THE FORMER KONGO KINGDOM
The Kongo kingdom extended from Gabon, Congo Brazzaville, Congo Kinshasa, Cabinda to Angola. It comprised six provinces: Mbamba, Soyo, Mpangu, Mbata, Nsundi and Mpemba.
The first ancestors Nkengi Lufuma and Nzala Mpandu had twelve children: Lukengo, Mulangu, Nkombo, Kanioka, Ndinda, Kana, Kimbu, Ngombe, Kalombo, Mulambi, Madionga, Lubaki. They were tall and lived in northern Ethiopia. Tradition tells that Nimi and Nzinga Nkuvu had three children who are the roots of the Kongo clans: Nsaku, Mpanzu, Nzinga. First, the Nsaku clan, represented wisdom, spirituality and justice. Second, the Mpanzu Clan represented science, crafts and metallurgy. Thanks to him, the clan members did not lack tools for war and work. Third, the Nzinga clan represented power, politics.
Ne Mbemba Zulu was enthroned around 220, as prophet and guide of the Kongo people, he brought him out of Egypt.
Around 320, Mama Mbangala was their guide. At his death, Ne Nsansukulu-a-Kanda also called Nimi-a-Lukeni brought the Ne-Kongo to the edge of the Kunene river where they built a first home: « Kongo dia mpangala nzudu tadi », Kimpemba will be the capital. Around 424, Ne Kodi Puangu, Ne Lunda Makanda and Ne Madiangu ma Zulu, took the people to build a second home: « Kongo dia mulaza », Kahemba then Feshi were the chieftaincies.
A third home was built around 529: « Kongo dia luangu » of which Zimba was the chiefdom under the authority of Ne Tuti dia Tiya. Then around 690, the people were led by Na Kulunsi and mama Lemba, a visionary woman, to the mount Kongo dia ntotela. There Ne Nkembo wa Monesua and priests received the laws for the Kongo people. There they founded « Kongo dia ntotela ».
Several kings succeeded one another until the arrival of the Portuguese: Mnabi Mayidi, Zanga Mowa, Mbala Lukeni. The latter led campaigns to enlarge the kingdom. Mbama Bokota, Ngongo Masaki, Nzinga Sengele, Kalunga Punu, Nkanga Malanda, Nkulu Kiangala, Ngunu Kisama, Mandiangu Vu, whose behavior displeased God. The famine then struck the country. Mbuta Kimosi stood up as a prophet to fight the bad habits and curses.
King Nanga Katanga brought the Ba-Kongo back to the path of justice and wealth.
Then there were the kings Ntende Kabinda, Muabi Kunene, Mbamba Muzombo and Woyo Mpangala.
The Prophet Mbuta Kutumi rose up to stabilize the country, as unrest was returning to the country. Then followed kings Mutende Ngidi, Nanga Mutombo, Nzinga Nuzoma, Ne Funza, Ne Muanda Munana, Naga Makaba, Nkanga Nimi, Nkuvu Mutini, Nzinga Nkuvu.
In 1457, a prophet rose to prophesy the arrival of the white man. The meeting with the West (in 1480) will be fatal for the Kongo. Upon his arrival Diego Cão found a prosperous and well-organized kingdom. The missionaries who accompanied this expedition were astonished to find a people whose culture is close to the Hebrew culture with twelve tribes .
The king was baptized on May 3, 1491 under the name of Ndo-Nzwawu. Thus the Kongo became the first remote Christian territory in Europe. With the baptism of the king, the Portuguese hoped to have a hold on the kingdom. Relations cooled down until his death, killed by a Portuguese. His brother Mvemba Lukeni succeeded him, sent his son to Portugal and became the first African bishop in the history of the church. Mbanza Kongo became San Salvador.
In the decades that followed, the empire fell into the spiral of the slave trade. Under this colonial pressure, the king lost his grip on the empire. The empire broke up. Each province, under Portuguese or English tutelage, sought its independence. The Europeans took advantage of this situation to take even more slaves.
The province of Ngola proclaimed its independence, hence the birth of Angola, followed by the provinces of Loango, Ngoyo and Kakongo. The prophetess Kimpa Vita will try to reunify the country, denouncing all these practices. She will be burned alive. The complete division of the kingdom will be decided between Portugal, France and Belgium.
Thus, the Ba-Kongo lost all their gains. The Kongo culture underwent a real dilution until the denial of its identity.
BELIEF
The Ne-Kongo believed in a Supreme and Almighty God, who created the universe and all visible and invisible beings. They also believed in the spirits of the seas, forests and the dead. When misfortune occurred, they consulted the NGANGA BUKA who gave amulets and other natural powders. The dead were not considered dead, but alive on the other side of the sea MPINDA.
The tradition passed on to all generations that God, after creating the universe, the visible and invisible world, created the complete man to whom He gave the name of MUHUNGU. He made a covenant with him, symbolized by a sword (NSENGELE MBELE) that he gave him.
Source: source- histoire-africaine(Facebook)by Bansimba Rubin