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13-648: Mpongwe may refer to: the Mpongwe people , an ethnic group in Gabon and their Mpongwe language Mpongwe, Copperbelt , seat of the Mpongwe District in Zambia Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the title Mpongwe . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change

26-731: A bridewealth. As a result of centuries of contact with the Europeans, a mixed-race population emerged: the métis . Métis could be found in almost every Mpongwé family during this time. Mpongwé families even encouraged their daughters to engage with European men. Such unions were not considered legitimate marriages under French law, but were in Mpongwé communities as long as family consent and a bridewealth were given. These marriages provided an avenue for women to acquire property and to obtain French citizenship. As these interracial unions continued into

39-542: A load capacity of 8–10 tons. The French took advantage of longstanding inter-clan rivalry to establish a foothold; while "King Denis" ( Antchouwé Kowe Rapontchombo ) of the Asigas talked the French out of using his clan's area, "King Glass" ( R'Ogouarowe ) of the Agekaza-Glass submitted only after a bombardment in 1845, and "King Louis" ( Anguilè Ré-Dowé ) of Agekaza-Quaben ceded his village of Okolo and moved, leaving

52-620: A subgroup of the Myènè people of the Bantus , who are believed to have been in the area for some 2,000 years, although the Mpongwe clans likely began arriving in only the 16th century, possibly in order to take advantage of trading opportunities offered by visiting Europeans . The Mpongwe gradually became the middlemen between the coast and the interior peoples such as the Bakèlè and Séké . From about

65-490: The 1770s, the Mpongwe also became involved in the slave trade . In the 1830s, Mpongwe trade consisted of slaves, dyewood , ebony , rubber , ivory , and gum copal in exchange for cloth , iron , firearms , and various forms of alcoholic drink. In the 1840s, at the time of the arrival of American missionaries and French naval forces, the Mpongwe consisted of 6,000-7,000 free persons and 6,000 slaves, organized into about two dozen clans. Four of these clans were preeminent;

78-497: The 20th century, African and French societies sought to restrict these unions as Mpongwé women began to claim their European ancestry as a means to assert their voice in society. The métis population not only confronted gender roles within the African community, but also challenged the permeability of social and legal hierarchies under colonial rule. Anguil%C3%A8 R%C3%A9-Dow%C3%A9 Anguilè Ré-Dowé also known as "King Louis",

91-746: The Asiga and Agulamba on the south shore, and the Agekaza-Glass and Agekaza-Quaben on the north shore. Each of these clans was ruled by an oga , translated as "king" by Europeans, although clan leadership was largely oligarchic. The Mpongwe engaged in extensive coastal trade across the Central African coast. An account of this trade includes that of Paul Du Chaillu in the mid-19th century. Mpongwe boats could be 60 feet in length, 3 1 2 {\displaystyle 3{\tfrac {1}{2}}} in breadth and 3 feet deep. Larger vessels included masts and sails made of woven palm fronds , with

104-482: The French to establish Fort d'Aumale on the village's site in 1843. The combination of slave trade suppression and direct contact by Europeans with the interior reduced Mpongwe fortunes, but at the same time missionary schools enabled young Mpongwe to work in the colonial government and enterprise. The population declined greatly as a result of smallpox , and an 1884 estimate lists only about 3,000 Mpongwe. Fang migration pressure converted many Mpongwe to urban life in

117-419: The early 20th century, and they came to be leaders in both the French colony and independent Gabon. As African and European communities converged along the coast, the Mpongwé adjusted traditional practices to incorporate interracial relationships between Mpongwé women and European men. By mid 19th century, it was commonplace for Mpongwé women to engage in sexual and domestic acts with European men in exchange for

130-405: The link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Mpongwe&oldid=1083347752 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Mpongwe people The Mpongwe language identifies them as

143-418: The only ones able to fly a flag on this territory. This makes it a crucial event in the French conquest of Gabon. The following year, the French settled on the bank and founded Fort D’Aumale. Ré-Dowé established his new village north of Okolo. He died in 1867 and was buried in his village, near his hut. A cement tomb was built in 1946 by his great-grandchildren. Ré-Dowé's village has been called "Louis" since

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156-430: Was Mpongwe village leader of Agekaza-Quaben in the 19th century. In 1842, he ceded sovereignty over his territories to the French. He was the nephew of King Quaben (or Kaka-Rapono), the head of the clan. His exact date of birth is unknown. He was born in the village of Okolo (now called Sainte-Marie). His mother is said to be an Aguékaza woman given in marriage to an Agungu man but she was recalled by her clan while she

169-472: Was pregnant. He was then adopted by King R’Ogayoni, a Mpongwè king of the Aguékaza clan. He is known for having signed a treaty on 18 March 1842 that allowed the French to settle on the northern bank of the estuary. Unlike the treaty of 1839, signed by Antchouwé Kowe Rapontchombo , "King Denis", the treaty with King Louis mentions a transfer of sovereignty and stipulates that the French will from then on be

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