The Mitsogo or Tsogo are an ethno-cultural group from the highlands of Gabon. They reside mainly in Ngounié Province to the north and east of Mouila. Numbering around 13,000, they speak the

Tsogo language Tsogo (Getsogo) is a Bantu language of Gabon Gabon (; ; snq, Ngabu), officially the Gabonese Republic (french: République gabonaise), is a country on the west coast of Central Africa. Located on the equator, it is bordered by Equatori ...

. In the late 19th and early 20th century they were known for their fierce resistance to the French.

Description

There are about 13,000 Mitsogo people who speak the

. They reside mainly in Ngounié Province in southern-central Gabon, to the north and east of Mouila. The region is named after the major river,

Ngounié River The Ngounié River (also Ngunyé) is a river flowing through southwest-central Gabon. It is the last and second most important tributary of the Ogooué River, the first being the Ivindo River. It initially flows down from the Chaillu Mountains, al ...

, a tributary of the Ogooué River, and is so associated with the Mitsogo that it is often referred to as "Mitsogo country". It is sometimes also known as Mitsogo. Roughly 90% of them are Christian.

History

The French first encountered the Mitsogo people in 1857, when they totalled approximately 5000 people. They become known for their skills in iron and cloth manufacturing. In the 1890s the Tsogo-speaking clans of the Matèndè, Dibuwa, and Waka districts along the

Ikoy River The Ikoy, also Dcoye, is a river of central-western Gabon. It is a tributary of the Ngounié River and flows into the river to the southeast of Lambaréné Lambaréné is a town and the capital of Moyen-Ogooué in Gabon. It has a population of 3 ...

clashed with Kele invaders. The Kele took their women and children to increase their own numbers and fertility. As a result, Mitsogo clans settled in districts inhabited by Punu and Apindji speaking clans. In 1899, the French established a military outpost and Roman Catholic mission in the region and the Mitsogo people came fully under their control. In the early 20th century the Mitsogo the conflicted with the

Bakele people The Kele people (or Akele, Bakele, Dikele, Western Kele) are an ethnic group in Gabon with an estimated population of 10,774. They live in groups around Mimongo in or near Middle Ogooue Province. Their Kili language is part of the Northwest Bant ...

. They put up a strong resistance in 1907, with the Mitsogo-Kamba clan fighting a fierce battle with the Bakele near

Mount Motende Mount is often used as part of the name of specific mountains, e.g. Mount Everest. Mount or Mounts may also refer to: Places * Mount, Cornwall, a village in Warleggan parish, England * Mount, Perranzabuloe, a hamlet in Perranzabuloe parish, C ...

. The conflict solidified Tsogo identity. The Mitsogo chief

Mbombe The Mbombe 6 is a mine-protected, high-mobility armoured fighting vehicle produced by Paramount Group from South Africa that was launched in 2010. "Mbombe" is named after an African warrior. Vehicle specifications The Mbombe 6's unladen weight i ...

was particularly known for his freedom fighting against the French. One major uprising broke out in 1904. He was eventually captured in 1913 and executed at the prison in Mouila.

References

{{authority control Bantu peoples Ethnic groups in Gabon

Description

History

See also

References