Tumbwe people
| Regions with significant populations | |
|---|---|
| Katanga Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo | 100,000[1] |
| Languages | |
| Sanga language | |
The Tumbwe people are an ethnic group living mostly in Tanganyika District of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
The Tumbwe are a small group of about 100,000 people whose homeland is on the west shore of Lake Tanganyika.[1] They take their name from a hereditary chief of the Sanga people.[2] Other people in the region include the related Luba, Tabwa and Hemba.[1]
The Tumbwe Chiefdom is an administrative area around the port of Kalemie, on Lake Tanganyika, where the Lukuga River leaves the lake.[3] The Tumbwe, who live between the road leading south from Kalemie and the lake, may be the oldest settled group in the area.[4] Traditionally the Tumbwe made their living by small-scale farming and by fishing on the lake. Today, growing numbers of Tumbwes work for wages in urban areas.[5]
A Tumbwe chief will own a ceremonial staff, kept hidden when not in use, which indicates his rank and status. The staff is decorated with abstract design that tell of the chief's ancestry and is a residence for their spirits.[1]
References
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