Bagisu

Africahorticulturalists
Map
expand_more Description

The Bagisu or Gisu live on the western slopes of the now extinct volcano Mount Elgon in eastern Uganda. Lugisu (Masaba), the language of the Bagisu, is a Bantu language in the larger Niger-Congo group of languages. The economy is based on sedentary agriculture, with some raising of cattle, goats, and sheep. In pre-colonial days (prior to 1900) settlements were built high on the mountainside for defensive purposes. With the pacification of the region, settlements have spread into the valleys and plains. Traditional territorial units ranged from the neighborhood, to the village, the village cluster, and the district. The twentieth century socio-political unit is the parish.

Identifier
Region
  • Africa
Subregion
  • Eastern Africa
Subsistence Type
  • horticulturalists
Samples
Countries
  • Uganda
External Links