Africa 24 Media Photography

Fictional books often carry the same perception of the Congo-River basin; mythical beasts, cannibalism, pygmies and deadly plagues. “People of the rain forest” has become the expression by which this people are identified. However this term encompasses populations covering Africa from Gabon through to some parts of Uganda. Their history has also been exploited by the big screen to depict them as a barbaric populace.

The pygmies are seen as the warrior protectors of the rain forest resisting all that dare venture into their abode. They are said to be the first inhabitants of the region. They were later joined by Bantu groups of people who are speculated to have come in from present Democratic Republic of Congo. History however has it that the initial liaison with European explorers was not a hostile one. Portuguese explorers were the first to make contact with these natives. Their relationship was so much so that the rulers of Portugal and Congo were considered to be of the same footing. Impressive churches such as Kulumbimbi in Mbanza. Things however took a turn when the Portuguese acquired plantations in Brazil. They needed slaves to work on their plantations, they went about this in a manner devoid of diplomacy and not even the royal family was spared. Thus colonial resistance was born. Legends such as Kimpta Vita also arose in this era; she was a nun who put up a strong resistance in the 1660s. The natives however did not have as much luck resisting the French colonialists. The futility of their resistance rode through up until August 1960. The early freedom years were turbulent and tainted by coups and civil war. Some of these disputes arose due to the presence of oil in the expanse. The country has managed to pull itself out of such depths and its people are finally free to experience democracy. The people on the river basin take advantage of the fisheries and agricultural potential provided by the Congo River. Fishing is somewhat unique in the region in that there are over 500 species of fish indigenous to the river. This is area is a buzz of activity. There is a mobile market of sorts on the river, as some men put their backs into catching fish others are selling them on adjacent boats. The buzz at the river banks is kept constantly vibrant. The communities here are poor but they enjoy a good and peaceful life. A significant portion of the community’s man power is dedicated to agriculture. This in turn encourages trade on the river banks as there are more goods for sale. All in all the people here bear testimony to the fact that hard work pays off.

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