La Dynamique sociale et l'épisode colonial: La formation de la société “Bangala” dans l'entre Zaïre-Ubangi

Abstract

This analysis of the social dynamic of Bangala society during the nineteenth century and the early period of colonial occupation (up to the 193os) argues against the idea that the colonial period was merely a parenthesis in African history. Societies living between the Ubangi and Zaire rivers developed a very complex system of interaction among themselves and with the local ecological system. The trade with European networks added a vital component to the social and political competition, allowing the construction of larger political units, the creation of a common language lingala and the formation of a regional culture. If the early years of the colonial penetration served the aims of a few local political and commercial leaders, by the second decade of the twentieth century, there was very little room for African politics. Political leaders became simple auxilliaries of the White Man's order, while Catholic missions and schools offered limited opportunities for personal advancement. Local effects of the Great Depression, combined with a public health and demographic crisis, broke the social dynamic for at least one generation. Nevertheless, the unification of culture and the spread of lingala laid the foundation for the explosion of ethnic affirmation in the early 196os.