THE KINGDOM OF KUBA

THE KINGDOM OF KUBA

THE KINGDOM OF KUBA

Kuba (also called Bakuba) people are agriculturalist and a cluster of about 16 Bushong-speaking groups in southeastern Congo (Kinshasa), living between the Kasai, Lulua and Sankuru rivers east of their confluence. The Kuba people always refer to themselves as the Bakuba which translates to “people of the throwing knife”.

Kuba people engage in farming, hunting and fishing. They cultivate maize, cassava, millet, groundnuts and beans as staples. The society’s diet is mostly composed of vegetables.

The Kuba Kingdom, also known as the Kingdom of Bakuba or Bushongo is actually comprised of numerous smaller ethnic groups, including the Bushoong, Ngeende, Kel, Pyaang, Bulaang, Bieeng, Ilebo, Idiing, Kaam, Ngoombe Kayuweeng, Shoowa, Bokila, Maluk, and Ngongo. The King of Kuba is always Bushoong. Each of the ethnic groups has a representative in residence at the Bushoong court.

Kuba society is matrilinear. The Queen Mother empowers the King (called Nyim or Nyimi). His power is absolute. The nyim heads the Kuba Kingdom and he is considered divine. He is lawmaker, warrior, and spirit medium.

The Kuba believed in Bumba, the Sky Father who spewed out the sun, moon, stars, and planets. He also created life with the Earth Mother. Bumba also decreed that that the Bushoong would always be the ruling class. This creator god is not formally worshiped. There are also supernatural being (called Woot), who named the animals and other things. Woot was the first human and bringer of civilization.

The Kuba are known for their beautiful raffia embroided textiles, beaded hats, royal figures (ndop), carved palm wine cups, cosmetic boxes and monumental helmet masks etc. Kuba people have been described as a people who cannot bear to leave a surface without ornament. Modern Cubism, which derived its name from the word “Kuba”, was highly influenced by Kuba arts, eluded to in works by Cubist master artists including Picasso and Matisse.