The Balanta of Guinea-Bissau

Since my discovery of my maternal Balanta genetic heritage, there has been an explosion of information online about all things Balanta and Guinea-Bissau. With the increased amount of genetic testing being done by African Americans, many groups and cultural exchanges have taken place through the Internet.  Here are a few of my favorite videos  and online resources about the Balanta and Guinea-Bissau.

Typical Banlanta trube music called Broksa. According to my source, there is an annual festival of this dance organized in the village of Nhacra just outside of the capital Bissau.

 

 

There is also a new documentary about Amilcar Cabral (1924 - 1973) the father of Guinea-Bissau Independence movement.  For more detailed information about the film and the Cabralista movement which seeks to honor Amilcar Cabral visit the website http://www.cabralista.com.

 

BBC Radio 3 World Routes Guinea-Bissau Part 1 

BBC Radio 3 World Routes Guinea-Bissau Part 2

 Groups: (note that some groups you must have a facebook account to join or view)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/ATOGB/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Balanta-Tribe/156610237683310

Road Trip Countdown: Balanta of Guinea-Bissau

The nation of Guinea-Bissau
modern home of the Balanta ethnic group

One of the most exciting events in my research has to be the day received the results of a DNA test to determine my African ancestry. My maternal ancestry returned results of a match to the Balanta people of Guinea- Bissau. My family is in good company. Tom Joyner and Whoopi Goldberg are also descended from the Balanta people of Guinea-Bissau.

Wordless Wednesday: BBC World Route visits the Balanta of Guinea - Bissau




BBC World Routes: The Balanta of Guinea-Bissau Episode One
BBC World Routes: Manecas Costa and the Gumbe Rhythm Episode Two

 

MtDNA Test Results. . .

Back in April, I sent my DNA to be tested by African Ancestry for analysis to determine my Mitochondrial DNA (MtDNA). After what seemed to be one of the longest waits of my life, the results were returned to me yesterday. The maternal ancestry of the Rounds Family originates from the Balanta people mainly of Guinea-Bissau. These results confirm the oral family history of the Rounds family's origins in Guinea.

I spent about 10 minutes trying to wrap my head around the notion of actually knowing what ethnic group I belong to. Its an amazing and indescribable feeling. These results excited me so much and I began to search out information on the internet about. What I found out was so incredible to me because it made me so proud! It also created an entirely new set of questions about the connection between how my ancestors came here and if there were others who shared the same connection between Guinea-Bissau, Virginia and Adams County, Mississippi.

This is what I found on WikiPedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balanta):

The Balanta (same spelling in Guinea-Bissau Creole and Portuguese, balante in French transliteration), meaning literally "those who resist", are an ethnic group found in Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Gambia. They are the largest ethnic group of Guinea-Bissau, representing more than one-quarter of the population. But despite their numbers, they have remained outside the colonial and postcolonial state because of their social organization. The Balanta can be divided into four subgroups, (three of which are Balanta Kentohe, Balanta Ganja, and Balanta Brassa) the largest of which are the Balanta Brassa.

Archaeologists believe that the people who became the Balanta migrated to present-day Guinea-Bissau in small groups between the tenth and fourteenth century C.E. During the nineteenth century they spread throughout the area that is presently Guinea-Bissau and southern Senegal in order to resist the expansion of the Kaabu kingdom. Oral tradition amongst the Balanta has it that they migrated westward from the area that is now Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia to escape drought and wars. Today, the Balanta are mostly found in the south and central regions of Guinea-Bissau.

Video introducing Balanta language:




Video of Balantas Dancing

Balanta Dance