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Tribe Snapshots Yaka |
| Location: |
Southwestern Congo
(Zaire), Angola |
| Population: |
300,000 |
| Language: |
Kiyaka (northwestern Bantu) |
| Neighboring Peoples: |
Suku, Teke, Nkanu |
| Types of Art: |
Both mbwoolo sculptures and a type of carved
slit drum known as a mukoku are used by ritual
specialists. Mukoku help in the divination process,
and mbwoolo are used to embody protective medecine.
The Yaka also carve numerous masks and headgear
for use in initiation and to be worn by traditional
leaders. Hair combs and fly whisks often are carved
with decorations as well. |
| History: |
Oral history suggests that the Yaka, along with
the Suku, were part of an invasion against the
Kongo Kingdom that came from the Lunda Plateau
in the 16th century. Previous to that time Yaka
culture was enveloped in Kongo language and agriculture.
Lunda expansion and creation of the Inbangala
Kingdom in 1620 greatly affected the occupants
of the Kwango River area, which included both
the Yaka and the Suku. At one time the Yaka kingdom
was comprised of several smaller ethnic groups,
including the Suku. In an effort to expand to
the northwest and east, Yaka chiefs weakened their
kingdom's strength and were forced to become subservient
to the Lunda. The Lunda-Chokwe empire collapsed
in the 19th century and the Yaka regained some
of their independence. |
| Economy: |
Among the Yaka, the males contribute to the
local economy largely through hunting. They may
hunt either individually or in groups and most
often use bow and arrow or old rifles. Hunting
dogs are a prize possession among the Yaka, and
their ability to sniff out game is compared to
the mgaanga's ability to sniff out witches. The
women contribute most of the food, primarily through
cultivation of cassava, sweet potatoes, beans,
and peanuts. They further supplement the diet
through the gathering of wild fruits and berries
and occasional fishing. |
| Political Systems: |
The Yaka follow matrilineal descent patterns,
which are overlayed with a reckoning of patrilineal
ascent, family name, and land ownership. Each
community has a local chief who is the direct
descendant of the original land owner and usually
is controlled to some extent by a paramount regional
chief. The Zairian government officially governs
each region in conjunction with the local chiefs,
controlling the extent of the power of those individual
chiefs. Ritual specialists and diviners who achieve
their prominence through display of their individual
healing powers also inform political decisions. |
| Religion: |
The creator who inhabits the sky (ndzambyaphuungu)
is responsible for life, death, and all unanswerable
questions. There are no religious practices that
actively pay homage to this god. Instead, religious
celebrations focus on honoring the elders and
ancestors (bambuta). The death of an elder is
cause for a public ceremony performed by other
elders. Bambuta may be honored by recognizing
and practicing the traditional ways and through
offerings and gifts. The offering place is usually
a clearing in the forest (yipheesolu). This place
is off-limits to outsiders and all women. Offerings
may otherwise be made at the grave site of the
ancestors. Divination is of prime importance to
the Yaka, and the powers of a medicine person
(ngaanga) are measured by the ability to discern
the cause of illness. |
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