires each small community to be
self-sufficient. |
Religion: |
Manja religion centers around the ancestors. Important ancestral
figures are represented in figures to which offerings are made in hope of
receiving their blessings. One particular ancestor, Ngakola, once lived on
among the Manja with his wife, Ngandala, and daughter, Yamisi. He had the
power to give and take life. This great power is very much revered by the
Manja, and he is represented in several sculptures found in museum
collections. |