The Fang People
The Fang, also known as the Pahouin, majorly occupy the Northern Gabon and Southern Cameroon. In Gabon, the Fang is the largest ethnic group, and they constitute 85% of the Gabonese population. With their origin being central Cameroon, the Fang are recent immigrants into Equatorial Guinea with their major relocation occurring in the nineteenth century. The Fang people are considered the primary victims of the historic transatlantic and trans-Saharan slave trade that occurred between the sixteenth and nineteenth centuries. During this period, the slave traders and missionaries stereotyped the Fang people as cannibals due to the human skulls that were discovered in boxes around their villages. As a result, the oppressors used the cannibalism claim as a reason to discriminated and enslaved them; however, later, ethnologists discovered that the skull was a symbol of religious reverence for their loved ones who were dead.
The fang people are connected through the lineage and a matrilineal kinship societal structure. Usually, they practice Bwiti, a popular monotheistic ritual that involves days of dancing and celebration (Aniakor, 1996). Their artwork, which was primarily made by men, was constructed from wood and iron, and their famous wood masks are in various museums in Gabon and other regions all over the globe. In most cases, they used their artistic creations for their masquerades. That aside, music plays a critical role in the history of the Fang, and their main instrument is the mvet, which is a chordophone that has resonators attached to it. The mvet is played by mbomo mvet, and it takes years of practice to master its functionality (Aniakor, 1996). Due to colonization by the French, the Fang’s religion was majorly Christianity; however, they adopted the Biere traditional religion after independence. Their leadership system is inherited, and the leader is usually a descendant of the founding families of the village. Their leaders have spiritual powers and can communicate with their ancestors.
Reference
Aniakor, C. (1996). Fang:(Equatorial Guinea, Gabon). The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.