Twa
Encyclopedia
The Twa are any of several hunting peoples
of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game
in exchange for agricultural products.
The Bantu
term Twa
(see) is generally translated as "Pygmy
". However, in the Western conception "Pygmies" are short forest people, whereas southern Twa populations do not live in the forest and may not be shorter than the farming/village population, generally not reaching the anthropological definition of "Pygmy" as males averaging less than 150 cm. Rather, agricultural Bantu peoples have settled a number of ecotone
s (the margins between ecosystems) next to an area that has game but will not support agriculture, such as the edges of the rainforest, open swamp, and desert, and the Twa spend part of the year in the otherwise uninhabited region hunting game, being provided with agricultural food while they do so. Outside of the rainforest, the Twa may be taller than the classic Pygmy, and there may be less difference in physical appearance—in some cases none. Nonetheless, the 'despised' relationship between the farmer patron and the hunter client is similar to that of the forest. No Pygmy population is known to live independently.
Roger Blench has proposed that Twa (Pygmies) originated as a caste
like they are today, much like the Numu blacksmith castes of West Africa
, economically specialized groups which became endogamous and consequently developed into separate ethnic groups, sometimes, as with the Ligbi
, with their own languages. A mismatch in language between patron and client could later occur from population displacements. The short stature of the "forest people" could have developed in the few millennia since the Bantu expansion
, as also happened with Bantu domestic animals in the rainforest, especially if there was additional selective pressure from farmers taking the tallest women back to the village as wives, as happens today. However, that is incidental to the social identity of the Pygmy/Twa.
It is often supposed that the Pygmies were the aboriginal inhabitants of the forest before the advent of agriculture. However, Vansina
argues that the original meaning of the (Proto-Bantu) word *Twa was hunter-gatherer
("bushpeople"), and that this became conflated with another root for Twa/Pygmy, *Yaka (as in Ba-Yaka
). As the Twa caste developed into full-time hunter-gatherers, the words were conflated, and the ritual role of the absorbed aboriginal peoples was transferred to the Twa.
of the dense forests under the Ruwenzoris, there are notable populations in the swamp forest
around Lake Tumba
in the west (about 14,000, more than the Great Lakes Twa in all countries), in the forest–savanna
swamps of Kasai
in the south-center, and in the savanna swamps scattered throughout Katanga in the south-east, as in the Upemba Depression
with its floating island
s, and around Kiambi on the Luvua River
.
Arab and colonial accounts speak of Twa on either side of the Lomami River
southwest of Kisangani
, and on the Tshuapa River
and its tributary the "Bussera".
Among the Mongo
, on the rare occasions of caste mixing, the child is raised as Twa. If this is a common pattern with Twa groups, it may explain why the Twa are less physically distinct from their patrons than the Mbenga and Mbuti, where village men take Pygmy women out of the forest as wives.
The Congolese variant of the name, at least in Mongo, Kasai, and Katanga, is Cwa.
through central Namibia
had Twa populations when Europeans first arrived in the 16th century. Estermann writes,
These peoples live in desert environments. Accounts are limited and tend to confuse the Twa with the San.
, and Kafue Flats of Zambia
; only the Twa fish in Southern Province
, where the swampy terrain means that large-scale crops cannot be planted near the best fishing grounds.
Cavalli-Sforza also shows Twa near Lake Mweru
on the Zambia–Congo border. There are two obvious possibilities: the Luapula Swamps, and the swamps of Lake Mweru Wantipa
. The latter is Taabwa territory, and the Twa are reported to live among the Taabwa. The former is reported to be the territory of Bemba-speaking Twa.
the term Twa
is applied to the Bushmen
, the former hunter-gatherers of the region.
Hunter-gatherer
A hunter-gatherer or forage society is one in which most or all food is obtained from wild plants and animals, in contrast to agricultural societies which rely mainly on domesticated species. Hunting and gathering was the ancestral subsistence mode of Homo, and all modern humans were...
of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game
Game (food)
Game is any animal hunted for food or not normally domesticated. Game animals are also hunted for sport.The type and range of animals hunted for food varies in different parts of the world. This will be influenced by climate, animal diversity, local taste and locally accepted view about what can or...
in exchange for agricultural products.
The Bantu
Bantu languages
The Bantu languages constitute a traditional sub-branch of the Niger–Congo languages. There are about 250 Bantu languages by the criterion of mutual intelligibility, though the distinction between language and dialect is often unclear, and Ethnologue counts 535 languages...
term Twa
Abatwa
Abatwa/Abathwa/Batwa is a derivative root word common to the Bantu language group of sub-Saharan Africa. It is often mistakenly glossed as 'elf' or 'spirit'...
(see) is generally translated as "Pygmy
Pygmy
Pygmy is a term used for various ethnic groups worldwide whose average height is unusually short; anthropologists define pygmy as any group whose adult men grow to less than 150 cm in average height. A member of a slightly taller group is termed "pygmoid." The best known pygmies are the Aka,...
". However, in the Western conception "Pygmies" are short forest people, whereas southern Twa populations do not live in the forest and may not be shorter than the farming/village population, generally not reaching the anthropological definition of "Pygmy" as males averaging less than 150 cm. Rather, agricultural Bantu peoples have settled a number of ecotone
Ecotone
An ecotone is a transition area between two biomes but different patches of the landscape, such as forest and grassland. It may be narrow or wide, and it may be local or regional...
s (the margins between ecosystems) next to an area that has game but will not support agriculture, such as the edges of the rainforest, open swamp, and desert, and the Twa spend part of the year in the otherwise uninhabited region hunting game, being provided with agricultural food while they do so. Outside of the rainforest, the Twa may be taller than the classic Pygmy, and there may be less difference in physical appearance—in some cases none. Nonetheless, the 'despised' relationship between the farmer patron and the hunter client is similar to that of the forest. No Pygmy population is known to live independently.
Roger Blench has proposed that Twa (Pygmies) originated as a caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
like they are today, much like the Numu blacksmith castes of West Africa
Blacksmiths of western Africa
Blacksmiths of Western Africa emerged around 1500 BC. Blacksmiths are feared in some West African societies for their powerful skills in metalworking, which is considered a form of magic, but universally revered by West African for their technological pioneering. While common people fear the power...
, economically specialized groups which became endogamous and consequently developed into separate ethnic groups, sometimes, as with the Ligbi
Ligbi language
Ligbi is a Mande language spoken in Ghana in the north-west corner of the Brong-Ahafo region. Ligbi is spoken by approximately 10 000 speakers . It is fairly closely related to Jula, Vai and Kono. A small population of Ligbi speakers is reported to live in Côte d'Ivoire . Ligbi is also known as...
, with their own languages. A mismatch in language between patron and client could later occur from population displacements. The short stature of the "forest people" could have developed in the few millennia since the Bantu expansion
Bantu expansion
The Bantu expansion or the Bantu Migration was a millennia-long series of migrations of speakers of the original proto-Bantu language group...
, as also happened with Bantu domestic animals in the rainforest, especially if there was additional selective pressure from farmers taking the tallest women back to the village as wives, as happens today. However, that is incidental to the social identity of the Pygmy/Twa.
It is often supposed that the Pygmies were the aboriginal inhabitants of the forest before the advent of agriculture. However, Vansina
Jan Vansina
Jan Vansina is a historian and anthropologist specializing in Africa. He is the foremost authority on the history of the peoples of Central Africa.-Biography:...
argues that the original meaning of the (Proto-Bantu) word *Twa was hunter-gatherer
Hunter-gatherer
A hunter-gatherer or forage society is one in which most or all food is obtained from wild plants and animals, in contrast to agricultural societies which rely mainly on domesticated species. Hunting and gathering was the ancestral subsistence mode of Homo, and all modern humans were...
("bushpeople"), and that this became conflated with another root for Twa/Pygmy, *Yaka (as in Ba-Yaka
Bayaka
Bayaka is a term used for Mbenga Pygmies. In the Central African Republic, it refers to the Bantu-speaking Aka; in the Republic of Congo, it refers to the Ubangian-speaking Baka....
). As the Twa caste developed into full-time hunter-gatherers, the words were conflated, and the ritual role of the absorbed aboriginal peoples was transferred to the Twa.
Congo
Twa live scattered throughout the Congo. In addition to the Great Lakes TwaGreat Lakes Twa
The Great Lakes Twa, also known as Abatwa or Ge-Sera, or in English Batwa, are a pygmy people who are generally assumed to be the oldest surviving population of the Great Lakes region of central Africa, though currently they live as a Bantu caste...
of the dense forests under the Ruwenzoris, there are notable populations in the swamp forest
Western Congolian swamp forests
The Western Congolian swamp forests are an ecoregion of the Republic of the Congo and Democratic Republic of the Congo. Together with the adjacent Eastern Congolian swamp forests, it forms one of the largest continuous areas of freshwater swamp forest in the world. It is a flooded forest with a...
around Lake Tumba
Lake Tumba
Lake Tumba is a shallow lake in northwestern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located at around and has an area of 500.00 km² and is from 2 to 6 m deep. It is the part of the Congo River basin. Lake Tumba hosts 114 species of fish...
in the west (about 14,000, more than the Great Lakes Twa in all countries), in the forest–savanna
Savanna
A savanna, or savannah, is a grassland ecosystem characterized by the trees being sufficiently small or widely spaced so that the canopy does not close. The open canopy allows sufficient light to reach the ground to support an unbroken herbaceous layer consisting primarily of C4 grasses.Some...
swamps of Kasai
Kasai-Occidental
Kasai-Occidental is one of the ten provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It borders the provinces of Bandundu to the west, Équateur to the north, Kasai-Oriental to the east, and Katanga to the southeast. To the south it borders the country of Angola...
in the south-center, and in the savanna swamps scattered throughout Katanga in the south-east, as in the Upemba Depression
Upemba Depression
Upemba Depression or Kamalondo Depression which is more commonly known by its French name Dépression de l'Upemba is a large marshy bowl area in the Democratic Republic of the Congo comprising some fifty lakes, including 22 of relatively large size including Lake Upemba and Lake Kisale...
with its floating island
Floating island
A floating island is a mass of floating aquatic plants, mud, and peat ranging in thickness from a few inches to several feet. Floating islands are a common natural phenomenon that are found in many parts of the world. They exist less commonly as a man-made phenomenon...
s, and around Kiambi on the Luvua River
Luvua River
The Luvua River is a river in the Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo . It flows from the northern end of Lake Mweru on the Zambia-Congo border in a northwesterly direction for to its confluence with the Lualaba River opposite the town of Ankoro...
.
Arab and colonial accounts speak of Twa on either side of the Lomami River
Lomami River
The Lomami River is a major tributary of the Congo River in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The river is approximately long. It flows north, west of and parallel to the upper Congo....
southwest of Kisangani
Kisangani
Kisangani is the capital of Orientale Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the 3rd largest urbanized city in the country and the largest of the cities that lie in the tropical woodlands of the Congo....
, and on the Tshuapa River
Tshuapa River
The Tshuapa River is a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, about 1000 km long. The middle Tshuapa is navigable and about 150 m across...
and its tributary the "Bussera".
Among the Mongo
Mongo people
The Mongo are the most numerous ethnic group of the Democratic Republic of Congo. They are a diverse collection of peoples living in the equatorial forest, south of the main Congo River bend and north of the Kasai and Sankuru Rivers...
, on the rare occasions of caste mixing, the child is raised as Twa. If this is a common pattern with Twa groups, it may explain why the Twa are less physically distinct from their patrons than the Mbenga and Mbuti, where village men take Pygmy women out of the forest as wives.
The Congolese variant of the name, at least in Mongo, Kasai, and Katanga, is Cwa.
Angola and Namibia
Southern AngolaAngola
Angola, officially the Republic of Angola , is a country in south-central Africa bordered by Namibia on the south, the Democratic Republic of the Congo on the north, and Zambia on the east; its west coast is on the Atlantic Ocean with Luanda as its capital city...
through central Namibia
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
had Twa populations when Europeans first arrived in the 16th century. Estermann writes,
These peoples live in desert environments. Accounts are limited and tend to confuse the Twa with the San.
Zambia and Botswana
The Twa of these countries live is swampy areas, such as the Twa fishermen of the Bangweulu Swamps, Lukanga SwampLukanga Swamp
Lukanga Swamp is a major wetland in the Central Province of Zambia, about 50 km west of Kabwe. Its permanently swampy area consists of a roughly circular area with a diameter of 40 to 50 km covering 1850 km², plus roughly 250 km² in the mouths of and along rivers discharging...
, and Kafue Flats of Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
; only the Twa fish in Southern Province
Southern Province, Zambia
Southern Province is one of Zambia's nine provinces, and home to Zambia's premier tourist attraction, Mosi-oa-Tunya , shared with Zimbabwe...
, where the swampy terrain means that large-scale crops cannot be planted near the best fishing grounds.
Cavalli-Sforza also shows Twa near Lake Mweru
Lake Mweru
Lake Mweru is a freshwater lake on the longest arm of Africa's second-longest river, the Congo. Located on the border between Zambia and Democratic Republic of the Congo, it makes up 110 km of the total length of the Congo, lying between its Luapula River and Luvua River segments.Mweru...
on the Zambia–Congo border. There are two obvious possibilities: the Luapula Swamps, and the swamps of Lake Mweru Wantipa
Lake Mweru Wantipa
Lake Mweru Wantipa is a lake and swamp system in the Northern Province of Zambia. It has been regarded in the past as something of mystery, displaying fluctuations in water level and salinity which were not entirely explained by variation in rainfall levels; it has been known to dry out almost...
. The latter is Taabwa territory, and the Twa are reported to live among the Taabwa. The former is reported to be the territory of Bemba-speaking Twa.
South Africa
In South AfricaSouth Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
the term Twa
Abatwa
Abatwa/Abathwa/Batwa is a derivative root word common to the Bantu language group of sub-Saharan Africa. It is often mistakenly glossed as 'elf' or 'spirit'...
is applied to the Bushmen
Bushmen
The indigenous people of Southern Africa, whose territory spans most areas of South Africa, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Mozambique, Swaziland, Botswana, Namibia, and Angola, are variously referred to as Bushmen, San, Sho, Barwa, Kung, or Khwe...
, the former hunter-gatherers of the region.