Talk:Bissagos Islands

[Untitled]
This sentence makes no sense: 'Today, only twenty of the islands are inhabited and the others have only small populations of the Bijagós people.' Islands with small populations of people are inhabited. Dadsnagem (talk) 16:48, 24 September 2009 (UTC)

Changes to Culture section
The Culture section previously contained contradictory statements - that Bissagos society is and isn't matriarchal. I couldn't access either source document or find any other relevant information, and have no specialist knowledge in this field, so I've just rewritten that section to say that there is a difference of opinion. Someone who knows more about it might want to make further edits. In fact the whole section could probably do with a serious reworking.BobBadg (talk) 19:27, 12 January 2021 (UTC)

The Bijagos of Guinea-Bissau
Bijagos of Guinea-Bissau where women rule and choose their own husbands

Once a woman becomes a mother among the Bijagos in Guinea-Bissau, she is given the maximum respect and gets immense prestige. And being a women-controlled society, the birth of a female is especially significant, given that she would grow up to become a major figure in the organization of family and village life.

Located in the Atlantic Ocean off the African coast, the Bijagos archipelago is made up of twenty main islands and some smaller ones. And despite the years of influence from Portuguese colonialism, women of the archipelago have the upper hand in social welfare, the economy, and the law.

Before the days of Queen Pampa Kanyimpa who protected the Bijagos islands against Portuguese conquest, European explorers described the Bijago people or the Bissagos “as a seafaring people, fierce and warlike, immersed in both the slave trade and piracy,” a report by CBD-Habitat Foundation said.

Guinea-Bissau's Bijagos Islands

Africa’s most numerous yet least well-known coastal archipelago,Guinea-Bissau’s Bijagos Islands make up Africa’s most numerous yet least well-known coastal archipelago. With untouched beaches, tropical forests, turquoise waters, saltwater hippos, pygmy cows and traditional beliefs, the Bjiagos is a unique paradise that is very much off the radar.

Bijagos of Guinea-Bissau where women rule and choose their own husbands
Located 48km (30mi) off the Guinea-Bissau coast, the 12,950-sq-km (5,000-sq-mi) Bijagos (often spelled Bissagos) archipelago encompasses 88 islands and islets. Less than a quarter are inhabited year-round, with some islands, like João Vieira, welcoming seasonal inhabitants to cultivate rice and palm oil, while others, such as Poilão, are deemed sacred, with staying overnight strictly forbidden.

GUINEA BISSAU & BIJAGOS: CARNIVAL PARADES

A fantastic adventure that takes us into virgin forests, remote villages and the largest and lesser known archipelago in Africa.

Guinea-Bissau, a still unknown country where the boundaries between water and land change with every tide.

The largest continuous mangrove forest line, wild rivers, beaches and estuaries hiding remote villages and animistic ceremonies.

Most of the Bijagos islands do not have permanent settlements and are a unique paradise for various species of birds and rare fauna, the inhabited islands preserve an untouched tribal culture.

A fusion of natural and cultural discoveries, ending with a relaxing time to enjoy the blue ocean and wild beaches.

For travelers looking for new and authentic places!