Lari people (Congo)

The Lari (alternatively Laari) is an ethnic group of the Republic of the Congo and the name of the language they speak. A subgroup of the Kongo people, the Laris live in Brazzaville, Pointe-Noire and the Pool Region, where they constitute almost the entire population. There an estimated 1.2 million Laris living in Congo. Their language is a mix of the languages spoken by the Kongo, basoundi and Bateke peoples.Their most powerful figure in politics was Bernard Kolela who died recently in 2009, and they are known as the group that is in opposition with the government. Many of them are farmers and fishermen and businessmen, 90% of the Lari live in the southern part of Brazzaville.