Culture / Languages / Religions

Culture

Culture du Gabon
Culture du Gabon

Gabon has an immense culture thanks to its traditional architecture, its local cuisine, its festivities, its folklore ceremonies, its craftsmanship and its social organization modeled on ancestral values. The use of traditional masks occupies an important place in the Gabonese culture. Each ethnic group has masks with different meanings and uses. They are frequently used in traditional ceremonies (marriage, birth, mourning, etc.). The best known and most popular of these masks in the major art markets are the Teke, Obambas, Kotas, punus and fangs masks that are found in major European, North American and Asian museums.

Gabon has about 50 ethnic groups and is divided into several major cultural groups. We can distinguish:

► The Fang group which represents about 32% of the population
► The Mpongwè group which represents about 15% of the population
► The Obamba group, which represents about 14% of the population
► The Punu group which represents about 12% of the population

Languages

Langues africaines
Langues africaines

The official language spoken in Gabon is French. It is the language of education, justice, and administration. It plays a unifying role in the country and is spoken by 80% of the population. Gabon has about 50 ethnic groups and a multitude of languages. There are four main language groups: The Fang is spoken in five of the nine regions, which represents about 32% of the population, the Mpongwè is spoken by about 15% of the population, the Obamba (or Mbédés) is spoken by about 14% of the population and the Punu is spoken by about 12% of the population. Several other languages are also spoken in Gabon.

Religions

La Cathédrale St Marie
La Cathédrale St Marie

Gabon is a secular state with a diversity of religions whose followers live peacefully together. It represents, with regard to its religious cartography, a true crossroads of religions. Before colonization, the peoples of Gabon shared animist beliefs characterized by myths and varied rituals but having common ancestor worship. Christianity and Islam are the two most common religions, with about 76.5% of Christians; 11.2% of Muslims and 6% of traditional religions.