Mulenge Umulenge | |
---|---|
Country | ![]() |
Province | South Kivu |
Territory | Uvira |
Chiefdom | Bafuliiru |
Grouping | Kigoma |
Time zone | UTC+2 (CAT) |
Mulenge is a village encircled by hills in the Bafuliiru Chiefdom, located in the Uvira Territory of South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is situated on the high plateaus of the Itombwe massif, overlooking the locality of Uvira. The area has conventionally been inhabited by various ethnic groups, including the remnants of the autochthonous population of African Pygmies, as well as Bantu ethnic groups such as the Mbuti, Fuliiru, and Nyindu. [1] [2] The region boasts high agricultural productivity, with two harvests typically achievable each year. [3]
The name Mulenge traces its origins to the Fuliiru dialect, which is spoken by the Fuliiru community who relocated to Uvira Territory from Lwindi Chiefdom, a region situated near the Ulindi River in the rugged hinterlands of the Mwenga Territory, during the seventeenth century. The Fuliiru people settled in the area and established their sedentary way of life. [4] The name is said to have originally referred to the inner bone of the lower leg. [5] During the colonial era, the region was formally designated as Poste de Mulenge or Umulenge, a moniker that alluded to its dual purpose as a postal station and telecommunications hub. The name also referred to the verdant hills where the indigenous Fuliiru people and Mbuti communities resided in certain localities. [6] [7] [8] [9] [5]
Frédéric Hautmann, a Belgian ethnologist, explorer, and linguist, discovered Mulenge during his travels through Uvira. He chaperoned a group of Fuliiru agriculturalists on a trek through the area and came across a small hamlet in a valley surrounded by towering peaks. Hautmann was intrigued by the settlement and asked about its name, which the locals informed him was "Umulenge" or "Mulenghe" in Kifuliiru. [10]
In his ethnographic study of Itombwe , Hautmann stated:
"Near Mulenghe (Mulenge), two days' walk from Sanghe (Sange), I was able to observe five of these small "tumuli"; while crossing other villages of the Bafulero (Bafuliiru) of the mountain, I met another ten with pots with two holes, intact, broken or in last shards remains of these pots. This custom is practiced to protect the newborn from the evil mountain spirits. It is two months after the birth that we meet at the place where the placenta is buried. Parents, family members and friends celebrate a festival that lasts several days and nights. The tumulus is sprinkled with native beer." [10]
Mulenge, like many regions in South Kivu, was once home to the Mbuti people, whose livelihoods were centered around hunting and trading. However, with the arrival of the Bafuliiru in the 17th century, the local landscape began to transform. [11] [12] The Fuliiru, having migrated from Lwindi (presently recognized as Luindi Chiefdom in the Mwenga Territory) towards the present-day Uvira, took root in the mountainous terrain of Mulenge and eventually branched out to neighboring regions. Following the migration, Mulenge experienced a profound cultural shift, with the introduction of new traditions and customs that coexisted alongside the existing way of life. The Fuliiru agriculturists quickly introduced new farming techniques to the region, enabling them to cultivate crops such as beans, maize, and cassava. [2]
The cross-checking different versions collected by the first European ethnologists, colonial administers, anthropologists, and cartographers working in Uvira disclosed that the territory stretching along the north-western coastline of the Ruzizi Plain—from Uvira all the way to Luvungi—was under the jurisdiction of the Bahamba dynasty of Bafuliiru. The capital of this dynasty was located in Lemera, a groupement (grouping) positioned northwest of the plain, situated in close proximity to Kasheke and Nyambasha. The name "Lemera" is derived from Mulemera, the father of Kahamba, who founded the Bufuliru dynasty and thus the capital itself. [13] [14] [15]
During the 19th century, the village underwent a significant transformation and blossomed into an extensive agglomeration in the northern reaches of Lake Tanganyika. The burgeoning village attracted Tutsi and Hutu shepherds who had been leading their herds to the Itombwe Highlands, seeking greener pastures. While some ethnologists and anthropologists, such as Olga Boone , David Newbury, and Catherine Newbury, describe these pastoralist communities as "foreign groups," they also played a key role in shaping the social and economic landscape of the region. Over time, these shepherds established themselves in the western part of Baraka and eventually made their way to the Fizi Territory, where they settled among the Bembe people. [2] [16] [17] [18]
In October 1998, during the commencement of the Second Congo War, the Alliance of Democratic Forces for the Liberation of Congo (AFDL) embarked on a rampage of criminal activity, leaving a trail of devastation and death in their wake. The AFDL committed a multitude of criminal offenses against civilians in Uvira. In the chaos and mayhem of the conflict, many local populations fell victim to the AFDL's brutality, with countless lives cut short, including the former Mulenge post chief, Ladislas Matalambu, who was killed on October 1, 1998, at 7:30 p.m., while Alexis Deyidedi, former administrative secretary of the Bafuliiru chiefdom, was assassinated on October 2, 1998, at 11 p.m. As AFDL rampaged through the town, they left a pathway of destruction and despair in their wake, with homes and businesses looted, burned, and destroyed. [19] [20]
On 10 June 2004, up to 3,500 Congolese, mostly Bafuliiru and Babembe, fled to Burundi, fleeing ethnic persecution. [21]
In Mulenge, the wet season is hot, humid, and overcast and the dry season is warm and partly cloudy. Over the course of the year, the temperature typically varies from 62 °F to 86 °F and is rarely below 59 °F or above 90 °F.
South Kivu is one of 26 provinces of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Its capital is Bukavu.
Banyamulenge is a community from the Democratic Republic of the Congo's South Kivu province. The Banyamulenge are culturally and socially distinct from the Tutsi of North Kivu, with most speaking Kinyamulenge, a mix of Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Ha language, and Swahili. Banyamulenge are often discriminated against in the DRC due to their Tutsi phenotype, similar to that of people living in the Horn of Africa, their insubordination towards colonial rule, their role in Mobutu's war against and victory over the Simba Rebellion, which was supported by the majority of other tribes in South Kivu, their role during the First Congo War and subsequent regional conflicts (Rally for Congolese Democracy–Goma, Movement for the Liberation of the Congo, National Congress for the Defence of the People, and more importantly for the fact that two of the most influential presidents of their country declared them as enemy of the State both in 1996 and 1998.
Uvira is a city strategically located in the South Kivu Province of the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is situated between Lake Tanganyika and the Mitumba Mountains, spanning approximately 16 square kilometers.
Bushi is mainly a traditional region and an African ethnic group in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ; mainly located in the South Kivu province. It lies along the Mitumba Mountains and includes the administrative territories of Walungu, Kabare, Kalehe, Mwenga, Idjwi and Uvira surrounding Bukavu, which is its main city. There are about 7-12 million inhabitants in the region speaking the Mashi or Shi language. The Bushi is also a kingdom that is organized into many localities or sub-chiefdoms.
Runingo, commonly known as Runingu, is one of the groupements (groupings) that constitutes the Bafuliiru Chiefdom in the Uvira Territory of the South Kivu Province in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is situated near the border with Burundi, along National Highway 5, to the north of Butaho.
The Fuliiru people are a Bantu ethnic group predominantly inhabiting the east-central highlands of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). They reside in the South Kivu Province, situated south of Lake Kivu and to the north and northwest of Uvira Territory, along the Ruzizi Plain near the border with Rwanda and Burundi, where a contingent of Fuliiru also resides. According to the 2009 census, their population estimate exceeded 250,000, while a 1999 estimate of Kifuliiru-language speakers placed the number at 300,000. The Fuliiru are renowned for their skilled craftsmanship, particularly in the production of pottery and basketry. Their handcrafted baskets are highly coveted for their intricate designs and exceptional quality, and are frequently employed for storage, decoration, and even as musical instruments.
Uvira Territory is a territory in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is bordered by Walungu Territory to the north, Mwenga Territory to the west, Fizi Territory to the south, and Burundi and Lake Tanganyika to the east. Its capital is Uvira.
Luvungi, also known as Itara-Luvungi, is one of the groupements (groupings) within the Bafuliiru Chiefdom in the Uvira Territory of the South Kivu Province in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Situated on the Ruzizi Plain, it lies at the borders of Uvira Territory and Walungu Territory, in close proximity to the frontiers of Rwanda and Burundi. Luvungi is home to a population of approximately 85,000 individuals, predominantly consisting of Fuliru agriculturalists who play a vital role in the local community. There's also has a small population of Vira, Bembe, Lega, Shi, Burundians and Banyamulenge. Its economy is founded mainly on subsistence agriculture and the artisanal mining of cassiterite, an ore of tin.
Luberizi is a village located in the Luvungi groupement within the Bafuliiru Chiefdom, which is part of the Uvira Territory in the South Kivu Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). At an elevation of 957 meters, it has a local population of about 25,462. It sits astride the N5 road where it crosses the Luberizi River, nearly midway between Uvira to the south and Bukavu to the north. The village of Mutarule, the scene of the 2014 South Kivu attack, is located nearby.
Lemera is one of the groupements (groupings) within the Bafuliiru Chiefdom, located in the Uvira Territory of the South Kivu Province in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is situated in the northwestern part of the Uvira Territory, approximately 60 kilometers north of Bukavu and 90 kilometers southwest of the border with Rwanda and Burundi. Lemera is in close proximity to several villages, including Kasheke, Nyambasha, Luzira, Lukayo, Kajuju, Lushasha, and Ihusi.
Sange is a village located in the Bafuliiru Chiefdom in the Uvira Territory of the South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is situated 24 km from the Burundian border, at 1,021 meters altitude.
Katogota is a village located in the Itara-Luvungi grouping within the Bafuliiru Chiefdom in Uvira Territory of the South Kivu Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). Situated approximately 60 km south of Bukavu, Katogota is in close proximity to the Kamonyi and Rusagara villages, near the border regions of Rwanda and Burundi.
Bwegera is a village in the Bafuliiru Chiefdom in the Uvira Territory of South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Bwegera has an elevation of 952 meters and is situated in the vicinity of the Kakamba and Nyaruhuhuma villages. The region It's crossed by Lake Tanganyika, providing a vital source of water and transportation for the local inhabitants. Bwegera is rich in building materials such as rubble, sand, and baked bricks, making it an ideal location for construction and development. The region also encompasses a vast rural area where agriculture, animal breeding, and fishing are the primary means of livelihood.
Lubarika is a village situated in the hills and high plateaus of Bafuliiru Chiefdom in Uvira Territory, located in the South Kivu Province in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). It sits at an elevation of 969 meters above sea level and is near the villages of Murunga and Nyakagobe II. Lubarika is a predominantly agricultural region with large hectares used for subsistence agriculture. Agriculture is practiced by an extensive segment of the population. The products grown are mainly intended for domestic consumption and commercialization. Moreover, fishing is carried out artisanally in Lake Tanganyika by the local population.
Mutambala is a sector that constitutes one of the four sectors in the Fizi Territory of the South Kivu Province in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Mutambala is situated near Lake Tanganyika, in the west by the Lulenge sector, in the north by the Tangani'a sector, and in the south by the Ngandja sector. It has a surface area of 777 km 2. The sector consists of five groupings (groupements), including the Basimukindja groupings, the Batombwe groupings, and the Babwari groupings.
The Ruzizi Plain is a valley situated between the Mitumba mountain chain and the Ruzizi River. It serves as a natural border, separating the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) from Burundi and Rwanda on the other side. The Ruzizi Plain is an integral part of the larger Western Rift Valley, which stretches across several African countries. It is traversed by the Ruzizi River, which flows from Lake Kivu through the plain and into Lake Tanganyika. It covers an area of 175,000 hectares divided between Burundi, Rwanda and the DRC. In Burundi, the plain extends to the northern sector of Imbo. It is bounded by parallels 2°36′ and 3°26′ south latitude and by meridians 29°00′ and 29°26 east longitude—an area of 1025 km2. The Congolese side is bounded to the north by the plain of Bugarama (Rwanda), to the east by the plain of Imbo (Burundi), to the West by the chain of Mitumba and to the South by Lake Tanganyika. The region covers thus about 80,000 hectares with 80 kilometers in length.
Kidote, also known as Kidoti, is a small village situated in the middle plateaux of Lemera, within the Bafuliiru Chiefdom of the Uvira Territory in the South Kivu Province in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It also serves as a camp for Congolese Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from various regions of Bwegera.
Kiringye is a village situated in the Lemera groupement within the Bafuliiru Chiefdom, which is part of Uvira Territory in the South Kivu Province in the eastern region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The village is located at an elevation of 928 meters and is in close proximity to the localities of Luburule and Karenzu.
The Sange River is a tributary of the Ruzizi River in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It serves as a reliable source of water for domestic and commercial use, and families living along its banks rely on its pristine waters for drinking, cooking, andhousehold chores. Local businesses depend on the river's abundant supply to meet the needs of visitors and tourists. Moreover, the river's flow sustains an ecosystem of services.
The Bafuliiru Chiefdom, also spelled as Chefferie des Bafulero, is a chiefdom located in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is situated in the Uvira Territory, which is part of the South Kivu Province in eastern DRC.
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