History of Bunkeya
Matongo gamwa Mwenda Mushiri gali ganga?
Gekusolozibw’oti: Lutipuka, Kisungu, Lwambo (Matembe), Lwambo (Mushikila, Kitumba), Kikumi, Kisanga, Mulungwishi, Kalabi, Kyama, Kishimunda…Lero Makaya Nakuru gali tuhu Lutipuka, Kisungu, Lwambo (Matembe), Lwambo (Mushikila) ne Mulungwishi. Omwa mu Kalavi, Kyama, etc., nge bali bazengiremo bagoli, banangwa, ne bandeba bandi bona.
Nko ashyali mu Mulungwishi, Mwenda-Mushiri alabon’oko bantu kone mitugo ne masabo vyamudahira, lero ndimiro ilaboneka mfunde mnone. Ku muhayo ogwane, alatahya bantu bazye balakoba nsi ya kubera kwombekayo lugali lwa kuzengamo bantu bingi, ne shibanza shya kupana migunda zyamwe ne zye bantu bamwe bona. Mu abo batumwa, alimo munampara umwi izina lyamwe Kitenge, ali Kaonde, muhizi mukuru we ndimu. Nge wa mbele kumuswera Namizi nina umwa Mwami Mwenda Kitanika. Munampara oya mu kuzya alasokola, ali mu kushingizya monga gwe Bunkeya kuhemwa aladulira ne mu Kimpata, alalingula Bwato-bongo ne ku mweri kw’ikalongo elyono lyali bupindirirwe ne ngulu nahe nsi nsonga mnone ha kubera kuzenga ne kulima.
Habere aho, alazya kuholeshya Mwami bufumbuzi bwamwe. Mwami alatuma bantu bandi bamuherekezye Kitenge mu Bunkeya, bibonerezye ne bakomenkezye nenza magambo gamwe. Mu abo Bayeke, Munampara Kayegere atalabulamo, ne kuba ali mulamu umwa Kitenge ne magendarwa wamwe.
Lungendo lwa kuzya Bunkeya lulahikira, Mwami Mwenda Mushiri alabuka ne migana zyamwe zyona.
Eyo mbele ya kwombeka kaya kamwe, Mushiri alabwirwa oti shalo eshya shili ne mwene-kili, mwami Kapungwe. Lero alayagire, Bana ne bihwa bamwe bali mu ntongano, bekukoba bwatana shalo; nahe alimo mulinda-shipembwe umwa Ntondo, nge kyuba-mata mu Katolo (Lisubwe), awe nge ali wa misambwa ne kuba alabushirwe ne ku luganda lumwa Kapungwe.
Mwami alalagira bazye kumusungana Kyuba-Mata rize ashintige shishintige shye misambwa yabo (Muyombo) omwane mu Kimpata, nge lilaba lihanga limwa Mugoli Kapapa. Kandi Mwami alabona angu bagoli bamwe bakuru, ne kusoga kubatula ntamo-ntamo. Alombeka Ihozyo ha Munema nge mwa Kamfwa, ne shigeme shyali mvubano ne Munema, nge ali Mugoli Kamama. Ha numa olo Malemo ga mu Buluba galadinzya bantu mu Bunkeya, Mwenda alombeka l’ihanga lihyahya mu Nkulu.
Shilab’oti kusemwa ne Kaleba kona kalokara bantu. Mu Nkulu nge alikala Mugoli Mahanga Ntalashya alatula muzengo gwamwe mu Kankofu, Ikuku Kabebe mu Shyerekezyo, ne Bunkeya ilakumuka.
Hihi ne kufwa kwe Mwami Mwenda-Mushiri, bulabaho bukome bukuru mu Busanga ng’oko kufwa kwe muhinda-kazya Masengo mwene Kyawama, oyone alitwa ne Malolela, mwiru umwa Mutoni Kasanda. Lufu olwa bulaleta mitabanyo mno mu Bunkeya, ne kuba bakome bizanga bufuku kuhemba ma numba mu kaya. Mukubon’oti, bantu bingi balamara bwiruka, mno mno biru Basanga, Balamba, Baushi, Baluba, Bambundu, Balunda, etc.
Mwenda-Mushiri mu kwitwa ne bazungu, balamwomerezya Mwami Mwenda Mukanda- Bantu kusamira mu Lukafu ne bantu bamwe bonane, ng’eyo alombeka Litupishya Balenzi. Mukanda-Bantu ne Bayeke bamwe balamarizya bukome mu shalo; balapigana be bakome banansi: ba Mutwali, Kidimina, Kasangula, Mwanshya, Mulowa-Nyama, Mwenda-Mukose, Kalera, Mukana, Kazembe wa Lwalaba, Nsimba, Chiwala, Batetela kone bandi…Mw’itupishya baladiramo myaka ikumi ne munane. Basungu balasuba kubatahya mu kaya kabo ke LUBEMBE-NOKO nolo BUNKEYA, aho mwami ali mu ngagamulwa ne kufwa. Alafwa mu mwaka gwe shihumbi ne magana shyenda n’ikumi (1910).
Ty’oti mu kupuna mw’itupishya, bantu bingi balatogwa kwikara ne bazungu mu Lukafu, balazya n’abo ne ku Lubumbashi mu kalukuluku; bandi mu Kambove. Mwami Mwenda-Kitanika ha kwingira mu shyopo shye mukuruye (1910-1940), bantu bali bugebuke (bake); nahe buguduli bwamwe bulamuha busoboke bwa kwombeka likaya likuru ne kubera. Shya mbele alatangula kwola misululu zye manumba kulengamo ne migombero migololoke; ne ti oko alapamya vipani vyona vye kale hamwine; Bana-Kimpata (Kapapa), Munema (Kamfwa, Kamama), Kaleba (Mushyota), Nkulu (Mahanga), Ntalashya, Mukonki ne Makobeko, ne bandi bona, Bunkeya ilaba kandi ne bukumuke kati okulyane.
Twekubera kusungira bami bitu ba Bayeke, mu kuba ku myaka ku myaka batekuleka kongezya bugazi bwe kaya kitu. Mu myaka ye Mwami Musamfya Ntanga myangalo ye minzi yilapunguka, ne kuba Bazungu balomvwa kusaba kwamwe: twanvwanga minzi ge ku mipompi kufika ne ku bwamihe bwe mwana wamwe Mwami Luhinda Shalo.
Mwami Mubelezi Baudoin Ier n’awe alatuma nsabo ya kubasumira bantu malata, ne mwami witu alanguha kubagabulira malata abo bali ne mutindo gwa kwendula misango yabo.
Ku bwamihe bwe Mwami Shyombeka we Shalo, kaya kalakula mu mbali zyona: Kuzya ku Munema, Mwa Masuka, ne nzila ya kuzya mu Lunzala; kubusukuma Kaleba konane kaandalirwe ne manumba, mu kwezi n’amwe ty’oti. Mu Takania wera lugulu lwe Kalonga nge lwahangizye bantu kwombeka. Bwalero obwa ne lutiti lwe bantu bali mu Bunkeya. Lero minzi nge ashyabula ne kuba mipompi yona ilamazire kuboleseka ne Kandi bakura be mateka ge shalo balabira kukwashya makaya ge bami be shileka bakuru, mno mno ifwe Bayeke. Mu shilaguliro mutuhu nolo tuganga, abo bamamelu batuzire miso gabo koko ku nsabo; ku muhayo ogwa banakaya baba mu kusubira ku bafumu babo be nsangu ne ngoma, kati ha kale!
Vilibwa wera vitali vya kukova mwa Mwenda: muhindi, bushiga, bukonza, makavu, mupoko (malibwa), mayota etc…
Ni kuli, Bunkeya yitu yabere tye Yeresulema.
History of Bunkeya
How many villages did the Mwami Msiri live in?
There are several villages in which the Mwami Mwenda Msiri lived. We count the following: Litupika, Kisungu, Lwambo (Matembe), Lwambo (Mushikila or Kitumba), Kikuni, Kisanga, Mulungwishi, Kalabi, Kyama, and Kishimunda. Among them the larger ones were Litupika, Kisungu, Lwambo (Matembe), Lwambo (Mushikila), and Mulungwishi. At the time, his wives, princes, and vassals stayed in Kalabi and Kyama.
While in Mulungwishi, Mwenda Mushidi saw that the growth of his population, as well as the need for water, or even his wealth could not be sustained. Land availability was also limited, especially as it applied to agriculture. As a result, he summoned several scouts to go find some suitable land on which a large village could be built, and agriculture would not be restricted. Among the explorers there was one man, a Kaonde by the name of Kitenge, a great hunter (he initially had married Namizi, future mother of King Kitanika Mabumba, but was since divorced). This man, Kitenge, while on this quest, found himself walking along the Bunkeya, a stream, which led him to Kimpata, Bwatobongo, a rich and fertile plain, suitable for a large settlement and agriculture.
Immediately, he returned to the Mwami to tell him of his marvelous findings. The king sent out other scouts who would accompany Kitenge in order to corroborate his discovery. Among these Yeke scouts were the Munampala (nobleman) Kayegere, who was also Kitenge’s pal and brother-in-law. He would not have missed this expedition for nothing in the world. Finally as he was happy with what he saw, the Mwami decided to move to Bunkeya with his entire family and all of his belongings.
Prior to beginning construction on the new site, Msiri was told that this land had a rightful owner in king Kapungwe, who was deceased. However his children and nephews who were feuding at the time, decided to divide the land. On the one hand was Mumba-Ilunga of Ntondo and on the other was Kawanga Kyuba-Mata, who was living in Katalo (Limbwe); he was the rightful heir, and descendant of Kapungwe. Mwenda Mushidi requested that they bring Kyuba-Mata forth, so that they could finalize the land agreements (kusumpa muyombo). This meeting took place in the Kimpata, specifically in the neighborhood that would subsequently be under the aegis of Queen Kapapa.
Months after he had settled in Bunkeya, the Mwami began to notice some tension between his main queens, and decided to place them into different quarters, which would be under their control. He oversaw the construction of a smaller village in Munema, where Queen Kamfwa was staying, and right next to Munema, he built another smaller village for Queen Kamama.
At the completion of the Baluba expeditions (wars), Mwenda ordered the construction of another village, which he called Nkulu. Very rapidly, the entire kaleba (a neighborhood not far from Nkulu) was filled with people. In Nkulu, Mwenda established Queen Mahanga and her court. Ntalashya, Mwenda’s cousin, built his village around the Kunkomvu; Dikuku Kabebe built his in Kyelekejyo. And Bunkeya at this point had grown to a considerable size.
Before the death of King Mwenda Mushidi, there were series of uprisings from the Basanga. The situation worsened after the demise of their matriarch (Inanfumu) named Masengo the daughter of Kyawama. Masengo was shot by Malolela, a guard of the Mutoni Kasanda, a Yeke. This death brought about a lot of tension in Bunkeya, as some disgruntled groups would come at night to set some houses ablaze. As a result, a lot of people took the opportunity to destabilize the kingdom, just as the Basanga had done. Among them, there were the Balamba, Baushi, Baluba, Bambundu, Balunda, and others.
Upon the killing of Mwenda Mushidi, the Europeans forced the Mwami Mwenda Mukanda-Bantu to move to Lukafu, along with all his subjects. There, he built the village of Litupishya-Balenzi. Mukanda-Bantu, with his Bayeke worked tirelessly to pacify the land. There were intestine wars and other skirmishes, which the Mwami along with his soldiers had to quell. These wars were fought against the following peoples: Mutwila, Kidimina, Kasangula, Mwanshya, Mulowa-Nyama, Mwenda-Mukose, Kalera, Mukana, Kazembe of Lwalaba, Nsimba, Kiwala, Batetela, among many. The Bayeke stayed in Litupishya for eighteen years, until the Europeans requested they relocate to Lubembe-Noko, Bunkeya. At this stage in his life, the Mwenda Mukanda-Bantu was gravely ill, and was nearing his death. He would die later in nineteen hundred and ten (1910).
Upon leaving the village of Litupishya, the situation was very precarious. A lot of people chose to be with the Europeans, as they saw that the power of the Mwenda was on the decline. Some resettled in the Lukafu, while others went to Lubumbashi, in the Kalukuluku, and some in Kambove.
After succeeding his older brother to the throne, Mwenda Kitanika initiated not only the enlargement of Bunkeya, but also its beautification, with the hope to accommodate a growing population. First, he set in motion the alignment of roads and houses, modernizing neighborhoods with new standards. He set out to reunite all of the old villages that were on the outskirts into one big city; he brought together the following villages: Kimpata (Kapapa), Munema (Kamfwa and Kamama), Kaleba (Mushota), Nkulu (Mahanga), Ntalashya, Mukonki and Makobeko, among others. At this point, Bunkeya had regained its size of yesteryear.
We should give our Yeke kings credit for all that they have done over the years in order to make our Bunkeya what it has become.
In the years of Mwami Musamfya Ntanga (1940-1956) potable water had become available. Upon his insistence, the Europeans (colonial powers) heeded his call and assisted Bunkeya with the installation of water pipes. This water convenience lasted all the way until his son Mwenda Luhinda Shalo succeeded him (1956-1976).
Baudoin the 1st of Belgium also sent some aid to Mwami Luhinda Shalo, which contributed to the installation of tin roofs in the village. The villagers, who could afford to contribute to the construction cost, saw their houses fitted with this new amenity.
When the Mwami Shyombeka We Shalo took over in 1976, Bunkeya grew tremendously. This expansion was visible in all corners: from the village of Munema, Masuka, Lunzala, the Baluba neighborhood, Kaleba, to other neighborhoods, Bunkeya was bustling with people and houses. In the neighborhoods of the Balamba, however, it was forbidden to build on the Kalonga Mountain. To this day, the population of Bunkeya has continued to grow. The only negative aspect of Bunkeya’s rapid growth has been the shortage of water due to a lack of infrastructural renovation and development, which has not kept up with demand. Also there is a lack of assistance to the Bwami from all the Bayeke. This is a limiting factor, in that it prevents the Bwami to realize some of its projects. Healthcare is also a problem, in that drugs are expensive, and often inaccessible to most villagers. As a result, many are resorting to traditional medicine for a cure that is often illusory.
However, credit should be given to the nurses, and the different missions that have been in Bunkeya since 1886, the year where Mwenda Mushidi allowed the Garenganze Evangelical Mission to settle in the village. These missions have assisted the population of Bunkeya on many issues, such as education, agronomy, and microcredits. Bunkeya boasts one of the best village-level boarding schools, an above average hospital, a Tuberculosis clinic for diagnosis and treatment, and some of the best social programs for women, children, and the elderly. There is an abundance of food in Bunkeya, maize, Cassava, sweet potatoes, legumes, peanuts, and others.
Truly Bunkeya is our Jerusalem.
BUNKEYA YERUSALEMA
| Twizile mu nsanganilo ye Bwami Bwe Bayeke
Bunkeya yiswe ye kale ishyali Ihyahya Nsiku zyayo shitambarike Hindi zili mbele baba, Bunkeya yabere tye Yerusalema
Refrain: Bunkeya kaya kiswe Nge luvuno lumwa Mwenda Ninga twenkileka myaka ni myaka Mukova bukwavi mu mashalo Twenkikaniga lyagya tukumbule Bunkeya yabere tye Yerusalema
Kaya aho bekulala Batonzi be mu Kadata Munema, bandi Kalonga Bingi Kaleba; Bekusherwa Kutulinga Ne kukwashya Bunkeya, mayo, Bunkeya yabere tye Yerusalema
Ninga twabere balobezi Tuli n’izina mu shalo Ifwe bana ba Bayeke Batumanite Mu nsunsu zyona zye bantu Twekusonterwa Bunkeya, yalole Bunkeya yabere tye Yerusalema. |
We have come in this gathering place of the Bayeke kingdom
Our old Bunkeya which is always new for us her glorious days lying still ahead of her, ô father, For Bunkeya has become like our Jerusalem
Chorus : Our village Bunkeya Is the actual Capital of Mwenda Though we may leaver her for years We can’t stop wondering about her For Bunkeya has become Similar to our Jerusalem
It is in this village where rest Those who preceded us in Kadata (Katanga) In Munema, others at Kalonga, (cemeteries) And many more in Kaleba; They have not stopped to watch over us And to protect Bunkeya, ô mother, For Bunkeya has become like our Jerusalem
Though we are lost children We have a great name in this country In fact, we the children of the Bayeke Are known by all from all parts Even in all of their conversations, People end up talking about Bunkeya and with reason For Bunkeya has become like our Jerusalem
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