Kongo
Published on Nov 19, 2015
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Ancient kongo
By: matthew r, ealeen, and james
Culture
The people of ancient Kongo spoke Bantu and lived in the coast of west Africa. Kongo was ruled over all by one king. The kingdom of Kongo was divided into districts which helps organize the kingdom. The Kongo people created their own pottery and clothing. They traded these products with iron and copper mined within Kongo. The portuguese greatly influenced Kongo, mainly through trade. The Portuguese sent missionaries and traded good such as horses and guns. While the Kongo traded slaves, ivory, copper, and iron.
History
The Kingdom of Kongo began around 1000 B.C. Several Bantu-Speaking groups migrated from west-central Africa.Throughout the southern part of the continent. " Kongo; an ancient kingdom along the west coast of Africa, settled by the Bantu-Speaking Kongo people sometime before the 14th century a.d."(World History). The capital of Kongo was Mbanza.The Kongo rulers had a highly organized Kingdom. The Rule of Afonso was in 1506; Afonso used he's connection with Portuguese to try to strengthen his kingdom. Afonso copied many Portuguese ways. The capital Mbanza is also a Portuguese name. Afonso studied how to read and write in Portuguese; he even allowed his subjects to get an education in Portugal. But the good relationship between Portugal and Kongo did not last, the Portuguese with the growing desire to use Africans as slaves.
Language
The language of ancient Congo or Kongo is Bantu. Bantu is spoken by the Bakongo and bishwindu people natives to that part of Africa. This language is not spoken in all parts of Africa, because some speak Gullah. The Kongo or Kikongo people are mostly in the middle west of Africa and they all are natives. They are also ruled by kings and presidents.
Art
The most common form of art in Kongo were Nkisi figures. Nkisi are objects that are inhabited by spirits. Nkisi figures had no litigation in length, height, weight, size, or material. The nkisi figures were available to anyone unlike other art during this time. The rest of the art during this period was aimed towards people with high social status. Nkisi figures were one of the most prominent forms of art for the Kongo.
Education
Education was not like it is today, but it was meant to teach agriculture, Manuel skills, and science. We have university's USC, UCLA, CSUSB, Notre Dame and many others. In the Kongo kingdom they have ngouabi which is their main university. They also have many vocational trainings and religious Ed. The ancient Kikongos really work on literature and writing. School really isn't for everyone but for those who do go it's meant for 6-16 year olds.
Math and Technology
The baboon fibula was a mathematical tool used all around Africa during ancient times. They've been found in many different countries throughout Africa, one being the Kongo. It was used for tallying and measuring. The people in Kongo also make tool for mining, farming, sculpting, building. They made these tools out of iron and copper they mined inside of Kongo along with sticks and stone found in the region. They also had guns, which were given to them by the Portuguese.
Impact on neighboring societies
Ancient Kongo impacted the neighboring societies by the use of slavery with between Portuguese. Afonso had made "restrictions on the trade in captives in 1526, to try to ensure that slaves were not illegally exported" (www.britishmuseum.org/pdf/KingdomOfKongo_TeachersNotes.pdf). This impacted the neighboring societies because other started to use slaves and trading/selling others has if they were object or goods. Slavery also effected people like doctors,and priests because these would no longer be gifts but must be paid for in slaves.
Agriculture
The agriculture is not only trade but a way of life for most people. They grow cassava, yams, plantations, rice, and maize. They also grow many vegetables like pineapple, mango, strawberry and way too many others to list. These are also trading items and a GNP of Kongo. The Kikongo people are not very wealthy so some people do not know what it's like to eat these wonderful things.
Religion
The sun is a very important symbol in Kongo life because it's a sign of the constant cycle of life; the context of the sun symbolizes the living and the dead exchanging day and night. The sun meaning the death and rebirth of man. Kongo believe in Nzambi Kalungo, which is the Kongo's God he is the creator and power of source. Another belief that Kongo believe in are lesser spirits and ancestors that are the supreme being. Also Kongo believe that "Evil,disorder, and injustice are the result of such base human motives as greed,envy, or maliciousness" (adwgroup3.wikispaces.com/Religion). Kalungo is a another basic belief that the Kongo believe. Kalungo is a world divided in two, the world of the living and the world of the dead. Kalungo is the body of the water that divides the two worlds of the living and the dead.
Photo by Ihar
Economics and trade
We studied the GNP and GDP of some nations which is basically trading items. Well the Kikongo tribe traded ivory all sorts of metals and pottery and ceramic vessels. They also traded natural resources such as fruits and vegetables. They have a lot of minerals and the Kikongo tribe sells and trades with other countries.
Photo by Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery
Government
As you've learned we've been learning about the Kongo kingdom and with every kingdom their is government. The government in Kongo is a democratic government meaning they also have a president and executive, legislative, and judicial branch fall owed by senate and House of Representatives. But they also we in feudalism meaning they had a king.
Music
The music played in the Kikongo tribe is called jazz but in their language soukous it is also like a Zumba or middle eastern music style. They play bongos and drums along with classical guitar and singing. The dancing to this music is using mostly hand motions and hips. This type of music. Is also a cultural heritage. They use this kind of music to celebrate and tell stories.
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Citations
Carnine, Douglas. World History: Medieval and Early Modern times. Evanston, IL: McDougal Littell, 2006. Print.
"The Kingdom of Kongo - Boundless Open Textbook." Boundless. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2015.
"Kongo - Art & Life in Africa - The University of Iowa Museum of Art." Kongo. N.p., n.d. Web. 31May 2015.
"Nkisi." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 31 May 2015.
Photo by ЯAFIK ♋ BERLIN
Citations continued
Encyclopedia. "Kongo Religion."Kongo Religion- Overview of the World Religions. N.p., n.d. Web.Website
"Home";The Kingdom of Kongo: An Ancient Dynasty -. N.p., n.d. Web. 31 May 2015.
www.britishmseum.org
Photo by ЯAFIK ♋ BERLIN
