Bimoba people

Bimoba people
Mɔba

Bimoba people are a Gur ethnic group in north eastern Ghana closely related to the Moba people (native: Mɔba) of north western Togo. They are an acephalous tribe of the Kingdom of Dagbon numbering around 221,000 people.[1] The Bimoba speak the Moba language.[2][3]

Origin

The Bimoba are believed to have migrated southwards from the Sudan following the collapse of the Shilluk empire around the 1500s.[4]

Society

Bimoba society patriarchal and is structured around clan and family heads. There are no kings or chiefs with vested power to hold the various clans together. The clans themselves are grouped based on their location. Presently, the clan groups of the Bimoba are Baakpang, Turinwe and Kanyakib. Unaffiliated clans also exit at scatted locations.[4]

Religion

The Bimoba practice predominantly ethnic religions. Although they believe in the concept of an Almighty God, they each identify with personal deities collectively referred to as "Yennu" which translates as "god" or "sun". Their ancestors play a role by being the contact between themselves and Yannu. A typical Bimoba compound would have a clay construction alter (called patir, plural: patra) in an enclosed hut (Nakouk) where sacrifices are made to invoke the presence of the ancestors. Women are not allowed into the Nanouk. Aside the patir located in the compound, every family member is allowed to construct their own small alter known as a "Mier". Villages typically have a common shrine known as "Tingban". The Tingban is visited at times of problems that concern the entire community such as a drought or a disease outbreak.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Bimoba, Moba in Ghana". Joshuaproject.net. Retrieved November 2, 2016.
  2. ↑ David and Tomas (31 December 2014). "POLITICAL LINES DRAWN IN BISU CONGRESS". Modern Ghana. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
  3. ↑ "Konkombas, Bimobas Smoke Peace Pipe". Peace FM. GNA. 31 May 2015. Retrieved July 4, 2015.
  4. 1 2 3 J.J. Meij, D. van Bodegom, D. Baya Laar (2007). Testing Life history theory in a contemporary African population. Chapter 3 - The Bimoba: the people of Yennu. Thesis Leiden University, the Netherlands.
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