Bantu is loosely
translated as “people,” which refers to a group of about 500 different African
languages in Africa. Most of the first Bantu speakers have lived in the area in
the west side of Africa, known today as Nigeria and Cameroon. Their migrations
were mostly caused by agriculture and iron-working.
Since the
innovation of agriculture had started to cultivate in the Bantu speakers, their
search for land to plant yams and oil bearing palms was reason enough for them
to migrate into different parts of Africa. Crops became a part of their daily
life as well as herding domestic goats. They needed an area where they can
expand this practice and to accommodate their growing population.
Another reason is
iron. When iron started to be worked on, they crafted tools that facilitated
ease in their “slash-and-burn” type of agriculture. Iron was also made into
good weapons that were used as trade items that pushed the Bantu speakers to
occupy other lands that are interested in their craft.
