The Bembe people (Babembe in the plural) are an ethnic group based in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo and western Katavi Region of Tanzania. They live mainly in the territory of Fizi in South Kivu. The Bembe are also in the province of Tanganyika in the city of Kalemie. In 1991, the Bembe population of the DRC was estimated to number 252,000 and around 1.5 million in 2005.
They are representative of many ethnic traditions, including pre-Lega, Boyo-Kunda, Hemba and Bemba.
Cultural traditions
A semi-nomadic people, who often settled in forest environments, the Bembe tended to abandon their small villages as the soil became less fertile. The women cultivated the crops and the men hunted and fished.[2]
Music
The babembe people Traditionally play drums in their folk music. The way the drum is played can be called a six-beat tune. The music is played in celebration of any sort. The music is accompanied by the folk dance. The dance utilizes movements of the shoulder and waist. It is referred to as Esuba. Folk music has also been adapted into more modernise genres. There are some Christian gospel singers who use the same elements as in folk music for their worship songs.
Cuisine
Babembe cuisine consists of cassava-based foods and fish. The fish they love to eat the most are Mkeke or Mkebuka and Dagaa ( a very small fish). Cassava can come in the form of Kyenge and eswaka all similar to fufu. Wabembe are especially fond of eating Kyenge. Vegetable-based foods range from sombe( a stew of pounded cassava lived preferably with ground up nuts and palm oil) and mlonda.
DRC