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Friday, January 20, 2017

Kuba Kingdom

Introduction
The Kuba Kingdom started around 1625.  There were 19 tribes in this kingdom.  This kingdom had great government, economy, religion, architecture, clothing, and art.  This kingdom still exist today!
Origin
This kingdom lasted for over 200 years.  Shyaam a-Mbul unified various villages, which became the Kuba Kingdom.  He was the adopted son of a queen.  He went to other kingdoms and learned.  He brought back new food, technology, and made the government more merit based.  There was 18 known nyims.
Tribe
Bakuba: They are descendants of the tribes that existed in the Kuba Kingdom.  They farm corn, cassava, millet, peanuts, and beans.  They are matrilineal.  The ruling clan is called Bushongo.

Twa: A pygmy tribe.  They are great hunters.  They lived in forests and traded game with the Bantu tribes for farm goods.
Government
Nyim: King, has to be a member of the Bushongo clan.

Clan Council: This was a group of people from each clan/tribe.  They were similar to Congress.

Economy
Iron, tree powder, beads, cowry shells, and Raffia cloth was used as currency.  They fished, hunted, and farmed.  Food was abundant, so the population grew.

Religion
Bumba: Supreme Being
 
Woot: First person on earth.  Helps people meet their needs.

Dogs: Messengers of deities.

Ngesh: Nature spirits.

Architecture
The buildings are rectangular.  The size and decorations of buildings show the rank of the occupants. Geometric patterns are on the outside of building.

Clothing
The different clothes the king wore, were for different purposes.  Bwaantshy is the nyim most important outfit.  It is made out of animal skin and cowry shells.
Different patterns on clothes have different meanings.  Some of the patterns show a person's social status. There are over 200 hundred patterns.    

Art
Masks: Used by royalty and for initiation.  They contain the spirit of what they represent. People can only wear masks if the nyim let them.  There are mask festivals.

Mwaash aMbooy: Mask that represents the nyim.

Bwoom: This mask represents the brother of Woot and commoners.

Ngady a Mwash: These masks are used at funerals and initiations.    

Wood Carvings: Their cups have faces of famous people on them.  There are cosmetic boxes that contain tree powder that is used on dead bodies 4 funerals.
Conclusion
The Kuba Kingdom is amazing!!!  They have sweet culture.  They are one of the greatest kingdoms I ever wrote about.  The Kuba Kingdom is located in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  They get an A+.        

References
http://www.afropedea.org/kuba-kingdom
https://africa.uima.uiowa.edu/peoples/show/Kuba
https://www.ifw-kiel.de/konfer/staff-seminar/paper/2014/Robinson.pdf
http://kwekudee-tripdownmemorylane.blogspot.com/2014/02/kuba-people-most-artistic-and-highly.html
https://www.cato.org/publications/research-briefs-economic-policy/evolution-culture-institutions-evidence-kuba-kingdom
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Kuba-people
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kuba_Kingdom
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Twa
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ngesh
Kuba Art
Kuba Cloth
Kuba Mask
Kuba Cup

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