DRC is also Rich with Multiple Cultures

Congo Democratic is not only a “geological scandal” as many like to refer to it for its indescribable, enormous mineral wealth. It is also among those African countries where quality creative artists are found in abundance. Congolese art has also had a great impact on the work of Picasso. Observing from ethnic groups, languages, religions, literature, theatre, sculptures, masks, music and fashion, Congo is, without a doubt, one of the most remarkable and exceptional artistic centers that Africa has to offer. Provide clean water

Like many African countries, the borders were drawn up by colonial powers, and bore little relation to the actual spread of ethno-linguistic groups. The DRC has 9 bordering nations, it is landlocked on all sides except for the 25 mile coastline shared with the Atlantic Ocean. Ethnicity, often called “tribalism”, was introduced in Congo by the colonialists in order to divide the people and prevent the rise of nationalism. Tribalism and regionalism were seen as the major causes of chaos and disruption following independence, and in the mid 1970s the N’sele Manifesto, the magna carta of Mobutu’s party, was created in order to eliminate tribalism from national politics and promote the ideologies of “authenticity”, which aimed at promoting and preserving Congo’s culture.

At least 250 distinguishable ethnic groups live in Congo, speaking about 250 languages. Bantu languages are the most dominant and are spoken by 80 % of the population. French is the official language, used in business, legal, political and academic meetings. In addition to French, Congo has also four national languages – Kikongo, Lingala, Swahili, and Tshiluba, which can be considered as the regional language French. The culture of the DRC is extremely diverse, reflecting the great diversity and different customs which exist in the country.

Congolese culture combines the influence of tradition to the region, but also combines influences from abroad which arrived during the era of colonization and has continued to have a strong influence, without destroying the individuality of many tribal' customs.

DRC, like most African countries, is known for its ancient sculptures and masks which can be seen in museums all over the world. The variety of art styles and the abundance of its production make Congo a center of exceptional artistic riches and one of the most remarkable in Black Africa in terms of traditional arts. The influence of Congolese sculpture on modern art and the cubism movement has been well documented. Pottery, basketry, textiles like raffia and wood carving are also part of main handicrafts of Congo. There are at least fifty different styles of sculpture, related to the tribes. They bear the name of the tribe where they were developed and where they were kept. The main ones are Kongo, Teke, Holo, Suku, Pende, Mbala, Ngbandi, Ngbaka, Azande, Mangbetu, Mongo, Mbole, Lengola, Kuba, Luba, Songye, Lega, Bembe, Hemba, Tshokwe. There are many other tribes that produce unique works of equal value. Wood is the most used material, then come ivory, bone, plant fiber, metal: stone. The cowry shells, beads, feathers, animal skins, kaolin and vegetable colors complement and decorate numerous works. It is important to note that traditional art is essentially functional

The impact of Congolese Masks on Picasso

Picasso came in contact with the work of African artists at around 1905. This new form of art stimulated a great interest in him since it was different from what he was exposed to in the West. He was particularly fascinated with African Masks. After the great discovery he wrote: “I have experienced my greatest artistic emotions, when I suddenly discovered the sublime beauty of sculptures executed by the anonymous artists from Africa. These passionate and rigorously logical religious works are what the human imagination has produced as most potent and most beautiful…” At that moment, I realized what painting was all about! Picasso was above all taken by the elements and principles of design applied on the masks in addition to the emotions that they transmitted. Captured by the power of these new forms, he begins to apply them into the preliminary sketches for Les Desmoiselles d’Avignon, from which originated Modern Art and the Cubist Movement.

Congolese Music

The development of modern Congolese music and its spread throughout the world can be partially attributed to Mobutu Sese Seko Kuku Ngbendu wa Za Banga (1930-1997, b. Joseph-Désire Mobutu), who seized power on 20 May 1965 to become the country’s second president. This date also marked the birth of the Second Republic, renamed Zaire in 1972. Unlike the colonial administration, the new regime focused on the reconstruction of national politics and economics, social progress and the re-unification of a country that had been split by civil and ethnic wars since the dawn of independence on 30 June 1960.

The beginning of the Second Republic also ushered in an era of cultural re-awakening that nurtured national unity and strengthened the national identity. The first variation of the Congolese rumba is called soukous, a name probably derived from the French verb secouer (to shake), began to be used as a generic term to designate the Congolese urban dance music style that conjures up movements of Luba traditional dance called mutwashi. Soukous is the name of the mid-60s rumba variant marking the first stage of the evolution of the Zairean rumba. Other rumba variants, also modeled on traditional dance movements, were subsequently introduced in Kinshasa. In 1971, singer Lita Bembo and his Stukas Ensemble introduced the dance ekonda saccadé that reflected the strong influence of Mongo culture. Five years later, another variant of Congolese rumba, called mokonyonyon, was introduced by singer Shungu Wembadio (better known as Papa Wemba) and his ensemble Viva la Musica. Movements of the mokonyonyon dance emulated the pelvic thrust dance movements from the singer’s Otetela ethnic background. These are but a few of the Congolese rumba variants that contained elements of traditional dance movements that dominated the first decades of the Second Republic.

However, Congolese culture been toxic for so many years. In both cases, greed conquered ethics. Instead of adhering to a cultural norm of “following Federal regulations” or “putting people and customers first,” both government, and companies systematically cheated.They have lost people trust and customers, and they will pay hefty fines and face criminal charges. The people and customers are suffering.

We all need to come together and prioritize and reward Leadership Modeling, and those leaders who are showing difference in their works. At most communities, the leaders and seniors set the tone. When they model and value the desired culture, their behaviors and attitudes cascade throughout the workforce. If we want to support our desired culture, make sure our leaders and influencers set a personal example of what they expect from others in terms of how they perform and how they behave. Provide clean water