Daily Life

Recognizing that the daily lives of the people of the DRC can vary by geographic location (and that the DRC is the second largest country in Africa), the information I gleaned on daily life comes from talking to the Makano family (who my church assisted in resettling as refugees from the DRC), Hussein Mawaw (an NDM student from the DRC) as well as the consultation of several websites.

Here is just a bit of what I learned about daily life in the DRC.

Cuisine

Many of the foods common in the DRC are foods I've experienced from other African nations. I think it's interesting that resource websites list foods as having one name, while Hussein may have called it another name and the Makanos another name still. I believe this reflects the linguistic diversity of the country. With more than 200 native languages, there are probably even more names for these, what I believe are the three most widespread, common foods in the DRC:

Fufu

Fufu with stew. (Photo Credit: www.marcwoons.com)



I've experienced fufu in many West African cuisines. It is a thick paste made of cassava or yams and is used as both a base and a utensil for other foods. Hussein confirmed this in our interview as he explained that his family eats fufu (which he calls bakari) by scooping it up in their fingers and using it to cup a bit of soup or vegetables.

Maombe

Maombe. (Photo Credit: www.travelbystove.palfreymedia.com)



This is a traditional African stew. According to the website, Traveling East, "The thick red sauce from the ste is made from the fruit of the African oil palm. Chunks of beef, mutton, or chicken are then added to complete the dish."

Chiwanga

Chiwanga (Photo Credit: www.travelingeast.com)



In my estimation this is the DRC's answer to a tamale. Cassava is mashed into a paste and wrapped in banana leaves before being boiled.
(Source)

Livelihoods

According to the Encyclopedia Brittanica, since most of the people living in the DRC live in rural areas, agriculture is the main form of livelihood for most people. Unfortunately, because of the on-going conflict, there has been a great deal of land erosion and weak government systems contribute to the illegal sale and transport of what would normally be valuable exports (coffee, rubber, timber, etc.). Because of this many people are very poor and practice what is called subsistence farming, or, farming enough for the consumption of the household instead of growing enough crops to sell for income.

Recreation

Both Hussein and the Makano family report that one of their favorite recreations is futbol, known in the United States as soccer. Aside from that, Hussein reported he spent lots of time with his peers, listening to music or just talking. He mentioned that he tended to limit his social circles to those within his community. When asked how he could tell if someone was from a different community, he cited language as the most obvious determinant.

According to the CNN article "10 hings to know before visiting the Democratic Republic of the Congo" music is, in fact, a big deal in the DRC. Two of the most popular types are rumba, along with an emerging rumba-like style called ndombolo which is popular with younger people, Hussein included.

Experience ndombolo for yourself!



Religion

Many people in the DRC practice Catholicism, which was brought to the country by Portugese Missionaries many centuries ago. There is currently an emergence of the Kimbanguist Church, founded in the 1920's by Baptist minister Simon Kimbangu. The Kimbanguist Church is strongly influenced by Baptist worship and today sports an estimated membership of 1-3 million people.

Aside from Christianity there is a Muslim minority in the country, as well as those who combine Christian beliefs with animism, which includes the belief in spirits of the ancestors. Many people also believe in elements of witchcraft, such as evil spirits. (Sources: Our Africa, Encyclopedia Brittanica)