Category: Blog

Linguistic and genetic fieldwork on Furu [fuu] (Central Sudanic?) in the Nord-Ubangi province (DRC)

From May 6 to June 6 Paulin Baraka Bose will be conducting fieldwork on Furu, a putative Sara-Bongo-Bagirmi (SBB) language (Central Sudanic) spoken in several villages to the northeast of Bosobolo along the left bank of the Ubangi River, in the province of Nord-Ubangi in the DRC. Back in 1986, the estimated number of Fulu speakers was 12,000. Fulu is believed to be the same language as Bagiro, a SBB languages spoken on the right bank of the Ubangi River, in the Central African Republic. However, while Bagiro relies on a full-fledged grammar, data available on Fulu consist of a 10-page phonological sketch, 75-item wordlist and 9 sentences dating back to 1940-1950.

Besides Furu, Paulin is also collecting linguistic and genetic data on several minority Ubangi languages spoken around Bosobolo, namely: Langbashe [lna], Gbanziri [gbg], Ngbugbu [lnl], Buraka [bkg] and Yakpa [bjo], as well Gezon, allegedly a dialect of Pagabete (Bantu C401).

 

First joint fieldwork mission of the CongUbangi team in the Sud-Ubangi province (DRC)

From April 17 to May 8, the CongUbangi team and associated researchers carried out a first joint fieldwork mission in Gemena and Libenge, in the province of Sud-Ubangi in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The linguistic team consisted of Sara Pacchiarotti, Jean-Pierre Donzo Bunza, Paulin Baraka Bose, and Chrisnah Renaudot Mfouhou. The archaeological team consisted of Peter Coutros, Igor Matonda, Holy Ondel Ilo (Institut des Musées Nationaux du Congo), Lucien Pierre Nguerede and Henri Zana. The team collected new linguistic, archaeological, ethnographic and genetic data and worked in close collaboration with local partners.

The linguistic team collected new lexical and grammatical data on Kpala [kpl] (Ubangi, Mundu-Baka), South Ngbundu [nuu] (Bandaic), Yakpa (Bandaic, spoken in Central African Republic), Mondzombo [moj] (Mundu-Baka), Mbati [nbw] (Ngbandic), Gilima [gix] (Mundu-Baka), as well as Ngombe Monengbe (Bantu, C41) and Mbenga, the Bantu language spoken by foragers known as Bambenga living in the outskirts of Libenge.

The (ethno)archaeological team conducted surface surveys within the vicinity of the towns of Gemena and Libenge, identifying 30 new archaeological sites. Excavations were carried out at 11 locations which ranged between the Late Stone Age and the Historical period. In addition, the team conducted ethnographic research with potters from Ngbaka Minagende and Monzombo speaking communities.