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African Communities

Congolese Community

Congolese Community in Hamilton | General Information about Congo

Congolese Community in Hamilton

  • Population in Hamilton:

    Several thousand

  • History of immigration:

    Immigration to Canada started more than 100 years ago.

  • Major Languages:

    French and tribal languages

  • Religions:

    Orthodox, Christian

Common Foods

Fufu being prepared Fufu being prepared Dried Cassava Cubes Dried Cassava Cubes Cassava Roots Cassava Roots Congolese Food Congolese Food

Typical Congolese meals consist of starchy foods with sauces or stews. Cassava is the principal starch, but it may be replaced by rice or corn. These basic foods are served mostly as a thick stew or porridge, flavored with a spicy sauce. The basic stew is called mwamba and is made with chicken, beef, fish or lamb, browned in oil before stewing. Other common dishes include pili chicken, maboke (freshwater fish cooked in leaves), saka saka (ground cassava leaves cooked in palm oil and peanut paste) and fumbwa (a vegetable stew).

Traditional Clothing

Women clothing Women clothing Congolese Wone's Clothing Congolese Wone's Clothing Congolese market Congolese market

The Congolese wear western clothing. For women, the typical clothing today is a wrap made of printed cloth, together with a kerchief to cover the hair. Children's clothing is the same as that of the adults.

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Art and Culture

  • Major sport activities:

    The Congolese are especially fond of soccer

  • Music:

    Traditional music serves a social purpose and is customarily performed by a group of people known as griots. Soukous is the music of the city, upbeat and celebratory. This musical style blends Cuban rhumba music with some elements of American Jazz and rock. Other influences include European polkas and marches, gospel songs and sailor's ballads.

  • Dance:

    The Congolese enjoy listening and dancing to live or recorded Congolese jazz.

  • Visual Arts:

    Nature paintings are very popular.

  • Musical Instruments:

    Congolese instruments include drums, stringed instruments, flutes made from millet stalks or bamboo, animal tusk horns, rattles made from gourds,trumpets made from gourds, metal, shells or wood, and the sanzi, a small handheld wooden box with metal teeth that are plucked by the thumbs.

Rattle Rattle Thumb piano Thumb piano Xylophone Xylophone Drums Drums

General Information about Congo

  • Location:

    South-central Africa, northeast of Angola

  • Climate:

    tropical; hot and humid in equatorial river basin; cooler and drier in southern highlands; cooler and wetter in eastern highlands; north of Equator - wet season April to October, dry season December to February; south of Equator - wet season November to March, dry season April to October.

  • Capital City:

    Kinshasa

  • Celebrations:

    January 1st, July 20, January 4, May 1,June 30, August 1, December 25.

  • Major Languages:

    French, Swahili and Sudanic tribal languages

  • National Symbols:

    Congolese Flag Congolese Flag

    Sky blue field divided diagonally from the lower hoist corner to upper fly corner by a red stripe bordered by two narrow yellow stripes; a yellow, five-pointed star appears in the upper hoist corner.

  • National anthem:

    Debout Congolais (Arise Congolese)listen

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