Fuliru Kinddom

The Origin and Life of the Bafuliiru People 1. Origins of the Bafuliiru The Bafuliiru people are a tribe from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, residing in the territory of Uvira, in the province of South Kivu. This Bantu people speak "Kifuliiru." The Bafuliiru originate from the Ulindi region (also called "Rwindi"), which they are believed to have left several centuries ago, around 1350. However, some historians claim that this people came from Sudan around the year 1010, arrived in Uganda by 1090, passing through Central Africa. The Bafuliiru, along with other peoples such as the Nande, Hunde, and Bashi, are said to have left Bunyoro in Uganda and crossed the eastern border into Congo. The Bafuliiru settled in Ulindi in 1130 and occupied the land of Uvira, which was uninhabited at the time, around 1350. Uvira is one of the territories of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, located at the border with Burundi. It was once called the "territory of the Bafuliiru." This territory shares a border with Burundi along the Ruzizi River and Lake Tanganyika, and it borders three other territories: Walungu to the north, Mwenga to the west, and Fizi to the south. It is also very close to two other countries: Rwanda to the north and Tanzania to the south. The Uvira territory covers an area of 3,140 km2. Its landscape is mostly mountainous with some plains and plateaus. A plain region stretches from Makobola along the shores of Lake Tanganyika and follows the Ruzizi River to the Luviivi River. The Bafuliiru occupy the entire Uvira territory, including the plains, mountains, and plateaus. They live alongside other tribes such as the Baviira, Barundi, and Banyarwanda (now referred to as "Banyamulenge"). In the neighboring territories live the Bashi (Walungu), Warega (Mwenga), and Babembe (Fizi). Uvira is historically known as the entry point for Arab and colonial powers into Congo. It was a slave trade route during the transatlantic slave trade in the 1800s. In 1790, the first Europeans arrived in Uvira. After 1885, during the Belgian colonization, the strategic position of this territory proved to be very important for eastern Congo. The colonists then built the port of Kalundu and the Kiliba sugar refinery. These investments The Origin and Life of the Bafuliiru People economically benefited the Bafuliiru and exposed them to other cultures. Unfortunately, colonization diminished the authority and power of the bwami (king) by creating two additional bwami within Bafuliiru land: the bwami of the Baviira and the bwami of the Barundi. All of this, combined with the 1964 rebellion, brought significant changes to the life of the Mufuliiru. 2. Linguistic Classification The Kifuliiru language (called "Kifulero" by the Belgian colonists) is spoken by over 350,000 people. This Bantu language belongs to the Niger-Congo language family, specifically to the Great Lakes Bantu languages, identified by the letter J. Within this group, Kifuliiru belongs to the J50 subgroup, which includes seven languages (Kifuliiru, Kinyindu, Kihavu, Kijoba or Kiviira, Kibwari, Mashi, and Kihunde). These languages are very similar: Kifuliiru, Kinyindu, and Mashi, or Kiviira and Kijoba, are so close that foreigners often cannot tell them apart. Kifuliiru is the primary language across the Uvira territory. However, it is a language in decline because it remained oral for many years. Fortunately, local writers are now producing books in Kifuliiru. This is a new development in the culture of the Fuliiru people. 3. Life of the Mufuliiru Traditionally, the Bafuliiru lived from agriculture, livestock, and blacksmithing. They also engaged in small-scale trade. Their staple food is fufu and meat. The beverage used for festivals and other events is banana beer. Bafuliiru families live together, close to one another. They build their houses near others. A typical house is round, made of wood and earth, and roofed with straw. It usually has two rooms: a bedroom (ibanda) and a living room (bululi). The Bafuliiru are peaceful and non-aggressive but do not tolerate humiliation or insult. They do not The Origin and Life of the Bafuliiru People discriminate against other tribes, making them peaceful neighbors to surrounding communities. The political organization of the Bafuliiru is based on the bwami. The Bafuliiru have a mwami (king) whom they deeply respect. His court and nobles also enjoy great respect from the people. Among the Bafuliiru, there is only one mwami, and a woman can never become queen-unlike the Bashi, who can have multiple mwami and queens. A Mufuliiru is a kind and non-violent person but cannot tolerate being trampled by anyone. He does not discriminate and lives peacefully with others.