Kamba Cua is a group among the two subtribes of the Kenyan Akamba people living in Paraguay today. The little-known tribes have called South America home for almost 200 years now. The other subtribe is the Kamba Kokue.
Their Kenyan tribesmen live today in the areas from Nairobi to Tsavo. They speak Kikamba, Swahili and English language. In the mid-18th century, some of the Akamba tribesmen migrated to various parts of the country.
The migration is said by Business Daily Africa that, it was a result of "extensive drought and lack of pasture for their cattle". Today, various groups of the Akamba can also be found on the Kenyan coast - Kwale, Mombasa going as far as Tanzania. They were originally long-distance traders. They are also good wood carvers, baskets and pottery makers.
A lady and man of the Kamba Cua tribe |
How did the Kamba Cua find their way into Paraguay?
The Kamba Cua people lived and practiced their African cultures in Paraguay freely until General Higinio Morinigi came to power in 1940. His regime sought to whitewash and disfranchise the Afropopulation of Paraguay. The Kamba Cua were stripped of their land and a new policy was adopted that highly encouraged interracial marriages.
Kamba Cua dancers. |
The Kamba Cua have preserved their African culture amidst all the challenges and a lengthy time of 200 years, something to applaud them for. They are using dances and some other cultural practices to sensitize the world to their plight. They are advocating for equal economic and social rights as they preserve their African identity.
The Akamba people of Kenya. |
The dances and drums that the Kamba Cua use to perform are similar to the Kenyan Akamba tribe. The dancers also wear yellow costumes. The dances resemble Ndelekeni, Mbenio, Ngulumange, and Kilumi. At the forefront of the cultural movement are the Ballet Kamba Cua dance group led by Lazaro Medina.
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