Encyclopedia of African Religion

pertaining to the history of the village or to heroic
deeds of a family, to a legend, or to a person pos-
sessed by one of theBunuor deities. For example,
Bion Kuru,Kiriku,Seema, orKaau biifall into a
trance during traditional dances, such as the
Bukakaaru, the calabash/gourd dance.

Thomas Houessou-Adin

See alsoAncestors; Priests

Further Readings

Pliya, J. (1993).L’histoire de mon pays, le Bénin
(3rd ed.). Porto-Novo, Benin: CNPMS.

BAROTSE

The nameBarotserefers to an extensive group of
people who occupy the Western part of Zambia,
portions of Angola, Namibia, and Zimbabwe.
They also may be called Barotsi, Barutse, Bulozi,
Marotse, Rotse, Rozi, and Lozi. The original
name of the Barotse was Aluyi. For purposes of
this entry, the nameBarotsewill refer to all of the
people mentioned.
Barotse history is complex. The Barotse people
are organized with a paramount king and many
subkings. Indeed, it has been said that it is a nation
of royals because of the proliferation of kingships.
Arriving in their present area around the 16th cen-
tury under the leadership of Mboo Mwanasilandu,
the Barotse established their capital at Lealui. In
the vicinity of the capital, the Mashona people, the
majority in Zimbabwe, often traded with the
Barotse, creating a common trade language that
was understood by both groups. However, it was
not the Mashona who were to have the greatest
impact on the complexity of Barotse history, but
another ethnic group from the south, the Makololo.
In the early 19th century, a powerful conquering
monarch of the Basotho people, Sebitoane, led his
Makalolo armies from what is now South Africa
north through the territories of the Tswana and
Shona people leaving devastation in his wake.
Passing through the Kalahari Desert, they encoun-
tered the Barotse people on the flat flood plains
of the Zambezi and subdued them. The armies
of Imasiku, the paramount king of Aluyi, were

conquered in 1838. The Makololo called the Aluyi,

whom they had met and defeated by a new name,

Barotse, meaning “people of the plains.” In the fol-

lowing years, the Barotse became subject people,

rising only as high as they were permitted by the

Makololo elite. After 40 years of subservience to

the Makololo, the Barotse revolted and eliminated

most of the Basotho-Makololo royalty and oli-

garchy, reestablishing their own kingship lineage.

With the destruction of Sebitoane’s dynasty in

1864, the Barotse had declared their national inde-

pendence and selected Sipopa as their king. They

were soon, however, to be subjected to British

colonialism. Nevertheless, the people retained their

cultural practices and heritage based on their long

history. The king and themokwai, who is usually

the eldest sister of the king, rule with the authority

and prerogatives of the ancestors. They are consid-

ered equal, the male and the female ruler, and each

is required to obtain the assent of the other before

a national edict or law is passed.

The Barotse believe that the Supreme Deity is a

solar deity in the sense that the sun embodies the

power of a force that energizes the universe. There

are no shrines built to this deity, but there are

many ceremonies and rituals intended to appease

ancestral and other spirits. All evil is associated

with some spirit. According to the beliefs of the

Barotse, the ancestral spirits must be consulted

and celebrated on a regular basis as a way of

maintaining harmony and peace in the society.

Molefi Kete Asante

See alsoAncestors; God; Kings

Further Readings

Asante, M. (2007).The History of Africa.London:

Routledge.

Reynolds, B. (1963).Magic, Divination and Witchcraft

Among the Barotse of Northern Rhodesia. Berkeley:

University of California Press.

BASSA

Within the context of African religion, the term

Bassa has strong geopolitical and historical

connotations. In historico-geographic terms, the

108 Barotse