Page created by Marion Cheucle, PhD, University of Lyon 2, DDL – Language Dynamics – laboratory. Thesis: Bekwel in Gabon, description and documentation of an endangered language.

Data on Bekwel

Alternative names: Bekwil, Bakwele, Kwele, Kouele, Okpele

Classification: Bantu, A85b

Niger-congo, Bantu, Makaa-Njem (A.80)

Main dialects:

A sociolinguistic survey by Phillips (1993) reveals five linguistic varieties in Congo: Zalagee, Ebaa, Mekwoob, Mebeeza, Koolo. Bouka (1995) verifies two Bekwel dialects in Congo: an eastern dialect including Mekwoob, Ebaa and Zalagee, and a western dialect consisting in one single variety, Mebezaa.

In Gabon, along the Invido river, the Bakwele do not speak Mebeeza, nor Ebaa, nor have they ever heard of Zalagee or Koolo. Informants mention Ebit and Ibongho, and some speak Mekwob.

Area: Gabon, Cameroon, Congo

Documentation in Bekwel in Cameroon is scarce. This map by the SIL locates Bekwel in Cameroon (265).

In Congo, two maps by Phillips (1993) locate Bekwel according to its geographic situation and its dialects.

In Gabon, Bekwel is spoken in the Ogooué-Ivindo province. Most of the Bakwele live on the left bank of the Invido. They live in the villages of (North to South) Mvadi I, II, and III, Mayibout I and II, Model, Ndjeng, Abor Zoula, Menanga, Mekob, and Zoatab (district of Makokou). The “North canton” Bakwele live in Mazingo, Massombo, Etumbi II, Zoula, and Mekambo.

This other map shows how the Kwel people are shared over the region of Djouah, Gabon (CHEUCLE, 2007).

Number of speakers:

Estimates account for 2,000 to 3,000 speakers in Gabon.

No available data on Cameroon.

The Ethnologue accounts for 9,600 speakers in the Sangha department, Congo.

Language status:

French is the official language of Gabon. Among various other fields, it is used in education and written communication – whether economic, political or administrative. Thus French is the language spoken in the media, courts of justice, schools, etc.

Vitality & Transmission:

This chart shows the degree of vitality of Bekwel in Gabon, according to UNESCO criteria (CHEUCLE 2007).

Nowadays, the language is handed down to children in villages, and it is the only language spoken by some of the seniors. However, the rural-urban migration is forcing the Bakwele out of their linguistic context. Little by little, the command of the language by younger generations is declining. In spite of the language’s apparent vitality today, there is no guarantee on its future considering the low number of its speakers, the urban migration, and the growing impact of French.

Media / Literature / Education:

Bekwel is hardly known in Gabon, except in the area where it is spoken. Education, administration, and the media, all use French. There appears to be no literature in Bekwel, nor standardiaztion of the language. In Congo, J. Phillips is working on the creation of a spelling system in Bekwel.

Historical observations

The ancient origin of the Bakwele is not known. In a more recent history, the Bakwele are believed to have arrived from Cameroon before scattering over Gabon and Congo. An ethnic conflict might have played an important part here: the “Pupu war”. The presence of Bakwele in the Djouah region (Mvadi) could be a consequence of a “Banana war”.

Bibliography

AVORE. 2000. Description phonologique du bekwel. Rapport de licence SDL, UOB, Libreville.

BOUKA L-Y. 1995. Structures phonologiques et structures prosodiques (le modèle bekwel). Thèse de doctorat, Université Libre de Bruxelles, Tervuren .

CHEUCLE M. 2008. Vers une description de la langue bekwel (A85b): approche synchronique, approche diachronique, mémoire de master 2, Sciences du Langage, Université Lumière Lyon 2.

CHEUCLE M. 2007. Les Bakwele du Gabon, perspective culturelle et perspective linguistique. Mémoire de master 1, Sciences du Langage, Université Lumière Lyon 2.

MEGUILE G. 1995. Histoire du peuple kwel du Gabon, des origines à 1960. Mémoire de maîtrise, UOB, Libreville.

PHILLIPS J. 1993. Enquête linguistique et sociolinguistique de la langue bekwil (langue bantoue (A80) parlé au nord du Congo). SIL

PHILLIPS J. 2009. Guide d’orthographe bekwyel. SIL

PUECH G. 1990. « Bekwel » in Revue Gabonaise des Sciences de l’Homme 2: 127-128, Libreville.

ZIGH R. 2007. Etude contrastive du français et du bekwel : approches phonétique et phonologique. Mémoire de maîtrise, UOB, Libreville