Luba << LOO buh >> are an important ethnic group in the African country of the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The Luba speak a language called Tshiluba, which is one of the Bantu languages in the Niger-Congo family. About 6 million Luba and Tshiluba-speaking people live in the DRC. Most live in the grasslands of the central and southeastern parts of the country. The Luba consist of two main groups—the Luba-Kasai and the Luba-Shaba.
Most of the Luba-Kasai live in cities and towns. They are familiar with Western culture, and many hold high posts in government, industry, and trade. Most of the Luba-Shaba live in small rural villages and work as farmers. They grow cassava, corn, millet, and other crops. Luba farmers prepare the land for planting by burning away the grasses and using the ash as fertilizer.
The Luba speak a language called Tshiluba, which is one of the Bantu languages from the Niger-Congo family. The traditional Luba religion recognizes a supreme being as well as lesser gods and the spirits of ancestors. Luba woodcarvers are world famous for beautiful masks and statues that honor the memory of their ancestors.
The Luba descended from Bantu-speaking peoples who probably came to central Africa about 2,000 years ago. By 1700, a number of Luba-Shaba groups had united to form the Luba Empire. They developed a powerful army that conquered many neighboring peoples. The Luba also established a prosperous trade in such goods as copper, iron tools, and salt. The empire collapsed in the late 1800’s after it was invaded by African, Arab, and Portuguese slave traders.
During the early 1900’s, many Luba-Kasai began to move from rural to urban areas and to adopt numerous aspects of Western culture. Many others took jobs in copper mines in southern Congo. In the early 1960’s, the competition for jobs and for political influence led to outbreaks of violence in several cities between the Luba-Kasai and other ethnic groups.
See also Bemba.
