The Countries of West Africa -- Senegal, Gambia, Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Mali, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Burkina Faso (Upper Volta), Ivory Coast (Cote d'Ivoire), Ghana, Togo, Benin, Nigeria, and Niger -- within which African tribes gave rise to Black American slaves will be discussed in groups.
In 1433, the Portuguese started trading with interior Africans for slaves. They began raiding for slaves on the Guinea Coast in 1444 and rapidly increased trade for slaves up the Senegal River.
Eventually, raids spread through the above mentioned first five countries to include slaves from the Wolof, Sara Kole, Fulam, Badiaranka, Mandingo, Manding, Felup, Banyum, Manjacu, Bram, Kabunke, Papel, Biafada, Bolanta, Bijago, Nalu, Landuma, Dialonke, Tene, Fulbe, Baga, Susu, Mandinka, and ...tribes.
The big and powerful Kroomen who lived on the Guinea Coast were able to miraculously maneuver frail boats in the mountainous surf of the hinterland (the land next to and inland from the coast) to capture slaves (Alderman, Rum, Slaves, and Molasses p. 27). Subsequently, other Europeans came and the slave trade spread.
In the 1680s the Ivory Coast was a most profitable area for slavery (e.g. the Kassourna) but was neglected in the 19th century for geographical reasons. Many slaves came out of such Sierra Leone tribes as the Limba Timine, Bulom, Loko, Kono, Sherbro, and Mende. Those from Liberia included the Gbande, Manon, Kpelle, Gyo, Gola, Vai, Ge, De, Basa, Kru, and Grebo.
However, the most prized slaves came from the Gold Coast (Ghana) and particularly from the Ashanti Kingdom, about 100 miles into the interior. Other Ghana tribes included the Sala and Adangme as well as those grouped as Akan people -- the Asante, Ahanta, Assin, Ga, Denky, Kwahu, Akupem, Fantel (and its Agona subgroups), Nzima, and Ewe.
But the Ashantis ranked high as the proudest, most independent, and warlike nations of all West Africa. They led some of the bloodiest revolts in the West Indies (where they were called Coromantees). Otherwise, they were hearty and stalwart in mind and body and not revengeful when well treated (Bailey Sr., From Africa to Black Power).
In the later 17th century, the "Slave Coast" (Nigeria, Benin, Togo) was the center for the slave trade, drawing in prisoners of war and others from northern Togo and Dahomey (Benin) -- both extensions of the Nigerian "Middle Belt." Tribes of Togo involved the Kabre and Logba; of Benin, Whydahs, Paw-Paws (paupahs), the Boko, Tamba, Bariba, Mahi, Adja, Fon, Hueda, and Otta.
The Ibo (Eboos) tribe of eastern Nigeria were long-term victims of slavery. Others were the Nagoes, Fulbe, Kambari, Gwari, Ebe, Musu, Nupe, Kamuku, Gwar, Kakanda, Dibo, Kupa, Yagba, Bunu, Ekiti, Aworo, Ife, Ishan, onoo, Olomo, Igbira, Hima, Ijesha, Egba, Ijebu, Etsako, Urhobo, Itsekiri, Ijaw, Hausa, Bede, Nguru, Kanuri, Karekare, Bolewa, Gwari, Jarawa, Jaba, Koro, Ysekwa, Basa, Komo, Boritsu, Kakanda, Afu, Igbira-Panda, Jukun, Igala, Tiv, Igbira-Hima, Iyala, Etsako, and...tribes.
Of the 3,000 tribes existing on the continent of Africa throughout the millennia, many have migrated; most have been given different names, each having different spellings; some have been spread over wide locations; and certain significant ones have been improperly lumped or artificially separated by foreigners.
An example of improper lumping concerns the "Coromanti" -- also spelled Coromantees and called Ashanti and Twi. Actually they were separate groups of slaves who spoke the same language but shared no social origins when brought to certain Ghanan slave markets (Appiah, African p. 104). Another source of confusion came from the variety of routes slaves were brought in from the interior, especially those located between the great Senegal River and Gambia.
Examples included the light skinned Foulahs of the Senegambia slave trading region, the famous Mandingos and the Fulani from Guinea. Some came by foot and some came by boat.
References: Koelle's Polyglotta Africana (1854) by way of Collins, African History p. 163; Bynum, African Unconscious, p. 176, 195-6, 202, 209 and Bailey-Echoes of Ancient African Values, Authorhouse.com
Joseph A. Bailey, II, M.D.
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