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The Mossi people
The Mossi people are the largest ethnic group in Burkina Faso, constituting approximately 52% of the population, which is about 11.1 million people. They are primarily found in the Volta River basin in West Africa, with smaller populations also in northern Ivory Coast and northern Ghana. The Mossi speak the Mòoré language, a member of the Gur language family, and their cultural identity is deeply rooted in the traditions and history of the region. Historically, the Mossi emerged as a powerful and organized group, particularly known for their kingdom-building prowess. The Mossi kingdoms, such as the Ouagadougou Kingdom, were established around the 11th century and thrived through their military, agricultural,…
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The Shona people
The Shona people are a Bantu ethnic group native to Southern Africa, predominantly residing in Zimbabwe, where they form the majority population. They also have communities in Mozambique, South Africa, and the diaspora, including the United Kingdom. With a population of over 15 million, the Shona are known for their rich cultural heritage and historical influence in the region. The Shona people are linguistically unified by the Shona language (chiShona), which has five primary dialect clusters: Manyika, Karanga, Zezuru, Korekore, and Ndau. Each dialect reflects the historical and geographical diversity of the group. Shona serves as both a spoken and written language, contributing to a shared cultural identity across different…
