The Bassa are a people of Liberia, living in Grand Bassa, Rivercess, Margibi and Montserrado counties, who speak the Bassa language, a Kru language. They number about 350,000 (as of 1991). They have their own writing system, called "Bassa" or "Vah," which was developed around 1900. There are also about 5000 in Sierra Leone. They practice Christianity, as well as indigenous religions.
The Bassa (Dei, Bassa, Kru, Krahn, Grebo), also referred to as the Kwa-Speakers, can trace their historical origins to Egypt. When the Adbassa Empire collapsed in the 6th century, they migrated from Egypt to Bassa-ri, which includes portions of modern-day Senegal, Congo, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Togo, and Cameroon. The Adbassa Empire would last three centuries alongside the Bornu, Hausa, and Yoruba kingdoms.
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