Hand Carved Congolese Luba Figures

The Luba people, also known as Baluba, are an indigenous ethno-linguistic group located in the south-central region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, primarily in the Katanga, Kasai, and Maniema provinces. Comprising various sub-groups speaking different dialects like Luba-Kasai and Luba-Katanga, they also use languages such as Swahili.

The Baluba developed a well-organized community called the Baluba confederation in the Upemba Depression around the 400s CE. Engaging in diverse professions like mining, smithing, woodworking, and pottery, their society thrived but faced challenges from invaders. Traditionally residing in single-street villages with rectangular thatched-roof homes, they were skilled hunters, fishers, and agriculturists. In the contemporary era, the Luba people cultivate crops, rear livestock, and engage in wood carving and handicraft production.