Luba Empire
Key Points
- The Kingdom of Luba or Luba Empire (1585–1889) was a pre-colonial Central African state that arose in the marshy grasslands of the Upemba Depression in what is now southern Democratic Republic of Congo.
- The government was based on a complex Kingship system which was durable enough to withstand the disruptions of succession disputes and flexible enough to incorporate foreign leaders and governments.
- The economy was based on a tribute system where nobles monopolized trade of salt, copper, and iron ore.
- The Luba Kingdom kept official "men of memory" who were part of a group called the Mbudye. They were responsible for maintaining the oral histories associated with kings.
- The arts were held in high esteem. A carver trained in blacksmithing and woodcarving held relatively high status. The important role of woman in the creation myths and political society resulted in many objects of prestige being decorated with female figures. Free-verse poetry was chanted or recited sometimes with instrumental accompaniment, by both men and women.
- The empire began to decline when European colonists (particularly Belgians) began raiding the empire for slaves. In 1889 the empire was split in two by a succession dispute, ending the empire as a unified state.
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Luba art
Luba art refers to the visual and material culture of the Luba people. Most objects were created by people living along the Lualaba River and around the lakes of the Upemba Depression, or among related peoples to the east in what is now the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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References Wikipedia contributors. (2018, September 22). Kingdom of Luba. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 19:48, February 3, 2019, from Link