Saturday, December 14, 2024

Belgian Congo Ba-Tetele Woman

BELGIAN CONGO on 23 May 1942 issued three stamps, each with a different color and denomination, on a profile image of a Ba-Tetele woman. Waterlow & Sons Ltd. London printed between 400,000 to less than three million copies, depending on the stamp, using a Recess method. The same image of the Ba-Tetele woman, blue color with different border design, was issued in 1943.

The name "Ba-tetela" is now accepted as the name for people living in the region between Lusambo and the Upper Congo River, in the provinces of Sankuru and Maniema.  They live by  hunting-gathering fishing farming , and raising  cassava bananas , and  kola nuts . They are understood to be related to the then "Wakussu" people who remained in Maniema only separating from them in the late 1800s after the arrival of  Arabs  and  Belgians  in the region.  Many understood as "Tetela" and some of today's Kusu are subgroups of the larger  Mongo  group. 

The Kusu people are concentrated between Kibombo and Lubao. In the mid to late 19th century they were under the rulership of the Kilembwe rulers and chief Kasongo Lushie where some came under the influence of Arab traders while the "Sungu" and other bilingual populations ventured inland towards the eastern section within the Kasai basin.



Source: Wikipedia

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