About the Somali Bantu

Who are the Somali Bantu?
The Somali Bantu are descended from six African tribes originally living in what are now Tanzania, Mozambique, and Malawi in East Africa. In the 1700's and 1800's Arab slave traders armed with muskets and whips plundered these regions. They captured untold numbers of men, women, and children to be sold on the Zanzibar slave market and shipped to the Persian Gulf and the Middle East. The enslavement of some of these people continued into the 1930's but oppression, discrimination, and persecution continues to be present. The Somali Bantu are now living in the Kakuma refugee camp in Kenya after fleeing ethnic persecution in Somalia. Because of centuries of persecution, discrimination and enslavement, the Somali Bantu cannot return to Somalia with any reasonable expectation of a life of freedom and security. Their only hope for a safe and peaceful existence is to be resettled in another country. The United States has agreed to resettle 8,000 - 12,000 Somali Bantu refugees in 2003-2004.

How many are coming to South Carolina and when will they arrive? South Carolina will soon become home to 120 Somali Bantu refugees. They began arriving in the summer of 2003 and will continue to arrive into 2004.

Who is bringing them here?
The resettlement effort in South Carolina is a joint effort of the US Department of State, Lutherans, Southern Baptists, Presbyterians, United Methodists, American Baptists, the Christian Church Disciples of Christ, Episcopalians and Roman Catholics through two national refugee resettlement agencies they work in partnership with. Lutheran Family Services is the designated representative in SC of the refugee resettlement concerns of these denominations and will be organizing and overseeing the resettlement in South Carolina.

Why was South Carolina chosen as one of the resettlement sites? Lutheran Family Services submitted a proposal to become a resettlement site. South Carolina was chosen because 1) the faith community has demonstrated an openness and receptiveness to sponsoring refugees in the past, 2) housing is affordable here, and 3) there are abundant entry-level jobs no requiring English.

Where will they live? They will be resettled in clusters in one or two apartment communities in the Cayce-West Columbia-Columbia area. Their children will attend public schools. 6. What is their religion? They are Muslims but also practice some aspects of African Traditional Religion.

Do they speak English?
No. Most speak Somali, Zigua and Swahili. Most of them do not read or write any language. Lutheran Family Services will enroll them in English classes.