The Turumbu people (also Lombo, Olombo, Ulumbu) live in the

Democratic Republic of the Congo The Democratic Republic of the Congo (french: République démocratique du Congo (RDC), colloquially "La RDC" ), informally Congo-Kinshasa, DR Congo, the DRC, the DROC, or the Congo, and formerly and also colloquially Zaire, is a country in ...

, mostly in the

Isangi Territory Isangi is a territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is located in the Tshopo District to the west of Kisangani, and mostly to the south of the Congo River. The largest community is Yangambi. Other communities are Isangi, Ligasa an ...

of the Tshopo District on both sides of the

Congo River The Congo River ( kg, Nzâdi Kôngo, french: Fleuve Congo, pt, Rio Congo), formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the second largest river in the world by discharge ...

. They speak the

Lombo language The Lombo language (also called Olombo, Turumbu, Ulumbu) is in the Kele language group of Bantu languages. It is spoken by the Turumbu people of the Tshopo District, Isangi Territory Isangi is a territory of the Democratic Republic of the Co ...

. As of 1971 their population was estimated to be 10,000. A more recent estimate put the population at 32,000.

Location

The Turumbu territory lies in the Zairian Basin, an ecologically rich region with a wide variety of plants, animals and microorganisms. Average annual rainfall is . There are two rainy seasons, one between March and May and the other between August and November. Average temperature is , with humidity around 90%. The soil is infertile, forcing farmers to slash and burn new plots each growing season.

Economy

The farmers grow rice and maize as cash crops, and grow cassava and plantain for subsistence. They also hunt, fish and gather protein-based foods, manufacture alcoholic beverages and handicrafts and engage in petty trade. There are foreign-owned plantations in the region growing coffee, cocoa, rubber and palm oil, but these are shrinking. There is little interaction between the smallholders and the plantation workers. Most of the Turumbu villages are within reach of the Congo River and the

Isangi Isangi is a town in the Tshopo Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, headquarters of Isangi Territory. Location Isangi is downstream from Kisangani at the confluence of the Lomami and Congo rivers. There is a road running south from ...

Yangambi Yangambi is a town in Isangi territory of Tshopo province, Democratic Republic of the Congo. Location Yangambi is on the north side of the Congo River and lies on the R408 road which connects it to Kisangani 100 kilometers to the east. This ro ...

Kisangani Kisangani (formerly Stanleyville or Stanleystad) is the capital of Tshopo province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It is the fifth most populous urban area in the country, with an estimated population of 1,312,000 in 2021, and the larg ...

road. This road is unpaved, rarely used in the rainy season and difficult to use at all times of the year. Lokele traders travelling by canoe on the river distribute and market farm and non-farm products of the Turumbu. Turumbu farmers living along the road may have to walk up to to reach a market im Yangambi or Lotokila. Another group living deeper in the forest brings their produce to a market near Weko twice weekly for sales to traders who have travelled the from Yangambi.

Culture

Almost all the Turumbu people practice Christianity. They are known for the enormous iron blades that are given as gifts to the family of a bride, often up to long and weighing as much as .

References

Sources

* {{authority control Ethnic groups in the Democratic Republic of the Congo Tshopo