Provides basic information about the Bantu of Somalia, with a focus on their recent experience of persecution and the need to protect them through resettlement. Migratory Bantu farmers from central and southern Africa began arriving in Somalia thousands of years ago, and still more were brought into that country in the 1800s as slaves and also workers for the Italian and British colonial rulers. The civil war that broke out in Somalia in 1991 forced many Somali Bantu to flee to Kenya, where they spent many years in refugee camps. Resettlement to the United States has been a slow process. This fact sheet covers the origin and location of the Somali Bantu, their diverse ethnic and cultural heritages, occupational backgrounds, traditional family structure, gender differences, marriage customs, dominant religions and religious and non-religious celebrations, and mental health needs. In addition, elements of nonverbal communication are discussed, which may be particularly helpful to service providers working to facilitate resettlement of these refugees.
