Mulenge

Mulenge is a village encircled by hills in the Bafuliiru Chiefdom, located in the Uvira Territory of South Kivu Province, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). It is situated on the high plateaus of the Itombwe massif, overlooking the locality of Uvira. The area has conventionally been inhabited by various ethnic groups, including the remnants of the autochthonous population of African Pygmies, as well as Bantu ethnic groups such as the Mbuti, Fuliiru, and Nyindu. The region boasts high agricultural productivity, with two harvests typically achievable each year. Principal food crops include bananas, sweet potatoes, cassava, maize, rice, sorghum, beans, soybean and tomato. The appellation "Mulenge" traces its origins to the Fuliiru dialect, which is spoken by the Fuliiru community who relocated to Uvira from Lwindi, a region situated near the Ulindi River in the rugged hinterlands of the Mwenga Territory, during the seventeenth century. The Fuliiru people, who were renowned for their distinct cultural practices and beliefs, settled in the area and established their sedentary way of life. The name is said to have originally referred to a particular species of tree found in the area, which the Fuliiru people used for various purposes. Over time, the name eventually became associated with the region itself and is still used today. The first known reference to the name Mulenge dates back to the 19th century, during the Belgian colonial era in the area. The region was formally designated as "Poste de Mulenge" or "Umulenge," a moniker that alluded to its dual purpose as a postal station and telecommunications hub. In certain localities, the name also referred to the verdant hills where the indigenous Fuliiru people and Mbuti communities resided. During his travels through Uvira, Frédéric Hautmann, a Belgian ethnologist, explorer, and linguist, had the occasion to accompany a group of Fuliiru agriculturalists on a trek through the area. As they made their way along the rugged mountain paths, Hautmann caught sight of a small hamlet nestled in a valley, surrounded by towering peaks.