 Mafa weaver of Cameroon, 1992. | |
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| c.2,000,000–3,000,000 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
| NorthernCameroon, NorthernNigeria | |
| Languages | |
| Mafa | |
| Religion | |
| Christianity (45%) Islam (30%) Traditional African religion (15%) |
TheMafa, natively calledMofa, is an ethnic group localized in northernCameroon andNigeria with smaller populations in other African countries includingMali,Chad,Sudan,Burkina Faso andSierra Leone.
The Mafahay, a Mafa tribe, migrated fromRoua andSulede (which is west of Durum,Mofu proper), towards the northwest. The Bulahay tribe, meanwhile, migrated to the west, alongside the southern borders of the present Mafa territory. Eventually they also migrated northwards where the two tribes gradually intermixed, becoming the present-day Mafa.[1]
Total population estimates vary between 2,000,000[2] and 3,000,000.[3] A 2010 source placed the total population of the Mafa at approximately 3,000,000.[4] Hallaire[5] indicates that population density in the area is between 99 and 140 inhabitants per square kilometer.[6]
According to Lavergne,[7] the Mafa are split into two tribal sections, being the ‘Mafa proper’ (referred to as Maf-Mafa or ‘Mafahay), and the ‘Bulahai’. The Mafas live in the central part of theNorthern Mandaras, which is a region formed by the North area of theMokolo Plateau and the mountains of northernMokolo. The Mafa society is divided into several cantons: Moskota; Koza; Gaboua (Koza district); (Mokolo arrondissement). There are also about 1m Mafa in Kughum (North,Nigeria).[2]
The Mafa belong to theChadic language group. They speak theMafa language,with three different dialects: Central Mafa, West Mafa, and East Mafa. Together with many other languages of other African peoples (such asMada,Wuzlam (Uldeme),Muyang andƊugwor (Dugur)), they form part of the Mafa-south sub-group.[1]
Religiously, the Mafa population is 45%Christians, 30%Muslims and 15% practitioners oftraditional African religion. The Christian population is composed ofCatholics (60%) andProtestants (30%), other Christian (7%), and Independent Christian (3%).
Traditional Mafa agriculture depends on a wide assortment ofsoil management techniques. The hillsides are secured with constructed terraces, that according to an author, "have reached a state of exceptional perfection".[8] Other ethno-engineering procedures include:
Likewise, agriculturists in the mountains practice an extensive variety ofsoil fertility management procedures, including:
They also use an intensive livestock-raising system in the management of the fertility of their soil. Livestock includes smallstock and a limited amount of cattle. In the dry season between December and May, livestock is allowed to roam free, so he can consume crop residues and leaves of wild bushes.
During the farming season, livestock is put in a pen and fed. The manure that accumulates in the stables is collected, preserved and finally spread out in the fields at the end of the dry season. The intensity and ingenuity of Mafa nutrient management is illustrated by the fact that termites are used to digest harvest residues and then fed to the Chickens.[8]
Alluvial methods of mining were used by Mafa people to search for iron sand and utilize it formagnetite ore inCameroon.[9]
In the 1970s, theFrench Catholic priest François Vidil collaborated with the Mafa community to create a series of artwork known asVie de Jesus Mafa (Life of Jesus Mafa, or simply Jesus Mafa), which depicts various events in the life ofJesus usingBlack depictions rather thanWhite.[10] These images were actually depictions of real-world recreations of biblical scenes by Mafa people, and have since become popular worldwide, and perhaps especially amongAfrican Americans, as an inculturated form of Catholiciconography.
The works were soon after acquired by theJosephites, a religious society of priests serving African Americans. A collection remains at their seminary inWashington, D.C., where their pastoral center continues to sell prints.
TheJesus Mafa collection has also been added to the United StatesLibrary of Congress.[11]
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