2,030 Abibisika (Black Gold) Points

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The Balanta people are found mainly in Guinea Bissau, although they may be found in areas of Senegal as well, particularly in the Casamance. Their heartland is north of the Geba River, an area that is rich in beeswax, coveted hides and elephants. They are very intelligent and dedicated agrarians, growing lots of foods which include rice and peanuts and in many ways, their religious ideas and cultural ideas have been impacted by the historical, political and economic upheavals of the region.

Although they are found in the coastal regions of West Afrika, they are said to have migrated from the East, possibly from the Nile Valley region of East Afrika. Their oral narratives and their commercial history have established them as significant players in the development of the trade along the coast. However, it is at the level of custom, culture, politics and traditions that they exhibit strong Afrikan religious practices.

They cultivate Yam, paddy rice and maize, they are known principally as rice producers, although they only started that practice when they moved their villages to the mangroves during the European slave raids of the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries. The intensive human labor that was required by rice farming also impacted the structure of the community’s religion because it required high density and compact village patterns.

The Balanta had to develop the use of the iron tip shovel “kebinde”, to compete with their neighbours in the practice of agriculture and although they are not the most numerous people in Guinea Bissau, they occupy a large geographical area and still produce millet, maize and peanuts.