Abstract
In recent years the name Banyamulenge has become associated with a warrior group in Eastern Congo because of the role some of its community members played in the war against the Mobutu regime. Researchers have been intrigued by the political motivations which unfortunately do not cover the cultural aspects of this community. This article attempts to document the cultural heritage of the Banyamulenge community. Many of the practices and traditions have become obsolete. The article explains the Banyamulenge cultural way of living, and how the divine was traditionally revealed to them in the form of human deities. Burnt sacrifice was part of community worship. The article documents what has been learnt from elders about the oral tradition, the cultural and religious realities of the community.
Highlights
The Banyamulenge people are mainly Tutsis of Rwandan and Burundian origins, but the community integrated other Congolese tribes, not necessarily of Tutsi origin
Contemporary researched writings that touched on the Banyamulenge
It was during the recent war of 1996, when the late President Kabila was fighting against the late President Mobutu‘s regime, that the Banyamulenge community really appeared on the international scene
Summary
The Banyamulenge people are mainly Tutsis of Rwandan and Burundian origins (see Mutambo, 1997:41; Johnstone & Mandryk 2001:197), but the community integrated other Congolese tribes, not necessarily of Tutsi origin. One of the reasons for their conflict is based on their national identity in the former Zaire (DRC). It was during the recent war of 1996, when the late President Kabila was fighting against the late President Mobutu‘s regime, that the Banyamulenge community really appeared on the international scene. Younger generations no longer have the opportunity to learn about their own history. They are treated in their own land as people without historical and cultural values. Since most of the cultural information is still an oral tradition, for the purpose of this study extensive interaction took place with Banyamulenge elders from 1999-2002
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