Kuba, D.R.C
 

The Kuba tribe consists of about 250,000 people; they are located in Southeastern Congo. The Kuba tribe is actually a collection of smaller ethnic groups. The king of Kuba is always Bushoong, but each group has a representative at the Bushoong court. This is because the Kuba tribe believes the world was created by Bumba who decreed that Bushoong would always be the ruling class.

The Kuba tribe consists of traders, farmers, and fishers. Rivers define the region and provide them with the fish they consume. Women in the tribe would clear the fields and farm crops such as corn, bananas, pineapples, palms, and manioc. Men in the tribe would grow tobacco and hunt. Hunting brought prestige and reinforced the social cohesion between villages. A successful hunt was considered a gift from the gods.

The art of the Kuba is highly developed in African tradition. The best known Kuba art are the royal portrait figures called ndop. These figures were said to be the soul double of the king. Whatever happened to the king was believed to happen to the portrait as well. These pieces of art were associated with the king’s fertility and were kept in the woman’s quarters and ensured a safe delivery during childbirth. Royal portrait figures had geometric patterns that covered the stomach and continued to the back of the figure and displayed the king wearing a rectangular shody hat.

Kuba fetishes would emphasize the essential organs. This style could be found on textiles and utensils. The Kuba tribe used ingenious design patterns on weapons, boxes, pipes, horns, bells, musical instruments, and textiles. A good carver would have the rank of a senior officer.

The Kuba tribe used over twenty types of masks. The meanings and functions varied from group to group. The wooden helmets are the most commonly produced item in the Kuba tribe. These masks are decorated with geometric designs and patterns, various colors, and unique textures. The masks would create a manifestation of nature spirits (intermediates between the gods and the people). The materials used to create this effect were animal hair, fur, cowrie shells, feathers, and beads. Costumes of raffia fabric fiber, bark-cloth, and beaded elements were worn with the masks. The Kuba masks would mainly be used in ceremonies for initiation into manhood and funerals. Three types of masks are used in dances inside the royal compound. First is Moshambwooy, which represents the founder of the Bushoong, and the cultural hero Woot. Next is Nady Amwaash, the wife or sister of Woot, who gives greater importance to the role of women. Finally is Bwoom, who could be defined as the king’s younger brother (a prince) or a commoner. The Bwoom mask is known by its bulging forehead and broad nose. These masks can date back to the 18th century.

The Kuba tribe also had metal smiths who would work with copper, iron, and brass. These materials were used to make weapons and tools. A variety of cups were also made by the Kuba tribe which were used mostly for drinking palm wine. Some believe they were also used for poison. Death in the Kuba tribe was never attributed to natural causes but to evil spirits and witchcraft. Divination is a common practice in the Kuba tribe to discover causes of evil. Diviners would often use wooden dogs (dogs are seen as responsible for delivering the will of god) as rubbing oracles in order to arrive at their knowledge.

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