@ All
The word "bight" , as in bight of Biafra, is a cartographic indication
for the word "exit". Body of water that serve as a particular exit from
the international shipping lanes,to a bighting station. That is a long curve
in a coast-line. A bay formed by this curve. Passager voyages was the
only means of international travel for most of human history. Most of the earlier
travels overseas were done thru either one of these bights to international
trans Atlantic water lanes.

So, the word Biafra, like the words; port-Harcourt, Lagos, Badagry etc.
are of western European origin.

amazonia:

@ All
The word "bight" , as in bight of Biafra, is a cartographic indication
for the word "exit". Body of water that serve as a particular exit from
the international shipping lanes,to a bighting station. That is a long curve
in a coast-line. A bay formed by this curve. Passager voyages was the
only means of international travel for most of human history. Most of the earlier
travels overseas were done thru either one of these bights to international
trans Atlantic water lanes.

So, the word Biafra, like the words; port-Harcourt, Lagos, Badagry etc.
are of western European origin.

No necessarily, there's a Bight of Benin, and the Bight of Biafra is now known as the Bight of Bonny.

if biafra had a prefix [which i doubt but never say never], it might shed more light on the issue.

and yes, bight means bay or curve between land and water.

Biafra is a european name.

.

^^so what does it mean in portuguese.

lagos means lagoon or lake.

tpia@:

^^so what does it mean in portuguese.

lagos means lagoon or lake.

Read this babe :


Meaning of the word "Biafra" and location of Biafra

Little is known about the literal meaning of the word Biafra. It is not part of the Igbo language. It is unclear whether the origin of the word Biafra has any relationship to "Bia", the Igbo word for "Come". The word Biafra most likely derives from the subgroup Biafar or Biafada[30] of the Tenda ethnic group who reside primarily in Guinea-Bissau.[31] Manuel Álvares (1526–1583), a Portuguese Jesuit Educator, in his work "Ethiopia Minor and a geographical account of the Province of Sierra Leone", writes about the "Biafar heathen" in chapter 13 of the same book.[32] The word Biafar thus appears to have been a common word in the Portuguese language back in the 16th century.
Historical maps of Biafra

Early modern maps of Africa from the 15th–19th centuries, drawn by European cartographers from accounts written by explorers and travellers, reveal some interesting information about Biafra:

   1. The original word used by the European travellers was not Biafra but Biafara,[33][34] Biafar[35] and sometimes also Biafares.[36]
   2. The exact original region of Biafra is not restricted to Eastern Nigeria alone. According to the maps, the European travelers used the word Biafara to describe the entire region east of River Niger going down to the Mount Cameroon region, thus including Cameroon and a large area around Gabon. The word Biafara also appears on maps from the 18th century in the area around Gambia.[37]

So it means nothing in Igbo.

Manuel Álvares (1526–1583), a Portuguese Jesuit Educator, in his work "Ethiopia Minor and a geographical account of the Province of Sierra Leone", writes about the "Biafar heathen" in chapter 13 of the same book.[32] The word Biafar thus appears to have been a common word in the Portuguese language back in the 16th century.

mincuu may be right.

probably araboid derived or something like that.

The exact original region of Biafra is not restricted to Eastern Nigeria alone. According to the maps, the European travelers used the word Biafara to describe the entire region east of River Niger going down to the Mount Cameroon region, thus including Cameroon and a large area around Gabon. The word Biafara also appears on maps from the 18th century in the area around Gambia.

also applied in south or central america as well, in previous centuries.


the meaning seems close to repatriated persons or something.

Half of Africa or the middle of Africa since its on the Equatorial line.

Bi - two
Afra - Africa

Bi-Afra is the cutting in half of Africa. Bight of Biafra was named by European and transferred by the Ijaw/Ogoni man to iboland.

The southern part of the most recent biafra was considered a gateway to central africa, in colonal times.

Consolidating their presence there, helped the colonials strengthen their foothold in central africa, in some way.

Bia (come) fra (Efraim) - meaning "coming from the tribe of Efraim"
check out: http://goodshepherdsmovement.webs.com/biafratoday.htm

Bia (come) fra (Efraim) - meaning "coming from the tribe of Efraim"
check out: http://goodshepherdsmovement.webs.com/biafratoday.htm

The website doesn't work, where's the evidence of this bible person being linked to the word Biafra, what is the significance of "Come Effraim". Also, is Biafra used traditionally in any of the places inside the place name Biafra.

"Biafra" is a shortened form of "Bani Ephraim" which I believe is saying "Biani Ifraim" expression calling together descendants of Ephraim (son of Jacob), one of the lost tribes of Israel.

Sorry, son of Joseph (not Jacob).

Lmao

I didnt at first want to click on the this thread but wow,im so glad i finally did.What a comic relief!
Bia ephraim ? ROFL
Some of us would do so well as comedians.

It's true, listen. Europeans have deceived people into thinking that Israelite are white, but it is clear in the Bible that Egyptians and Israelite look exactly similar in color. Use Google and or Bible to look this up. And archeologists and facts prove that ancient Egyptians were Negros ("black people". Egypt = Land of Ham = Kem. Kemet(word for Egypt) means black land. The current inhabitants of Israel today converted to JewISH, they're not the original Jews. They moved in to Israel after Hebrews were attacked and made scatter to certain different places (including Africa). So, Israelis of today are Khazars. Khazars are descendants of Japheth, and are mostly Ashkhenazis, all of who are Gentiles, not Israelite. 3 sons of Noah: HAM>>>Egypt, SHEM>>>Israel, JAPHETH>>>Gentiles>>>Europeans. Learn more by doing the research.

My search for how the name Biafra was coined, adopted led to discovering amazing maps of parts of Africa (in the past some parts known as Negroland - http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/maps/ALW1663L.JPG http://www.uflib.ufl.edu/maps/AMD8173L.JPG http://hitchcock.itc.virginia.edu/SlaveTrade/collection/large/blaeu01.JPG), depicting how the West understood the continent. I eventually discovered that the Bight of Biafra was named for the bay from around Fernando Po area to the Bight of Benin and was named after the Biafar /Biafada people of now Guinea Bissau. These people (The Biafar heathen) were referenced in a study carried out by a Portuguese Jesuit, Alvares Manuel and published in 1615 (http://digicoll.library.wisc.edu/cgi-bin/AfricaFocus/AfricaFocus-idx?id=AfricaFocus.Alvares01). However the maps for the area depicts that the Biafar people may have occupied regions as far north as present day Northern Cameroun. Portuguese influence around early 15th century as indicated here - http://www.joshuaproject.net/people-profile.php?peo3=10824&rog3=PU - might have led to the name being given to the peoples found in this area, just around the same time that Eko was named Lago de Curamo or Lagos.

I would like to know what does it mean REALLy?

amazonia: @ Ezeagu & Tpiah

BIAFRA
BI = Bisection
AFRA = Africa
So. Biafra means equaliterally dividing Africa.
Which implied the middle of Africa Or the
heart of Africa.
This is an English word. Though i am not quite sure,
i am incline to believe this word was coined by the
western navigators or explorers because this word
equally means the EQUATOR. Which is the natural
equallateral bisector of Africa. So this word must have
been used by sailors to indicate the Equatorial latitude
or regions of Africa.

beautyline: "Bia" means "come".
"Fra" is short for fraternity ( brotherhood).

Biafra is a brotherhood of all the tribes that say "Bia" for "come"

*Hauwa*:
Bia = come

Fra = short for Frank. The portugese guy trading there

vinooh: BIA =Igbo language meaning come
FRA=mba mmiri language meaning also come

the red is the only thing consistent on this thread.

baby.me:
Biafra=War

why did you add the smiley.

is your post a serious one?

suyu: I would like to know what does it mean REALLy?

Thats what the thread is about.

Biafra is two igbo word join together bia-fra come-see

BIKO: WHAT DOES Nwa gi ono gi nso? MEAN?

I've seen olden maps where the area was named Viafara, Biafares, Biafara region. by Portuguese/arabic cartographers. people still bear the name personally in south america and parts of central america...maybe they'll say what their name means

Biafra comes from two Igbo words namely: Bia which means come and Fara meaning join. It was normally Biafara but later turned into Biafra. Biafra has been in existence since 5000years.

Jones221:
Biafra comes from two Igbo words namely: Bia which means come and Fara meaning join. It was normally Biafara but later turned into Biafra. Biafra has been in existence since 5000years.

5000 years, where did you get this date from?

ezeagu:
So it means nothing in Igbo.

no, it does not seem to have an Igbo meaning.