Bembe people

Ethnic group from Democratic Republic of Congo & Western Tanzania

Ethnic group

Bembe people
Regions with significant populations

DRC	1 500 000 (2005)^[1]
Languages
Bembe language, Swahili, Lingala
Religion
Christianity, Islam, Malkia Waubembe

The Bembe people (Babembe in the plural) are an ethnic group based in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and western Katavi Region of Tanzania. They live mainly in the territory of Fizi in South Kivu. The Bembe are also in the province of Tanganyika in the city of Kalemie. In 1991, the Bembe population of the DRC was estimated to number 252,000 and around 1.5 million in 2005.

They are representative of many ethnic traditions, including pre-Lega, Boyo-Kunda, Hemba and Bemba.

Cultural traditions

A semi-nomadic people, who often settled in forest environments. The women cultivated the crops and the men hunted, fished and other entrepreneurship business. ^[2]

Music

The babembe people Traditionally play drums in their folk music. The way the drum is played can be called a six-beat tune. The music is played in celebration of any sort. The music is accompanied by the folk dance. The dance utilizes movements of the shoulder and waist. It is referred to as Esuba. Folk music has also been adapted into more modernise genres. There are some Christian gospel singers who use the same elements as in folk music for their worship songs.

Cuisine

Babembe cuisine consists of cassava-based foods and fish. The fish they love to eat the most are Mkeke or Mkebuka and Dagaa ( a very small fish). Cassava can come in the form of Kyenge and eswaka all similar to fufu. Wabembe are especially fond of eating Kyenge. Vegetable-based foods range from sombe( a stew of pounded cassava lived preferably with ground up nuts and palm oil) and mlonda.

References

^ Bembe, ethnologue.com.
^ Stellaractive (2017-05-25). "Bembe People - Discover African Art". Retrieved 2020-05-26.

External links

Works by Bembe artists at the University of Michigan Museum of Art (Beware, some of the objects could be Beembe of Congo-Brazzaville!)
Bembe art at the University of Iowa Stanley Museum of Art (Beware, some of the objects could be Beembe of Congo-Brazzaville!)
Works by Bembe artists at the Metropolitan Museum of Art (Beware, some of the objects could be Beembe of Congo-Brazzaville!

Ethnic groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Indigenous

Non-indigenous

v t e Ethnic groups in Tanzania
Arusha	Arusha Datooga Hadza Meru Sonjo Maasai
Dar es Salaam	Swahili Zaramo
Dodoma	Alagwa Burunge Gogo Gorowa Rangi Sandawe
Geita	Sukuma Sumbwa Zinza
Iringa	Hehe Mbunga Ndamba
Kagera	Hangaza Haya Nyambo Shubi
Katavi	Bembe Bende Konongo Pimbwe Rungwa
Kigoma	Goma Ha Holoholo Jiji Manyema Tongwe Swahili Vinza
Kilimanjaro	Chagga Ngasa Pare
Lindi	Machinga Matumbi Mwera Makonde Ndonde Ngindo Swahili
Manyara	Akie Asa Barabaig Iraqw Kw'adza Maasai Mbugwe
Mara	Ikizu Ikoma Jita Kabwa Kuria Ngurimi Suba Ware Zanaki
Mbeya	Kimbu Nyakyusa Nyiha Safwa Sangu
Morogoro	Kaguru Kutu Luguru Pogolo Sagara Vidunda
Mtwara	Makonde Makua Maviha Swahili
Mwanza	Kara Kerewe Sukuma
Njombe	Bena Kinga Kisi Manda Pangwa Wanji
Pwani	Doe Kami Ndengereko Rufiji Swahili Zaramo Zigula
Rukwa	Fipa Lungu Mambwe Tumbuka Wanda
Ruvuma	Matengo Mpoto Ndendeule Ngoni Nindi Yao
Shinyanga	Iramba Sukuma Nyamwezi
Simiyu	Sukuma
Singida	Iramba Isanzu Nyaturu
Songwe	Malila Nyamwanga Ndali Lambya
Tabora	Nyamwezi Nyanyembe Swahili
Tanga	Bondei Dhaiso Mbugu Ngulu Segeju Sambaa Zigula Swahili
Zanzibar & Pemba	Hadimu Shirazi Swahili
Immigrants	White Tanzanians Chinese Tanzanians Indian Tanzanians Arabs

Narrow Bantu languages (Zones C–D) (by Guthrie classification)

Zone C

C10	C11 Ngondi C12a Pande C12b Bogongo C13 Mbati C14 Mbomotaba C15 Bongili C16 Lobala [C101 Dibole C102 Ngando C103 Kota C104 Yaka C105 Mbenga C141 Enyele C142 Bondongo C143 Mbonzo C161 Bomboli C162 Bozaba
C20	C21 Mboko C22 Akwa C23[21] Ngare C24 Koyo C25 Mbosi C26 Kwala C27 Kuba [C201 Bwenyi
C30	C31a Loi C31b Ngiri C31c Nunu C32 Bobangi C33 Sengele C34 Sakata C35a Ntomba C35b Bolia C36a Poto C36b Mpesa C36c Mbudza C36d Mangala C36e Boloki C36f Kangana C36g Ndolo C37 Buja [C301 Doko C302 Bolondo C311 Mabaale C312 Ndoobo C313 Litoka C314 Balobo C315 Enga C321 Binza C322 Dzamba C323 Mpama C371 Tembo C372 Kunda C373 Gbuta C374 Babale
C40	C41 Ngombe C42 Bwela C43 Bati C44 Boa C45 Angba [C401 Pagibete C403 Kango C411 Bomboma C412 Bamwe C413 Dzando C414 Ligendza C415 Likula C441 Bango
C50	C51 Mbesa C52 So C53 Poke C54 Lombo C55 Kele C56 Foma [C501 Likile C502 Linga
C60	C61a Northeast Mongo C61b Northwest Mongo C62 Lalia [C63 Ngando C611 Bafoto
C70	C71 Tetela C72 Kusu C73 Nkutu C74 Yela C75 Kela C76 Ombo [C701 Langa
C80	C81 Dengese C82 Songomeno C83 Busoong C84 Lele C85 Wongo

Zone D

D10	D11 Mbole D12 Lengola D13 Metoko D14 Enya [D141 Zura
D20	D21 Bali D22 Amba D23 Komo D24 Songola D25 Lega D26 Zimba D27 Bangubangu D28a West Holoholo D28b East Holoholo [D201 Liko D211 Kango D251 Lega-Malinga D281 Tumbwe D282 Lumbwe
D30	D31 Peri D32 Bira D33 Nyali [D301 Kari D302 Guru D303 Ngbinda D304 Homa D305 Nyanga-li D306 Gbati-ri D307 Mayeka D308 Bodo D311 Bila D312 Kaiku D313 Ibutu D331 Bvanuma D332 Budu D333 Ndaaka D334 Mbo D335 Beeke D336 Ngbee
[J]D40	[J]D41 Konzo [J]D42 Ndandi [J]D43 Nyanga
[J]D50	[J]D51 Hunde [J]D52 Haavu [J]D53 Nyabungu [J]D54 Bembe [J]D55 Buyi [J]D56 Kabwari [JD501 Nyindu [J]JD502 Yaka [J]JD531 Tembo
[J]D60	[J]D61 Ruanda [J]D62 Rundi [J]D63 Fuliiro [J]D64 Shubi [J]D65 Hangaza [J]D66 Ha [J]D67 Vinza [JD631 Vira

Italics indicate extinct languages.
Languages between parentheses are varieties of the language on their left.

The Guthrie classification is geographic and its groupings do not imply a relationship between the languages within them.

Narrow Bantu languages by Guthrie classification zone templates: Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones A–B); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones C–D); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones E–H); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones J–M); Template:Narrow Bantu languages (Zones N–S)