Mythologies of the Bakuba/Kuba Tribes

"People of the throwing knife"

The Kuba Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of the Bakuba or Bushongo, is a traditional kingdom in Central Africa. The Kuba Kingdom flourished between the 17th and 19th centuries in the region bordered by the Sankuru, Lulua, and Kasai rivers in the heart of the modern-day Democratic Republic of the Congo. The Kuba Kingdom was a conglomerate of several smaller Bushong-speaking principalities as well as the Kete, Coofa, Mbeengi, and the Kasai Twa Pygmies. The original Kuba migrated during the 16th century from the north. Nineteen ethnic groups are included in the kingdom, which still exists and is presided over by the King (nyim). The kingdom began as a conglomeration of several chiefdoms of various ethnic groups with no real central authority. In approximately 1625, an individual from outside the area known as Shyaam a-Mbul a Ngoong usurped the position of one of the area rulers and united all the chiefdoms under his leadership. Tradition states that Shyaam a-Mbul was the adopted son of a Kuba queen. He left the Kuba region to find enlightenment in the Pende and Kongo kingdoms to the west. After learning all he could from these states, he returned to Kuba to form the empire's political, social and economic foundations.

The Kuba, also called Bakuba, are a union of more than twenty ethnic groups Bantu-speaking in southeastern Democratic Republic of Congo (Kinshasa), living between the Kasai and Sankuru rivers east of their confluence. Together these ethnic groups are known as the Kuba. This name was given to them by their southern neighbors, the Luba, and has been used since by Europeans. Traditionally, members of the Kuba Kingdom had no single ñame for themselves or their kingdom, but called themselves the "people of the king." The many ethnic groups that make up the Kuba share some cultural values that set them apart from other neighboring peoples. For example, they all trace family relationships through the mother's side rather than the father's. A Kuba boy is considered to be more closely related to his mother's brother than to his own father. Traditionally, he lives with his mother and father until his father's death. Then he joins the village of his mother's brother. But there are many differences between the various Kuba groups. In the past each Kuba group existed as a separate people. The dominant ethnic group in the región was the Bushongo. The Bushongo, or more correctly the Bashi-Bushongo (meaning “people of the country of the throwing knife”) inhabit the district of the D.R Congo bounded on the north and east by the Sankurn river, on the west by the Kasai. The name by which they are generally known to Europeans is Bakuba. Together these ethnic groups are known as the Kuba. This name was given to them by their southern neighbors, the Luba, and has been used since by Europeans. Traditionally, members of the Kuba Kingdom had no single ñame for themselves or their kingdom, but called themselves the "people of the king." The many ethnic groups that make up the Kuba share some cultural values that set them apart from other neighboring peoples. For example, they all trace family relationships through the mother's side rather than the father's. A Kuba boy is considered to be more closely related to his mother's brother than to his own father. Traditionally, he lives with his mother and father until his father's death. Then he joins the village of his mother's brother. But there are many differences between the various Kuba groups. In the past each Kuba group existed as a separate people. The dominant ethnic group in the región was the Bushongo. The Bushongo, or more correctly the Bashi-Bushongo (meaning “people of the country of the throwing knife”) inhabit the district of the D.R Congo bounded on the north and east by the Sankurn river, on the west by the Kasai. The name by which they are generally known to Europeans is Bakuba.

The Kuba kingdom of Congo (DRC), also called Bakuba or Bushongo, is in the Kasai region, in the centre-south of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Two or three days’ hard journey from Kinshasa, in a setting of fertile land and forests that have always provided them with a privileged prosperity. This kingdom was formed in the 17th century and is a “typical” case of different ethnic groups coming together to form a state. The chiefs had a privileged relationship with the land through the mediation of the spirits, and this was their main source of authority. As seems to have been the case since the dawn of time, the strongest chiefs prevailed over the weaker lineages, either by ownership of land or by the authority of arms. The strongest is the one who created a dynasty and kingdom when he succeeded in uniting several peoples and, of course, held on to power. During the 17th and 18th centuries, the Kuba kingdom of Congo developed into a state with structure, traditions, architecture and art. Well differentiated, recognised by neighbouring states. Their social organisation was pyramidal, and this was the “secret” to developing a full-fledged state. From the king or nyim to the nobility, spiritual leaders, artisans and farmers. Moreover, it is claimed that they had an unwritten constitution, separation of powers, elected political offices, taxes, laws, judges, juries, police and army. They even created an agricultural calendar that allowed them to grow several harvests of corn a year! And an artistic production that today is famous all over the world. What historians and anthropologists do not talk about is the existence of a caste of servants or slaves, but there would be something like that too. The Kuba kingdom drew on the techniques of its neighbours, for example the weavings of the Pende, and benefited from the new crops brought from America: tobacco, beans, maize, manioc. In other words, they were nourished by other peoples and embraced the novelties, but they always went further. Seeking perfection. In relation to this, it should also be noted that intelligence was one of the most highly prized values, which is why the head on the statues of the kings has a greater proportion than the rest of the body.

The Kuba people, also known as Bakuba or Bushongo, are a tribe found in central Africa, predominantly in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and are known for their rich cultural heritage and distinct artistic style. Their culture, history, and art are an integral part of the African art world and deeply influence the art forms of the neighboring tribes. The Kuba is located in the Kasai region, surrounded by fertile soil and woods that have historically supplied them with favored affluence. The Kuba kingdom, during the 17th and 18th centuries, evolved into a polity with organization, traditions, architecture, and culture. Well-differentiated, recognized by neighboring states. From the king (nyim) to the nobles, spiritual leaders, artisans, and farmers. Their social structure was pyramidal, and this was said to be the “secret” to establishing a full-fledged government. Furthermore, it is believed that the Kuba possessed an unwritten constitution, separation of powers, elected governmental posts, taxes, laws, judges, juries, police, and a military. They also devised an agricultural calendar that enabled them to raise many harvests of maize each year! And an artistic output that is now known all across the world.

The BaKuba are a cluster of some roughly 16 Bantu speaking peoples in central-southeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo. A predominately agrarian society, the BaKuba cultivate corn, cassava, millet, peanuts, bans as well as growing raffia palms. While not strictly limited to agricultural life, they also partake in hunting and fishing, two tasks which require group cooperating and serve as a unifying force among villages and communities. For the BaKuba the worldly and the supernatural go hand in hand, and religion is tied critically with politics. Linking the two is the king of the BaKuba, who is given his throne by a divine right, allowing him to serve as the bridge between the natural and supernatural worlds. The BaKuba religion itself is structured around spirits and gods, which are embodied in forces of nature and natural things. A great example of this would be the way in which wandering dogs are seen as messengers of the gods. A complicated network of spiritual forces are at play, and often times villages will employ diviners, who are usually women, to communicate their wrongdoings and provide insights to the village. In regards to the afterlife, the BaKuba believe in a mixture between reincarnation and purgatory, in which good souls are reincarnated into the next life, but bad ones are forced into limbo for eternity. The Bakuba began as a conglomeration of 18 chiefdoms with no centralized authority. Then in 1625, there was political upheaval and through the conflict Shyáám áMbúl áNgoogn usurped the other ruling positions and succeeded in unifying the chiefdoms under a single person. The main political system is an aristocratic society, though it has been noted that there were efforts towards creating a meritocracy. The king of the BaKuba, called a Niym, is accountable to a court system comprised of elites from all of the initial 18 chiefdoms.

The Kuba tribe, also known as the Bakuba Tribe, compromises of about 16 Bantu-speaking groups in southeastern Congo (DRC.) In the 16th century, the Kuba people migrated from the distant north to their current location along the Sankuru River. When they arrived, they found that the Twa people already lived there. The Twa were eventually absorbed into the Kuba Kingdom, but retained some independent cultural characteristics. The height of the Kingdom was during the mid-19th century. Europeans first reached the area in 1884, but the Kuba, being relatively isolated, were not as affected by the slave trade as many of the other tribes in the area. In the late 19th century, the Nsapo invaded and the Kingdom was broken up to a large extent. The Kuba people have kept aloof from modern life, and few have emigrated or engage in European-style occupations. The groups are divided into lineages related through matrilineal descent; the lineages are segments of numerous dispersed clans.. Nature spirits, the spirits of dead kings, and witchcraft dominate Kuba religion. Nearly all objects of daily use are decorated, and carved wooden figurines, initiation masks, cups, and beautifully embroidered handwoven raffia cloth are especially prized by collectors. These handcrafted nineteenth-century fabrics were woven from raffia palm fibers and used in dowries; the larger ones served as festive attire at funerals. In fact, these cloths are renown worldwide for being of high quality in both design and technical achievement. Kuba cloths had been shown in early African art shows in Paris that the famous modernist Matisse may have attended, and he owned several Kuba cloths in his collection. Matisse’s correspondence indicates their inspiration for the paper cutouts, such as the 1951 Snow Flowers, that were his final major works. After hanging panels of the Kuba textiles across his studio walls, Matisse wrote in letters to his sister that he often looked at them for long periods, waiting for something to come to him.