The Mbembe Tribe

Mbembe, is a group of people living along the middle Cross River in Nigeria. Numbering about 100,000 in the late 20th century, they speak the language of the Benue-Congo branch of the Niger-Congo family.
The Mbembe cultivate yams, rice, cocoyams (taro), and cassava. In modern times wage laborers generally clear the fields and cultivate the yams. The land is either followed after one year or planted with cassava by women, who receive the profits from its sale. Compact settlements of wattle-and-daub houses with a mat or thatched roofs range in size from 100 to 3,000 inhabitants.
The Mbembe trace descent through both matrilineal and patrilineal lines. Movable property (such as yams, money, and clothing) is inherited matrilineally. The matrilineage is collectively responsible for its members in jural matters. Rights to land and houses are inherited patrilineally, and lineage members usually live together. Age sets cutting across kinship ties are formed in each village. Of village associations that function as agents of social control, the okwa, the most powerful, has certain authority over women and authority to issue orders in such matters as public works. Members of the okwa also select the village chief.

Episode Transcript

(00:02):
They are from the second largest andsecond most populous continent seven point sixteen trillion
dollars in measurable wealth, one billionpeople, over three thousand tribes, fifty
four sovereign states, one people.This is dear story. These are the

(00:32):
tribes of Africa named ben Bay groupin Baybay group of peoples living along the

(01:15):
Middle Cross River, Nigeria, numberingabout hundred thousand and late twentieth century.
They speak a language of the BenueyCongo branch of the Niga Cula family.
Then Baybay cultivate yams, rice,coco yams and cassava. In modern times,
wage laborers generally clad of builds andcultivate the yams. The land is

(01:36):
either followed after one year or plantedwith cassava by women who received the profits
from his cell. Compared settlements ofwater land dab houses with malta tatoos range
inside from hundred to three thousand inhabitants. Then Bambay trace descent through both matrilineal
and patrilineal lines. Livable properties suchas yams, money and clothing is inherited

(01:57):
matrilineally. The matriline age is correctlyirresponsible for its members and jural martyrs.
Wis to land and houses are inheritedpatrilineally, and lineage members usually live together.
Age SATs, cutting across kinship ties, are funding age, village of
village associations of function as agents ofsocial control. The aqua, the most

(02:21):
powerful, has sat An authority overwomen and authority to issue others in such
matters as public works. Members ofthe aqua also select the village chief.
And Baby religion includes belief in theCreator God and spirits who serve as intermediaries
between the living and the dead.Many in Baby are Christians. Somebody visit

(02:44):
your house. The con