Introduction The Republic of Congo is a country in Central Africa, bordered by Angola, Gabon, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Extensive historical and ongoing political turmoil has largely defined this country, which is the main producer of oil in Africa. The estimated 5 million inhabitants belong to a variety of ethnic groups, and speak mainly French and local dialects like Linagala and Munukutuba. Politics Inhabited originally by the indigenous people of the Bakongo, a Bantu-speaking ethnic group, the Republic of Congo has had a long history of French colonization and influence. The French colonized the area surrounding the Congo River beginning in 1880, and it would not be until 1960 that the Republic of Congo gained independence. Following independence from France was a series of often violent grapples for power. These power struggles seemingly ended with the election of President Sassou-Nguesso, who has governed the country for more than three decades. The country relies heavily on the export of petroleum, resulting in a large foreign influence and interest. The Congo is also a large source of heavy metal deposits. Due to political instability, tourism is highly negatively impacted. |
Culture Within the Congo exists an incredibly diverse society, due to the large number of different ethnic groups present. The indigenous Bakongo peoples include the Bantu-speaking groups that are present currently in the Republic of Congo, namely Kongo, Teke, and Mbochi peoples. The main religions of Congo include Christianity, but there is a substantial proportion of the population that is Muslim. In terms of education, Congo requires primary and secondary school. All public schooling is conducted in French, although some international and private schools have thriving English language learning programs. |
I AM CONGO project, retrieved from https://vimeo.com/137128190.
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Music and other art forms are celebrated and held in high regard in the Congo. Folk music is most often played on the traditional instrument, the mvet, or on the xylophone. A common Congo genre is Soukous, a combination of rumba, jazz, and traditional rhythm. Soukous is French for "to shake." Most lyrical music is still performed in French.
Documentaries from filmmakers such as humanitarian Daniele Sassou Nguesso in the I AM CONGO series highlight the lived experiences of Congolese people. |