Congo, Democratic Republic of

The third largest country on the African continent, Congo occupies over half of the Congo River basin. It was, as the Congo Free State, a possession of King Leopold II of Belgium. Earlier, in 1908, it became a Belgian colony called the Belgian Congo, and after independence in 1960, it became the Republic of the Congo. From 1971 until 1996, the country was known as Zaire.

There have been many traditional games in the country, and perhaps the best-known is Mankata, which involves making a hollow in the ground and then placing stones around those of one's opponent in order to capture their pieces. It is very similar to the Ethiopian game Gabata, and the Japanese game Shogi, and there are several versions of it in different parts of the Congo. Other Congolese games that have survived are Nzango, Minoko, and Mangóla. Collecting shells used to be more than a hobby, with some shells serving as the local currency in the Kingdom of the Kongo in the 15th and early 16th centuries.

There are also many local crafts involving metalwork and bronze casting—gold and ivory were rarely used—but much of it is concerned with wood carving, especially fashioning large wooden masks known as mbuya, which were then used for dancing. The masks for the Pende tribe are particularly grotesque and are believed to be the inspiration for paintings by the Spanish artist Pablo Picasso.

Many are decorated with raffia, leaves, and feathers. The Bakuba and the Liba tribes have slightly different customs and very different masks. Music accompanying the dancing has also been very popular, with jazz and recordings of local vocalists thriving since the 1950s. For girls and women, sewing, embroidery, and weaving brightly colored cloth remain popular pastimes.

During the period of Belgian rule, the country was a rich source of rubber, which was used to make bouncing balls and other toys, initially used mainly by Belgians. The colonial society led to the introduction of Wargaming using lead figurines, Meccano sets, and also Chess and card games. In 1940, there were 10 social and sporting clubs in Leopoldville (now Kinshasa). Since independence, these games have been followed by the Zairean elite, especially those who have studied or lived abroad. Many of the children of the elite, and large numbers [Page 147]of poor boys and young men, follow or play soccer, and makeshift soccer games can be found in every town and most villages in the country.