CultureGramsTMWorld Edition2014Congo-Kinshasa(Democratic RepubIic of the Congo)BACKGROUND Land and CIimateArea (sq. mi.). 905,355Area (sq. km.). 2,344,858Congo-Kinshasa, officially called the Democratic Republic ofthe Congo, covers an area roughly the size of Algeria or theUnited States east of the Mississippi River. Most of thecountry lies within the vast lowland basin of the Congo River,the world's fifth largest river and one of Africa's mostrenowned waterways. The country features tropical rainforestsinthecentralandwesternregions, grasslandsinthenorthandsouth, andmountainsintheeast. TheMitumbaMountains, on the nation's eastern border, are part of Africa'sGreat Rift system. Other major mountain ranges include theRuwenzori and Virunga, both in the northeast. GarambaNational Park, on the northeastern border, shelters rarespecies such as the okapi (one of the only living relatives ofthe giraffe) and white rhino. Wildlife poaching is a significantthreat to these and other sensitive populations. Congo-Kinshasa's climate varies somewhat with elevation,thoughmuchof it istropical. Temperaturesintheeasternmountains and the southeastern savanna are cool from May toSeptember, andtheyoccasionallydropbelowfreezing. Therain forests experience high humidity and warm temperaturesthroughout theyear. Annual rainfall variesfrom40inches(100 centimeters) in the south to 80 inches (200 centimeters)in the central Congo River Basin. The dry season is from Juneto August, when southern temperatures cool. Otherwise,temperatures average between70and85F(20-30C) allyear.HistoryOr/g/ns and Ca/an/zat/anBantu peoples from western Africa migrated into the CongoBasin thousands of years ago. Several kingdoms existed in thecenturies before Europeans arrived. The Kongo Kingdomcontrolled the southwest when the Portuguese arrived in thelate 1400s. Little European intervention took place until thelate 1800s, when Leopold II of Belgium formed aninternationaltradingcompanytoexploittheCongoregion'srich resources. The so-called Congo Free State, recognized bythe Conference of Berlin in 1884, became, in effect, a feudalestate. Leopold enslaved the people and plundered the land.His harsh treatment of the region eventually aroused aninternational outcry, and the Belgian parliament was movedtoseizethedomainfromKingLeopoldin1908. Theareathen became known as the Belgian Congo. Independence and UnrestAfter WorldWar II, andfollowingthe trendinmuchofAfrica, the Congolese negotiated with Belgiumfor theirindependence. In 1960, the newcountry was named theDemocratic Republic of the Congo. Independence leaderPatrice Lumumba became prime minister, but soon after thefirst elections, the province of Katanga in the southeastseceded, Lumumba was assassinated by political rivals, andunrest spreadthroughout theregion. UnitedNations (UN)troops could not restore peace. Mobutu Sese Seko eventually seized power in 1965 withhelp from Western nations. In 1971, he renamed the country1CultureGramsTMCongo-Kinshasathe Republic of Zaire, after the Portuguese name for theCongoRiver. Mobuturuledabrutal one-partydictatorshipand robbed the national treasury to amass a personal fortune.Under international and domestic pressure, he lifted the banon political parties in 1990. As Mobutu became locked in apower struggle with his opponents, much of the nation'sinfrastructure deteriorated. Rampaging underpaid soldiers,corruption, and a collapsed economy plunged the country intochaos. Ethn/c Canf//ctTotal collapsewas avertedwithminor political reformin1994. However, conflict in Rwanda began to spill over intoZaireas onemillionHuturefugees fromRwandaswelledmakeshiftcampsineasternZaire. WhenarmedHutusfromamong these refugees began killing ethnic Tutsis in Zaire in1996, the Rwandan government organized a Tutsi militia thatquicklydefeatedtheHutus. Most Huturefugeeswerelatersent back to Rwanda. The Tutsi militia soon allied with theforces of Laurent Kabila, a longtime Congolese rebel.Kabila's forces marched rapidly on major cities, often beingjoinedbyZairiantroopsastheysurrendered. InMay1997,Kabila entered Kinshasa. He declared himself president andchanged Zaire's name back to the Democratic Republic of theCongo. Mobutu died in exile in September 1997. Reg/ana/ Canf//ctPromises of democracy were tainted by Kabila's ban onpolitical parties and suppression of political demonstrations.In August 1998, many of Kabila's allies accused himofcorruption, nepotism, and an anti-Tutsi bias. They joined withethnic Tutsi rebels in the east to spark a new round of civilwar. Angola, Zimbabwe, andNamibia fought onKabila'sbehalf. Rwanda and Uganda allied with the rebel movement,which soon controlled most of eastern Congo-Kinshasa. Therebels split into two factions in 1999; Uganda backed one (theMovement for the Liberation of Congo, or MLC) and Rwandathe other (the Rally for Congolese Democracy, or RCD). Allsix nations and the two rebel groups signed a 1999 cease-fire,but it was promptly violated. V/a/ent PeaceInJanuary2001, Kabilawas assassinated. His sonJosephKabilatookoveraspresident andinitiatedpeacemeasuresthat led to a treaty in December 2002. The war, which hadcost three million lives, was declared over. Foreign troops leftthe country, and the leaders of the MLC and the RCD weregranted positions in a transitional government. While thepeace agreement held for a few years, heavy fighting betweengovernment and rebel forces, and among rebel forcesthemselves, erupted a few years later. Jaseph Kab//a Pres/dencyIn 2006, Joseph Kabila was elected president in the nation'sfirst free elections since independence. He was reelectedpresident with 49 percent of the vote in late 2011. The 2011election was plagued with logistical problems and widespreadallegations of voting irregularities and voter intimidation.Several people were killed in demonstrations both leading upto and following the election. Kabila faces enormouschallenges as president, as Congo-Kinshasa is widelyconsideredtheleast developedcountryintheworldandafailed state. Dozens of armed groups continue to fight eachother, especiallyintheeast, causingthousands tobecomerefugees, manyofwhomfleetoUganda. In2013, theUNSecurity Council approved the creation of a combat force totarget anddisarmthese groups andbeganusingunarmedsurveillance drones in the region. Recent Erents and TrendsPeaceagreement: In February 2013, 11 African countriessigned a UN-sponsored peace agreement to help end conflictin Congo-Kinshasa. Many rebel groups operating in thecountryhaveforeignties, andinternational cooperationisseenas vital toestablishingandmaintainingpeaceintheregion. M23 surrender: In November 2013, the M23 rebel groupannounced that it was laying down its arms. The declarationwasmotivatedbyacombinationofincreased internationalpressureagainst Rwandansupport of therebels, offensiveactions by the UN force, and the efforts of a reorganized andimproved Congolese army. The Congolese governmentsigned a peace deal with M23 in December; however, the UNhas accused M23 fighters of regrouping in Rwanda. Attack on the capital: In December 2013, dozens of armedmen attacked sites in Kinshasa before being overcome by thecountry's army, who killed at least 46 of the attackers.Religious leader andformer presidential candidate JosephMukungubila claimed his followers were responsible for theattack, which appeared to be an attempt to seize power.THE PEOPLE PopuIationPopulation. 75,507,308Population Growth Rate. 2.54%Urban Population. 34%Morethantwohundreddistinct Africanethnicgroups arefoundinCongo-Kinshasa. Thefourlargest tribes-Mongo,Luba, Kongo, and Mangbetu-Azande-make up about 45percent of the total population. The Mongo, Luba, Hutu, andKongoareBantugroups, adistinctionbasedmoreonthelanguage they speak (Bantu) than on cultural or ethniccharacteristics. The largest non-Bantu group is theMangbetu-Azande. Smaller groups include the Tutsi, Pygmy,and various Afro-Asiatic peoples. The few Western foreignersin the country live mostly in Kinshasa's Gombeneighborhood. West Africans (known as Ndingari), Lebanese,and Indians form an important merchant class.Congo-Kinshasa is also home to large populations of refugeeswho have fled conflicts in neighboring countries. Most Congolese ethnic groups coexist in peace on a dailybasis. They intermarry, live in mixed communities, andhandle their differences without violence. Tensions rise whenone group believes another has an advantage or level ofcontrol over something, but this infrequently leads to fighting.Political foes have exploited such tensions in civil conflicts,especiallyinthe east, where opposinggroups fromothercountriesreside. Thishasbeentheprimecontributortothenation's ethnic violence that does occur. About 44 percent of the population is younger than age 15.2CultureGramsTMCongo-KinshasaThough a minority of people live in cities, the urbanpopulation is growing rapidly.LanguageBroadcasting, local business, daily communication, andprimary school instruction occur in one of the four nationalBantu languages: Lingala (in Kinshasa and the west),Kikongo (in the west and southwest), Tshiluba (in the centraland southern regions), and Swahili (in the east). Most peoplespeak their own ethnic language as well as one or more of thefour national languages. Urban residents might speak amixture of local languages and French. Frenchisthecountry'sofficial languageandisusedininternational commerce, education, and governmentadministration. Inurbanareas, Frenchis the most widelyspoken language. Most Congolese speak at least twolanguages, one of them nearly always being French. BecauseFrench is the common language throughout the country, manyofthecountry'sethniclanguageshaveincorporatedFrenchwords and phrases.ReIigionEightypercent ofthepopulationisChristian: 50percent isRoman Catholic and 20 percent belongs to various Protestantorganizations. Another 10 percent participates in theindigenous Christian sect known as Kimbanguism, aProtestant offshoot establishedintheearly20thcenturybySimon Kimbangu. Many Christians also mix traditionalanimist beliefs withChristianity. About 10percent of thepeopleareMuslim, residingmainlyintheeast but alsoinKinshasa. The remaining 10 percent practices other religions,such as traditional beliefs. Regardless of one's faith, religionplays an important role in daily life. People regularly attendworship services and participate in public prayers.GeneraI AttitudesMost Bantu peoples share a common cultural heritage,distinguishedbytheir genuine concernfor the welfare ofothers. They will nearly always share their food with others inneed, no matter how little they may have themselves.Congolese are courteous and friendly. They laugh easily andenjoy living. Congolese are careful not to offend. Inmanygroups, speechisoftenabrupt. Congolesemaymake requests without a Please and accept help without aThank you. Indeed, Lingala was specifically promoted byBelgian colonialists for use in official institutions (such as thepolice force) because of its directness. Even if a person doesnot say Please (Bolimbisi in Lingala or Tafadhali inSwahili)orThankyou(Botondi inLingalaorAksanti inSwahili), he or she will show gratitude or politeness throughactions. The desires of family, friends, and colleagues are expectedto override personal concerns. Individualism at the expense ofthe family is frowned upon. Time is elastic; Lingala uses thesame word, lobi, for both yesterday and tomorrow.Peopleareconsideredmoreimportant thanschedules, andappointments or events may begin as much as an hour late.Because there are so fewwealthy people in Congolesesociety, they are accorded great respect. Education is highlyvalued and people work hard to find a way to pay for theirchildren's schooling.PersonaI AppearanceA neat and clean appearance is important to Congolese; theykeep clothing clean and ironed. Western-style clothing iscommon in most urban areas. Most of this clothing is secondhand, importedfromtheUnitedStates. Clothesareusuallypurchasedfromstreet vendorscalledchailleurs. Congolesewomen wear a long, tailored skirt, called a pagne or liputa,made of a 5-yard length of fabric. They usually pair the skirtwithablousemadefromthesamematerial. Olderwomenprefer traditional clothing, but younger womenmaywearpants. Adults rarely wear shorts or immodest attire. However,children wear shorts. Some rural Congolese continue to weartraditionalclothingortraditionalitemsmixedwithWesternclothing. People keep their hair well groomed, and disheveled hairis not acceptable. Men generally wear their hair short. Someyoung men have well-kept, short dreadlocks. Nearly allwomen and girls have hair extensions worn in elaboratebraids. Friends and relatives generally do one another's hair,and few people go to professional hairdressers.CUSTOMS AND COURTESIES GreetingsIn urban areas, men and women generally shake hands, smile,and greet each other verbally. Upon entering a room for thefirst time, a person shakes hands with each individual. Closefriends greet first with a handshake, followed by a hug andthree alternating kisses to the cheek (men might simply touchalternatingtemples). Theurbanelitegreet withtheFrenchtermBonjour (Good day). But Mbote (Hello) is morecommon. It is followed by Sango nini' (What's new?) amongLingalaspeakers. Outsideurbanareas, menusuallydonotshakehands withwomenbut will shakehands withmen.Some rural women greet men by clapping their hands a fewtimesandbowingslightly. Intheeasternandsoutheasternpartsofthecountry, theSwahili greetingJambo(Hello)iscommon.GesturesPointing directly at a person with the index finger isconsidered impolite. One beckons by waving all fingers.Objects are passed with the right hand or both hands, neverthe left alone, as the left is traditionally reserved for personalhygiene. Whenshakinghands, ifone'srighthandissoiled,one offers the wrist instead. Hand gestures often accompanyor replace verbal communication. For example, to indicate abus or place is completely full, one taps the fist two or threetimes with an open palm.VisitingVisitingis important tothe Congolese, andhospitalityiscustomary. Most visitingoccurs inthehome. Familyandclosefriendsoftendropbyunannounced, but strangersareexpectedtomakearrangementsinadvance. Whenaperson3CultureGramsTMCongo-Kinshasafirst visits a Congolese home, a gift is not appropriate.Visitors may give small gifts, such as food or an item for thehouse, after a relationshiphas beenestablished. Avisitormust be invited in before entering a home, and he or she mustbe invited to sit before being seated. Good friends andextended family members have greater liberty to makethemselves at home. Children are expected to greet each adultwithahandshakeandperhaps akiss onthecheek. Theyusually are then dismissed while the adults socialize. If a Congolese offers to share a meal, the guest is expectedfirst to show reluctance to join the host's table. But the guestshould ultimately accept the offer. Not doing so is impolite.Evenifguestsarenothungry, theyshouldtrysomeofthefoodasagestureof goodwill. TheCongoleseoftenjudgeguests'sincerity by the way they eat. If hosts do not offer ameal, they usually serve refreshments. At the end of the visit,it is common for the host family to offer money to guests topay for the taxi or bus ride home.EatingCongoleseeat alight breakfast (perhaps teaandbreadorleftovers from the day before) and a larger meal in the lateafternoon or early evening. Meals usually are eaten with thefingers of the right hand only. When Congolese use utensils,they observe the continental style of eating; the fork is in theleft hand and the knife remains in the right. Men and womeneat fromseparatecommunal bowls. Whensharingabowl,people eat only from the space directly in front of them. Onlytheeldest personispermittedtodistributemeat withbothhands to those eating the meal. Diners wash their handsbefore and after each meal.LIFESTYLE FamiIyStractareAlthough family structure varies greatly between ethnicgroups, theyall placeemphasisongroupgoalsandfamilywelfare. Large extended families usually live under the sameroof or in a group of closely joined homes. Family structuremay be either matrilineal or patrilineal. In most areas,familiesarepatrilineal. Inthisstructure, thefatherandhisfamily play a prominent role in family life. In westernCongo-Kinshasa, families are mostly matrilineal; the mother'sbrother, rather than her husband, is the male with the greatestauthorityinthe family. Eveninareas where families arestructuredaroundthe mother's family, womenthemselveshold very little authority in their families or in society.Throughout the country, married couples usually live with theman'sfamily. Urbanfamilies, particularlyamongthemoreaffluent, include fewer relatives in the extended family, andthe oldest man is usually the leader of the family. When a man dies, his family becomes responsible for hiswives and children. Orphans are sometimes abandoned whenthe extended family cannot afford to provide for them. Theseabandoned children (called shgus) are growing in numberin the streets of large urban areas. The tribe, the clan(a subgroupof the tribe), andtheextended family provide a vast network that an individual cantap into in times of crisis, especially in urban settings. It isalso through this network that people raise money for amarriage or a funeral. In recent years, the influence of thesetribal networks has begun to diminish as families become lesstightly knit and other groups (such as evangelical churches,neighborhood groups, and informal traders' guilds) spring upto take their place. Parents and Ch//drenChildrenareexpectedtobepoliteandobedient toadults.Theytakeonchoresearlyinlife, andoldergirlshelptheirmothers with most daily tasks. Gender Ra/esWomen care for the children and household. Because manywomen sell produce and goods at the market, they are oftenthe primary force in the informal economy. Althoughwomen's rights lag far behind much of the world, some strideswere made during Mobutu's presidency. Women wereappointed to prominent positions within the government, andthe right to vote was opened up to women. Advocacy groupsare currentlypressingthe country's lawmakers for greaterlegal gender equality.HousingMost Congolese live in small villages and subsist by farmingsmall plots of land or catching fish. A typical rural dwelling isa one-room, mud-brick hut. Nearby is the garden plot, whichmaycontaincassava trees, banana trees, andother crops.Rural homesarewithout electricity, andwater iscollectedfrom streams or wells. Many urban houses date to the colonial era and exist invaryingdegreesofdisrepair. Threegenerationsofafamilyoften live together. If more than eight people share the house,a fewof themwill likely sleep in the living room. InKinshasa, most neighborhoods haveelectricity24hours aday, but there are regular blackouts. These occur partlybecause the equipment of the public electricity utility isextremely old and because, throughout the city, peopleillegallyconnect their homestocablesanddonot payforelectricity. Water isalsoaprobleminKinshasa. Thepoorquality of the pipes ensures that there are regularinterruptions. Most urban residents rent their homes. Before arentermovesin, heorsheusuallyhastopayadeposit ofbetween five and eight month's rent.Dating and MarriageDat/ng and Caartsh/pTraditionally, casual dating occurred only among the wealthyin large urban areas, while dating in rural areas usually led tomarriage. Today, casual dating is increasingly commonthroughout the country. In rural areas, teenagers meet atweekenddances, at school, or inpublic places. Incities,opportunities for young people to meet also include concerts,parties, patriotic or political events, church services, andchoirs. Marriageis consideredtheideal arrangement. If awoman becomes pregnant out of wedlock, her familypressures the father to marry her and take care of the child.Unmarried women are considered of lower status thanmarriedwomenandmaybepressuredbytheir familiesto4CultureGramsTMCongo-Kinshasamarry. The minimum legal age for marriage is 18 for men and15 for women. EngagementThe process of arranging and finalizing a marriage can takemonths andis veryexpensive. After a couple decides tomarry, theengagement isfinalizedintwosteps. First, thewomanintroducesthemantoherfamily(iftheyhavenotalreadymet). Asmall groupof important extendedfamilymembers fromeachsideattends this meeting. Thebride'sfamily pays for refreshments. This is usually the onlymarriage-relatedcosttheyarerequiredtopay. Thegroom'sparents give a summary of what the bride-price will includeand arrange a day to deliver it. The summary specifies whichparent each item will be given to. The bride-price is based onthe woman's background, mainly in terms of her education. Ason's marriage is a major financial undertaking for a family,andmembersoftheextendedfamilymaycontributetothebride-price, whichcanincludebothcashandgifts(suchasfood, clothing, and electronics). The second step informalizinganengagement is settlingthebride-price. Thegroom's family brings the items included in the bride-price tothe bride's family's home. Negotiations on the price continue,with each family appointing a speaker to handle thenegotiations. Once the bride-price has been settled, the brideiscalledintotheroom. Shetakesthebride-pricefromthegroom and gives it to her father. Her father blesses her andasks her to serve a drink to the groom. Both families cheerand applaud, and a party is held. Wedd/ngsAfterthebridepriceisexchanged, thecoupleappliesforacivil marriage certificate. Family members and friends usuallyaccompany them, and the group gathers at a family member'shouse to celebrate. Atraditional ceremony is held. Thewoman wears a liputa, and the man dresses in Western attire. A Christian couple also holds a church wedding. The bridechanges into a Western-style wedding dress for thisceremony. The couple's godparents play an important part inthe ceremony. Godparents are given the responsibility to actas role models for the couple and to help resolve any issueswithin the marriage. After the ceremony, relatives and friendsgather for a festive party that often lasts late into the night. Muslim weddings proceed in a similar fashion. If a womanhas never been married, her father is considered her guardian,and the couple must get his permission before marrying.Women who have been divorced or widowed do not requiretheir father'spermission. Oncethecoupleisengaged, theybeginaseriesofchaperonedmeetingstogettoknoweachother. Most families wait to break the news of theengagement until thecouplehas hadsometimetoget toknow one another, as some engagements are broken off at thispoint. Once the couple is ready to proceed with theengagement, the two families agree to a bride-price. After thebride-price has been paid, the wedding ceremony isscheduled. The wedding ceremony (called akd-ul-nikaah,marriagecontract)isusuallyheldatamosque. Animam(religious leader) drafts a contract between the groom and thebride's father. The contract states that the man will treat hiswife according to the laws of Islam and that he accepts theresponsibilities that come withmarriage. It alsoserves totransfer responsibility for the woman from her father to herhusband. The ceremony is conducted by the imam, whoverifies that the bride-price has been paid, recites verses fromthe Quran, prays, and validates the marriage contract. Afterthe wedding, a festive party(calleda waleemah) is held.Guests gather for eating, dancing, singing, and giving gifts tothe couple. The high cost of paying a bride-price prevents some youngpeople from marrying. A man whose family cannot afford tohelppayabride-pricemaychoosetolivewithawomaninstead of marrying. However, the couple, especially thewoman, will face much social pressure to marry. Pa/ygamyPolygamyis commoninthe country, particularlyinruralareas. When a man takes a second wife, the marriage does notincludeanycivil or religious ceremonies. Thepositionofsecondwife(sometimesreferredtoasdeuximebureau, aFrenchtermmeaningsecondoffice) isconsideredtobelower in status than that of first wife. In most cases, each wifemaintains a separate home for herself and her children. Forsome men, taking a second wife is a sign of status, showingthat they are able to support two women. In certain tribes, it isacceptable for a man to take a second wife if his first wife isunabletoproducechildrenorifthecouplehaschildrenofonly one gender. However, with the rise in evangelicalChristian churches and increased exposure to Western media,younger generations tend to prefer monogamy. D/rarceDivorces are relatively uncommon. Few separated couples getlegal divorces until one of them wishes to remarry. Becausemarriage is highly valued in Congolese society, most peopleeventually remarry, whether the previous marriage ended indeath or divorce. Divorced women and widows are typicallyheld in high esteem. Divorced men are often seen asirresponsible and may find it harder to remarry than divorcedwomen do.Life CycIeB/rthPregnant women generally leave the house as little as possiblebecause they fear curses coming upon them throughwitchcraft. Many traditional rites associated with pregnancy,childbirth, the birth of the first boy, and the naming of a childhave all but disappeared. Typically, after a womangivesbirth, a festive party is held at the parents' home. Many tribeshave special celebrations for the birth of twins. Thesecelebrations usually include dancing, drumming, applyingmanioc powder to the hair, and drinking. M//estanesRitualssurroundinglife'smilestonesaredeterminedbythetraditions of each clan. Most young men undergo an initiationritual before becoming adults. The event serves as one of themost important events in a man's life. The form of the ritualvaries by ethnic group, but the purpose is always instruction.They may be taught about hunting, fishing, agriculture, or theclan's myths and history. Among the Mongo people, theyoung men are taken in groups to spend a week in the forest,where they learn from an elder about sexuality. Among theLuba, young men are taught how to build their own houses.5CultureGramsTMCongo-KinshasaFor boys, circumcision traditionally marked the end ofchildhood. Today, boys are usually circumcised in a hospitalshortly after birth, without much fanfare. Boys are generallyconsidered adults at around ages 12 to 14. Girls areconsidered adults at 14 to 16. When a student graduates from high school or a university,thefamilyholdsfestivecelebrations. Well-wisherscometothe family home to bring gifts of money to the graduate and toeat and drink with the family. Family members throw maniocflour over the graduate, and then other well-wishers throw theflour over the family members. The night of their graduation,students celebrate with drinking and ululating (making a long,high-pitched trilling sound). It's also popular (and dangerous)for graduates to rent cars and drive around the city. DeathWhen a person dies, family members prepare the deceased forthe funeral by washing and dressing the body in new clothesand cutting the hair and nails. People without any family maybe buried in their backyard or inside their home, which wouldnormallyhaveadirt floor. Thehomewouldremainvacantthereafter. Funeral ritualsdiffer betweenurbanandrural areas. Incities, the deceased's remains are kept at the hospital morguewhile relatives, tribe members, friends, and neighbors gatherat thedeceased'shometocollect moneyfortheburial andfuneral. When enough money has been collected, the body istaken in a procession to the deceased's residence in a ritualcalledthelevedecorps(theremoval ortheliftingofthebody). Depending on the condition of the body and theweather, thedeceasediseitherkept onaplatformunderarented tent for a night or, more common, buried shortly afterremoval fromthe morgue. If the bodyis kept overnight,womenfromtheimmediatefamilycryandwail aroundit,makingnoeffort tohidetheir grief. At night, abonfireismade from old car tires. Older relatives sit in rented plasticchairs while young people sing songs and dance around thefire, pausingoccasionallyfor prayers andreligious music.The next day, the coffin is taken to the cemetery in aprocession. Beforethecoffinisloweredintothegrave, thehead of the family asks the gathered mourners to declare anydebts owed by or to the deceased. All debts are settled shortlyafter the burial. Mourners return to the deceased's residencefor drinks and a meal. In wealthy families, mourners stay fora three-day wake, which incorporates nightly dancing and afeast. In Congo's eastern provinces, mourners gather again onthe fortieth day after the death for another feast, marking theformal end of the mourning period. In rural areas, the deceased is placed outside the home inhis or her bed for the day of the death. Female relatives wailaround the body. At night, the head of the family sends outword that all debts with the deceased will be settled. The nextmorning, the body is moved to a coffin or wrapped in bamboomats andtakentothecemeteryfor burial. Insomesmallvillages, the cemetery may be simply a small clearing at oneend of the village. On Parents'Day, 1 August, relatives andfriends visit the gravesites of their loved ones to lay flowers. When a Congolese Muslim dies, the deceased is buried thesame day, according to Islamic beliefs. Some cemeteries havea section for Muslimgraves, or there may be exclusiveMuslimburial grounds. After the burial, the familystaystogether for an entire week. If the deceased was married, thespousewill havetobewashedfromheadtotoeafter thefuneral to wash away the botutu (curse). Some of thedeceased'spossessionsaresharedbetweenfamilymembers,andothersareburned. At theendoftheweek, thefamilygathersforfoodanddrinks. Fortydaysafterthedeath, thefamilygathers againtocelebrate the endof the morningperiod. A widow is considered to be in mourning for the 40daysafter her husband'sdeath. After that, membersof herhusband's family wash her again from head to toe, and she isthen considered single and free to remarry. Among theMongo people, when an uncle dies, his nephew can marry thewidow. When a Luba woman dies, her husband can replaceher with a younger sister.DietStaplefoodsincludecassava, rice, potatoes, bananas, yams,beans, corn, fish, peanuts, and various fruits and vegetables.Common fruits include mangoes, oranges, pawpaws (papaya),and coconuts. Sugarcane is also grown. Congolese mustpurchasesomeperishablefoodsonadailybasis. Adequatesupplies of food are hard to find in some areas, andmalnutrition affects large segments of the population.Chicken is an important dish and is often served on specialoccasions, for celebrations, or for important guests.RecreationCongolese generally prefer group activities, such assocializing in groups and attending sporting events, overindividual activities, like reading or watching movies. Socceris the most popular sport. Even urban girls are beginning toplay. Congolese spend much of their leisure time socializing.Gatherings may include dancing, playing or watching soccer,watchingtelevision(particularlysoccergamesandsubtitledNigerianmovies), listeningtomusic, anddebatingpolitics.Children may spend their free time making toys to play with.Toy trucks may be constructed from matchboxes and bottlecaps, while soccer balls are made of plastic bags boundtightlytogether. Youngpeopleenjoyplayingboardgames,especiallycheckers, whichisoftenplayedonahomemadeboard with bottle caps for playing pieces. Young people oftenpool theirmoneytorent abustotakethemonaSaturdayoutingtotheCongoRiver. Intimesofpeace, peopleenjoySaturday-night dances aroundbonfires. This traditionwassuspended in much of the country during the conflict but isreturning in those areas with adequate security.The ArtsMusical styles that originated in Congo-Kinshasa are popularnotonlylocallybutalsoinmanyotherpartsofAfricaandaroundtheworld. Amongthemost celebratedis soukous,which combines guitars, percussion, and horns in an upbeat,Latin-influenced dance rhythm. Soukous is also referred to asrumbaor lingalaandhasgeneratedrelatedformssuchaskwasa kwasa and ndombolo. Congolese music has developedan alternative Christian genre, referred to as musiquereligieuse (religious music), with its stars of both genders anda lucrative CDmarket. Congolese musicians who have6CultureGramsTMCongo-Kinshasaachievedinternational successincludesingersPapaWembaand Koffi Olomide and bands Wenge Musica and ZaikoLanga Langa. Traditional music is still important, soinstruments such as the likembe (a board with thin metal stripsplucked with the thumbs) are common. Folk art has a strongpresence throughout the country; popular forms includebaskets, wood carvings, and jewelry. Painting and sculptureare concentrated in urban areas.HoIidaysNational holidays include New Year's Day, theCommemoration of the Martyrs of Independence (4 January,which honors pro-independence protesters killed on this dayin 1958), National Heroes' Day (divided into two days, 16 and17 January), Labor Day (1 May), Liberation Day (17 May),Independence Day(30June), Parents' Day(1Aug.), andChristmas (25 Dec.). New YearsNew Year's is the biggest celebration of the year. Those whoare religious may attend church on New Year's Eve. Youngpeople often gather on the streets to celebrate. Those who canaffordit mayhavefriends andrelatives over for aparty.People also attend outdoor concerts and watch fireworkdisplays. Parentsbuytheirchildrennewclothestowearonthis day. Most families have a meal that includes beef, goat,or chicken. Nat/ana/ Heraes DayNational Heroes' Day actually spans two days andcommemorates the deaths of two of Congo's political heroes.The first day honors President Laurent Kabila, who wasassassinated in 2001. The second day honors PatriceLumumba, thecountry's first democraticallyelectedprimeminister, who was assassinated in 1961. A highly politicizedholiday, National Heroes' Day celebrations are mainlycoordinatedbythe government, includinga parade andatelevised presidential speech. Independence DayIndependenceDayis themost important patrioticholiday.Celebrations start with a short, televised speech by thepresident, followed by parades throughout the country. Aftertheparades, peoplegather inngandas (sidewalkbars) fordrinks before returning home for a meal with the family. Inthepast, peoplewouldoftenspendthenight drinkingandcelebrating together. However, as the country's economicsituation has worsened, celebrations have been scaled back. Other Ha//daysInternational Women's Day (8 Mar.) is widely celebrated inthecountry, andmanyseethisdayasatimetocelebratewomanhood and honor women who were killed or attackedduring the country's conflict. Women dress in traditionalpagnes, and the government organizes commemorativeparades. In recent years, this holiday has also become a timeto raise awareness about issues affecting women. Christmas andEaster are the most important religiousholidays. People usually celebrate with friends and relatives.Onbothholidays, religious peopleattendchurchservices.Easter celebrations are more religiously oriented thanChristmas celebrations, which most people take part in,regardless of religion. After a big family meal, usuallyincluding a cooked chicken, people often go on outings withfriends or go out for drinks.SOCIETY GovernmentHead of State. Pres. Joseph KabilaHead of Government. PM Matata PonyoCapital. KinshasaStractareThe president is head of state and is elected by popular vote toa five-year term. There is a two-term limit for the president.The president appoints a prime minister as head ofgovernment. The legislature has two houses: a 500-seatNational Assembly and a 108-seat Senate. Sixty members ofthe National Assembly are elected by majority vote, and 440members are elected through proportional representation.Senatorsareelectedbyprovincial assemblies. Membersofboth houses are elected to five-year terms. Pa//t/ca/ LandscapeHundredsofpolitical partiesareactiveinCongo-Kinshasa,and while dozens gain representation in the NationalAssembly, onlyahandful of partieswinmorethanafewseats. Legislative power currently lies with the Alliance of thePresidential Majority-the majority coalition in the NationalAssembly-which supports President Kabila. The Union forthe Nation is the main opposition coalition. Congo-Kinshasasuffers fromweakinstitutions, whichleads toanunstablepolitical climate. Numerous armed rebel groups are active inmanyareasoutsideofthecapital, especiallyintheeasternpart of the country. Garernment and the Peap/eCongo-Kinshasa is widely considered to be a failed state. Thegovernment strugglestoprovideevenbasicservicestothepeople, andincomedistributionis extremelyunequal. Thegovernment is largely unable to stop the country's manyarmed rebel groups fromharming and killing civilians,though government forces themselves are often reported to dothesamethings. Thejudicial systemis widelyconsideredineffective, corrupt, and disrespectful of human rights. Constitutional guarantees of freedom of speech, assembly,and the press are routinely violated, especially during electionseasons. Recent elections have been tarnished withaccusations of violent voter intimidation and electoral fraud.Despite compulsory voting, voter turnout has been relativelylow, generally less than two-thirds, since the 2006 elections.The voting age is 18.EconomyGDP (PPP) in billions. $27.53GDP (PPP) per capita. $400Political chaos and neglect have left the economy in ruin, andmost of the population lives in dire poverty. Although verylittle of the nation's total area is under cultivation, much of thelabor forceis involvedinagriculture. Subsistencefarmersproduce staples such as cassava and corn. Other agricultural7CultureGramsTMCongo-Kinshasaproducts include coffee (the nation's most important cashcrop), sugar, palmoil, rubber, tea, bananas, andtimber. InKinshasa, most residentslivebytradingorworkingintheinformal street economy. The national currency is theCongolese franc (CDF), although the U.S. dollar is used formost major transactions. Vast mineral depositsandothernatural resourcesmakeCongo-Kinshasa potentially one of the richest nations inAfrica, but this potential remains largely untapped and evenlost. Thenationisoneof theworld'slargest producersofdiamonds, aresourcethat rebel groupsandforeignarmiesused to fund their campaigns during the civil war.Congo-Kinshasa could be a principal cobalt and coppersupplier, but many of these mines are not functioning. Muchof the mineral industry is controlled by groups who use thewealth from these conflict minerals to fund violence withinthe region. Other abundant natural resources include oil, gold,silver, zinc, tin, uranium, bauxite, iron ore, coal, timber, andcoltan (a mineral used in manufacturing electronics). Even ifgoods are produced, they are often smuggled out of thecountry(anestimated98percent of thenation's goldwassmuggled out of Congo-Kinshasa in 2013) or are difficult totransport because of poor infrastructure. A continual lack ofpeace in the country prevents the government from using thecountry's mineral wealth to build roads, refurbish and expandthe railway, and support other development projects. Inland waterways give Congo-Kinshasa great potential forhydroelectric energy. It has one of the largest dams in Africa,the Inga Dam, near the mouth of the Congo River. Power istransmittedmorethan1,000miles(1,600kilometers) fromtheIngatothesoutherncopper-miningregion-oneoftheworld's longest direct-current hydroelectric transmissionlines.Transportation and CommunicationsInternet Users (per 100 people). 1Cellular Phone Subscriptions (per 100 people). 23Paved Roads. 2%The Congo River is the nation's major route for bothcommercial andpassengertransportation. Congo-Kinshasa'sfewpavedroadsareindisrepairandaredifficult totravel.Manydirt roadsareimpassableintherainyseason. Publictransportationincitiesisall but nonexistent. Privatetrucksprovidetransportation, alongwithtaxisinlargercities, butfuel is expensive and scarce. Hence, most people walkdistances up to about 6 miles (10 kilometers). OnlywealthyCongolesehaveprivatephones, andtherearenopublicphones. Telephoneserviceshopsofferaccessfor a fee per minute. Mobile phones are common throughoutthecountry. Radiomessages arebroadcast toareas whereconventional telephone service does not exist. Shops offeringinternet access are becoming popular in Kinshasa. The pressis technically free but faces some restrictions. As many as 15newspapers are regularly published in Kinshasa. A number oftelevision and radio stations also operate.EducationAdult Literacy. 66.8%Mean Years of Schooling. 3.5Stractare and AccessCongolese greatly value education, seeing it as the only wayto improve their circumstances. Like the economy, theeducation system has faltered, with little governmentinvestment. Facilitiesandstaff arelacking, andenrollmentlevelsareverylow. Almosthalfofschool-agechildrenareout ofschool. Childlaborisaseriousproblem, withmorethan 25 percent of children ages 5 to 14 working for a living. Schoolsmaybepublicorprivate. Someprivateschoolsareassociatedwithaspecificreligion, usuallytheCatholicChurch. The vast majority of students attend public schools.Privateschools areprohibitivelyexpensivefor all but thewealthy. Few viable institutions exist in interior rural areas. Primaryeducationbeginsat agesixandlastssixyears.While primary school is technically mandatory, high schoolfees prohibit manychildrenfromattending. Families whocannot afford to send all of their children to school may sendtheir children on a rotating basis, trade goods and services forschool fees, or send only their sons (as sons are consideredmore important for the family because they are expected totake care of their parents). While girls still lag behind boys inenrollment rates, this is changing as more parents send theirgirlstoschool. At age12, studentstakenational examsinorder to proceed on to secondary school. Schaa/ L/feStudents wear uniforms to school. The four Bantu languagesare used in primary education. Students begin learning Frenchat this time, and by secondary school, French is the languageof instruction. Theteachingstyleisgenerallyauthoritarianandformal, relyingheavilyonmemorization. At age 14,students choose an area of emphasis, such as literature,sciences, teaching, or math. In order to graduate from high school, students must pass aseries of state examinations. Their scores onthese examsdetermine which university they can attend. Studentsanxiouslyawait their scores, whicharedistributedinJuly.Schools post theresults onbulletinboards, andinrecentyears, students have been able to receive their scores via textmessage. H/gher Edacat/anMany university graduates are unable to find work within thecountry. A severe brain drain of the skilled and educated isundermining the country's ability to provide adequateteaching. However, the country's three public universities (inKinshasa, Lubumbashi, and Kisangani) still operate alongsideseveral private institutions.HeaIthCongo-Kinshasa's health care infrastructure was badlydamagedintheconflict andremainsverypoor. Thenationhas few physicians. Medical help is available in Kinshasa, butadequate health care is a serious problemin rural areas.Medical supplies are lacking throughout the country.International relief organizations or traditional healers areoften the only sources of care. Malaria, yellow fever, AIDS,and cholera are widespread. Preventive medicine andmosquito nets are available but too expensive for the average8CultureGramsTMCongo-Kinshasaperson. Disease epidemics are common. Outbreaks of thedeadly Ebola virus have occurred in rural areas where peoplecome into contact with infected animals. Other diseasesafflicting people include measles, hepatitis, tuberculosis, andsleeping sickness. Malnutrition is a serious problem,especially for young children.AT A GLANCE Contact InformationEmbassy of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, 1726 MStreet NW, Suite 601, Washington, DC 20036; phone (202)234-7690.Country and DeveIopment DataCapital KinshasaPopulation 75,507,308 (rank=19)Area (sq. mi.) 905,355 (rank=12)Area (sq. km.) 2,344,858Human Development Index 186 of 187 countriesGender Inequality Index 144 of 148 countriesGDP (PPP) per capita $400Adult Literacy 77% (male); 57% (female)Infant Mortality 74.87 per 1,000 birthsLife Expectancy 47 (male); 50 (female)Currency Congolese francCultureGramsTMProQuest789 East Eisenhower ParkwayAnn Arbor, Michigan 48106 USAToll Free: 1.800.521.3042Fax: 1.800.864.0019www.culturegrams.com 2014 ProQuest LLC and Brigham Young University. It is against the lawto copy, reprint, store, or transmit any part of this publication in any form byany means without strict written permission from ProQuest. 9