Bangweulu Batwa

Bangweulu Twa, or the BaTwa of the Bangweulu swamps, are one of several groups of Twa living in Zambia. Others are Kafwe Twa and Lukanga Twa. They are also known by the names BaTwa or Abatwa. While other Twa groups that are scattered across equatorial Africa are described as pygmy groups and averaging about 1.5 m (4 ft 11 in) in height, the Bangweulu Twa are described as taller and at least partly of Bantu origin but they may be the descendants of former hunter-gatherer groups.

After the coming of various outside Bantu groups to the area, groups of Twa moved to swamps and marshland territories in Zambia. In descriptions from the early 20th century Bangweulu Twa are said to live off the land, they had no domestic animals but cultivated around ant-hills and on other raised patches. They lived mostly on fish, wildlife – notably the lechwe, sitatunga and otter – and vegetables from the swamps – mostly lily plants. Through trade with inland neighbours, they got meals and grain.

Eric von Rosen and the Bangweulu Twa

Eric von Rosen visited the Twa during his expedition in Bangweulu during 1911 and 1912 and calls them the “Swamp people”. In his books, he describes Twa as very shy and rarely allowing anyone else to come close. They lived on Sudd – a floating mass of papyrus, on which they built grass huts. Von Rosen collected ethnographic and took photographs which are today in Sweden at the Museum of Ethnography in Stockholm and the Museum of World Culture in Gothenburg.

After 1912

After von Rosens expedition the Lake dwellers have been steadily moving to the mainland. Sleeping sickness did play an important part in this process. When the British administration came into being the Twa were made to settle on the land. One area of Bangweulu, Kasenga, was one Twa homeland, but now it is Ushiland.

Also, See other Indigenous people.

African Great Lakes

Hadza people, Sandawe people, Twa people, Bangweulu Batwa, Great Lakes Twa, Kafwe Twa, Lukanga Twa, Nilo-Saharan, Kalenjin people, Maasai people, Samburu people, Bantu languages, Abagusii People, Kikuyu people, Luhya people, Bukusu, Afroasiatic, Iraqw people, Rendille people.

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