- S ah aran ▁and ▁B ant u ▁speak ers ▁in ▁the ▁Great ▁L akes ▁region ▁due ▁to ▁considerable ▁gen etic ▁ex changes ▁with ▁these ▁communities ▁over ▁the ▁past ▁ 5 0 0 0 ▁or ▁so ▁years . ▁ ▁Culture ▁ ▁Although ▁there ▁are ▁today ▁marked ▁differences ▁in ▁custom s ▁between ▁the ▁Kon so ▁and ▁their ▁O rom o ▁neighb ors , ▁Kon so ▁society ▁has ▁also ▁retained ▁some ▁common al ities ▁with ▁traditional ▁O rom o ▁culture . ▁The ▁latter ▁include ▁the ▁g ada a ▁generation - grad ing ▁system ▁of ▁social ▁organization , ▁similar ▁high ▁pri ests ▁and ▁a ▁cult ▁of ▁ph all ic ism . ▁ ▁Kon so ▁society ▁is ▁largely ▁agricult ural ▁and ▁involves ▁the ▁ir rig ation ▁and ▁ter rac ing ▁of ▁mountain ▁s lop es . ▁St ap le ▁cro ps ▁include ▁s org hum ▁and ▁corn , ▁with ▁c ash ▁cro ps ▁including ▁cot ton ▁and ▁coffee . ▁C attle , ▁sheep , ▁and ▁go ats ▁are ▁raised ▁for ▁food ▁and ▁milk . ▁ ▁Pol yg yn y ▁is ▁an ▁accepted ▁practice ▁among ▁the ▁Kon so . ▁ ▁Group ▁members ▁also ▁ere ct ▁car v ings ▁( w agas ), ▁which ▁are ▁created ▁in ▁memory ▁of ▁a ▁dead ▁man ▁who ▁has ▁killed ▁an ▁enemy ▁or ▁animal . ▁The ▁stat ues ▁are ▁often ▁arranged ▁in ▁groups , ▁with ▁stat ues ▁representing ▁the ▁man , ▁his ▁w ives , ▁and ▁his ▁advers aries ▁present . ▁ ▁Religion ▁In ▁terms ▁of ▁cre ed , ▁the ▁Kon so ▁practice ▁a