TheMitsogo orTsogo are an ethno-cultural group from the highlands ofGabon. They reside mainly inNgounié Province to the north and east ofMouila. Numbering around 13,000, they speak theTsogo language. In the late 19th and early 20th century they were known for their fierce resistance to the French.
There are about 13,000 Mitsogo people who speak theTsogo language. They reside mainly inNgounié Province in southern-central Gabon,[1][2] to the north and east ofMouila.[1] The region is named after the major river,Ngounié River, a tributary of theOgooué 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.[1]
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.[2] In the 1890s the Tsogo-speaking clans of the Matèndè, Dibuwa, and Waka districts along theIkoy River clashed withKele 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.[3]
In 1899, the French established a military outpost and Roman Catholic mission in the region and the Mitsogo people came fully under their control.[3][2] In the early 20th century the Mitsogo the conflicted with theBakele people. They put up a strong resistance in 1907, with the Mitsogo-Kamba clan fighting a fierce battle with the Bakele nearMount Motende. The conflict solidified Tsogo identity.[3] The Mitsogo chiefMbombe was particularly known for his freedom fighting against the French.[4] One major uprising broke out in 1904.[2] He was eventually captured in 1913 and executed at the prison in Mouila.[4]
