Denghese

Relative relatives of the KubaThis very small group lives on the banks of the Sankuro River, in the Dekese territory in the Western Kasai, in the land acquired by their ancestors, as they say. They have settled in the area in successive migrations, coming from Lopaka Kopo, a sacred and mythical north birthplace of the ancestor Ikonga Mbongo, a civilizing hero. They wanted to settle on the plains and hence their name Ndengese or children of the plains. Fertile area that offers them abundant hunting and produce of the earth to ensure their feeding. They also receive the name of Ndengese Bolamba in honor of one of the first descendants of Ikonga Mbongo. They have the same ancestor as the different peoples of the Mongo group. They are considered as the indigenous population of the region despite their magnificent artistic achievements. They are organized by castes, the most powerful being those of blacksmiths, hunters and sorcerers, who counter the power exercised by the ethosthi, the king, assisted by his court of nobles. They speak bondenghese and lingala. Their population is distributed from a religious point of view among Catholic Christians and animists. They have a variety of crafts, they make stools, white weapons, pipes, drums, statues of ancestor and raffia fabrics among other things, but they do not produce masks. They were specialists in climbing trees and in camouflage to defend themselves against enemy attacks by throwing their arrows and spears from above. DENGHese or NDENGESE STATUS They are known as legless statues, being represented with a torso, artistically scarified, that reaches practically to the ground, They are royal statues. They have a wide headdress that is stylized at the top with a kind of backward hair horn. It represents the distinction, intelligence and respect among the chiefs.