The Bijagos are a ethnic group in Guinea-Bissau. The Bissagos archipelago consists of twenty main islands and dozens of smaller ones. It forms part of Guinea-Bissau. Only twenty of the islands are inhabited all year round.
The Bijagos live in a lush, fertile and rich natural environment. They rely on a subsistence economy which is based on personal consumption.aking from nature what they will consume each day. They grow rice, pulses, cashews and vegetables; they own farms with chickens and pigs, they fish and take full advantage of all parts of the palm tree.
The Bijagos are a people who dwell in small villages, or tabancas, formed by houses of mud and straw. In this society, the women choose their husbands and have the final say in divorces; they are the owners of the homes they live in and which they themselves construct; they run the family and organise labour; they are also in charge of relations with the spirit world. While differences exist from one island to the next, in general they manage the economy and the social wellbeing.
Photo: © Emili Bayona / Guinea Bissau - 2022
Extended info about Bijago People