ERIC KASHAMBUZI

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Origin and expansion of Bantu in east, central and southern Africa PDF
Written by Eric Kashambuzi   
Tuesday, 17 August 2010 21:30
Bantu Expansion
The word Bantu relates to the languages spoken by African black peoples. Some 80 million people speak Bantu languages and belong to many groups including Zulu, Swahili, Baganda and Kikuyu. There is general agreement that Bantu people originated from the grassland area in the Nigeria/Cameroon border. About the time of Christ (1 AD) they began their migration which was gradual and in small groups. It is not clear what triggered the movement out of their original home although population pressure has been mentioned. They brought with them short horn cattle, goats, sheep and poultry (domestic fowl) and knowledge of iron working. By 1500, they had settled into central, eastern and southern Africa (R. O. Collins 2006, R. Oliver and G. Mathew 1963 and The World Book Encyclopedia 1983).  Their economic activities and degree of specialization depended on ecological conditions. For example, those living outside of the Congo forest became adept at cereal production and stock herding. Those near water bodies engaged in fishing. Those near iron ore became smelters. They traded surplus.
Bantu introduced an agricultural revolution through the spread of new crops, new farming techniques and pastoralism. Bantu also diffused new ideas such as iron-smelting, pottery making and cooking. As farmers and stock raisers Bantu had a more reliable source of food supply which led to more permanent settlement and development of more organized and complex societies. These societies resulted in the establishment of more elaborate socio-political institutions, new forms of trade exchange and cultural formations. There was a major social and political transformation. They were not stateless people without civilizations.

“The expansion thus resulted in the Bantuzisation of central, eastern and southern Africa…The evidence shows that it is in the ability of the Bantu to assimilate and adapt to different habitats, rather than their ability to displace other groups, that an explanation both for the cultural differences between the various Bantu groups and for their population increase and expansion to much of sub-equatorial Africa can be situated… Trading interaction and intermarriage with foragers resulted in the latter settling permanently with the villagers and eventually abandoning their languages” (T. Falola 2000).

Bantu groups such as Ganda, Nyoro, Kongo, Luba, Lunda and Rwanda established great kingdoms (The World Book Encyclopedia 1983). They had kings like the Mwami of Bahutu in Rwanda and palaces (B. A. Ogot 1976). This was the situation of diversified economies, political institutions and advanced civilizations like Mansa, Ntusi and Bigo earthen works in Uganda before Nilotic peoples from southern Sudan came into contact with Bantu speaking peoples in eastern and central Africa or the Great Lakes Region. Bachwezi who were Bantu aristocracy (B. A. Ogot 1999) played a vital role in these developments. The map on Bantu expansion was taken from the book titled “African History Before 1885 (2000) edited by Toyin Falola”.