There are two countries that carry the name Congo. – the Democratic Republic of the Congo and the Republic of the Congo (Congo-Brazzaville) They are next to each other and share a similar culinary tradition but a separate history. Kinshasa, the capital of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo, are the closest capitals in the world. They are separated by somewhere between one to three kilometres. A ferry between them takes ten minutes to actually cross the river (but with customs takes a bit longer). The relationship between the two has at times been tense but currently,the two are generally on good collaborative terms.
After the Virtual Nomad stop in DRC which was so impactful and devastating at times, this stop was interesting, but felt a bit in-between, and I am not sure why. The food was similar to the DRC, there was only one movie available and the three books were intriguing but not the best of the Virtual Nomad literature journey.
But first, as always, food.
Food: Five countries in one afternoon
When life gets incredibly busy and weeks are filled with final exams and end of year events, time slips through our fingers and there is less space for everything. We decided to organise a BIG Sunday afternoon for a few upcoming stops and celebrate Cabo Verde, Central African Republic, Chad, DRC and the Republic of Congo in one afternoon. This is not to say that these are similar countries or the same, it is just an opportunity to get people together for one big night and proceed on our Virtual Nomad path. Therefore this introduction will be the same for the five countries but each time the specific entry will focus on the country that the stop is about.
The African Afternoon gathers 30 people around th e table, a mix of seasoned Virtual Nomads and delightful newbies. Besides myself and my partner JK, we have my children A (11) and L (17), NA (18) and their lovely friend CC (17). Then on their 12th stop are AK, DK and their adult child AK (their other child MK usually comes along but today she is unfortunately sick). Other seasoned Nomads are dear friends JD, KD and their son KD (15), on their 7th stop. A 4th stop for L* and her daughter S*, our first friends in Australia. A 2nd stop for our resident Canadian CL (see the stop for Canada) and his beautiful family wife JJ and children EL (10) and SL (12). A Wonderful fellow European CB comes to her 2nd stop with her delightful daughters JB (11) and EB (8), bringing her husband CBB along (his first stop). And then we are lucky to have six great newbies – a joyous family of four KFFJ (including children aged 11 and 13) and a lovely couple ER that lives next door. And then of course my stepchild FK (15) and CH, Special Adviser to Virtual Nomad – she has been to over 140 countries and counting, and always joins in between her travels. A wonderful group of amazing people, and everyone brings a dish.
In this entry, I will only talk about the DRC and the Republic of Congo (RoC) food of our happy, hilarious, joyful, warm and inviting African Afternoon. Many of the food traditions are shared between DRC and RoC as they both sit along the Congo River and have Bantu and Central African cultural roots. Therefore the food entry for both will be the same.
Congo Poulet Moambe – Moambe chicken is particularly popular in both the Republic of Congo and the DRC to the point that it is considered a national dish in both countries (as well as in Angola). It is usually prepared in moambe (palm butter sauce) with spices such as red pepper. In the DRC it is often cooked with peanut butter and served with cassava paste (as we do). In the RoC the onion-based palm oil is mixed with tomatoes and onions with spices like chili and garlic. The sensational Moambe chicken prepared by JD looks wonderful and the Virtual Nomads report to the vegetarians in the group that it tastes amazing. JD’s recipe follows more the tomato-based, lighter version of RoC than the heavier, peanut-butter filled DRC version. Nevertheless, this amazing dish follows the culinary traditions of both countries. Poulet Moambe is a very common dish in the region, especially in areas where meat is more accessible. Where meat is scarce, it can be replaced by fish.
Okra is a very typical ingredient in both countries and commonly served in a stew. Okra is farmed in both DRC and RoC which makes it very available to be used in cooking. For the African Afternoon, I decide to prepare an okra stew in the Congolese way. For the stew, I chopped okras and cooked them together with onions, tomatoes and garlic. I did not use palm oil which is the most common strategy, but apart from that I followed the recipe as faithfully as possible. I cooked the ingredients in generous peanut butter which gave the dish a creamy, thick and lovely texture. This heavier version of the okra stew is most common in the Western part of DRC and in RoC; in the Eastern parts of DRC it is typically much lighter and cooked in coconut milk rather than peanut butter. The result was quite successful and yummy, and further established the sense that the peanut butter, like in other Western African dishes from previous stops, really gives the dish more flavour and texture. As okra is not a huge hit among the Virtual Nomads, this dish was highly enjoyed, which proves my point about peanut butter.
My daughter L (then still 17) and NA are in charge of preparing the Congolese beignets with mango sauce based on the dough that I have masterfully, at least I hope, prepared. The dough is a bit sticky and that makes the preparation difficult for our clever young people. Beignets are the most typical dessert in both countries. They are known as puff-puff in Western Africa and mikate in DRC and RoC. Dough balls prepared and deep fried in oil, usually served with mango sauce and mint leaves. The dough is a simple yeasted dough with flour, sugar, water, and optional milk. Our beignets were more flat than round, but the result was nevertheless well received.
Another dish that I prepared for this stop was the Kachumbari Salad. It is a typical Eastern African salad made of fresh tomatoes, onions, cilantro and chilli pepper, with lime juice and spices. It is more common in the Eastern parts of DRC where Swahili culture is strong. The DRC regions where Kachumbari Salad is a typical part of the kitchen are North Kivu Province (its capital Goma is a major site of internally displaced people and in 2025 is under the control of the March 23 paramilitary group), South Kivu Province (its capital Bukavu is also under the control of M23 in 2025) and Tshopo Province (its capital Kisangani is the country’s most important inland port after Kinshasa). The Kachumbari salad has a very refreshing taste and accompanies some of the heavier dishes of our African Afternoon. It is less typical of RoC and therefore not included in its country stop.
Plantains have a similar function in a Congolese kitchen (regarding both countries) as potatoes, maize or rice have in other countries. They are rich in fiber, potassium and carbohydrates. Makemba (fried plantains) is the most common form. Plantains have a similar texture to yuca, which we have tried in other Virtual Nomad stops. Fried plantains are often served as a side dish, just as they are for our gathering. AK is in charge of this dish and she brings a frier with her and prepares them in the front yard. She also uses a pepper sauce recipe for the plantains. She doubled it and used olive oil and jar chilli instead of canola and scotch bonnet chillies. She says it is because she had them and is of the opinion that canola is bad. The plantains were frozen and deep fried in peanut oil without any coating or anything extra. And they were delicious!
CH brings Palm Wine – fermented low alcohol drink collected / tapped from trees such as raffia palm and oil palm. Raffia palm usually grows in swampy areas, whereas oil palm is spread around both countries. In DRC and RoC, Palm Wine is collected through tapping, or cutting the trunk and is usually consumed fresh, most commonly the same day it has been tapped. This is not of course the case of our Palm Wine which is a more preserved product, but it still has a clear distinctive sweet taste. It has low alcohol content and it doesn’t taste very different from coconut water. Palm wine has an important role in the social and cultural life in both countries.
Many forms of governance
The Republic of the Congo (RoC) and the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC, see previous Virtual Nomad stop) share many common historical roots. Both were inhabited by the Pygmees before the arrival of the Bantu people. The Portuguese arrived and traded with the powerful Kingdom of Kongo. And the RoC has gone from a kingdom to a colony to a marxist state to a dictatorship to a nominal democracy that is really not very democratic. And this with oil and wealth that has not truly been distributed even if the country has a higher standard of living than many of its neighbours.
The first people to inhabit the banks of the Congo River were the Pygmies. Then the taller Bantu people arrived, as we have seen in other countries of the region. The Bantu had kingdoms that came and went. The powerful Kingdom of Kongo, (that existed from c.1390 until a much weaker version in 1914) was ‘discovered’ by the Portuguese in 1483. As in other parts of Africa, the arrival of Europeans changed the course of history. Local kings, such as the the rulers of the Kingdom of Kongo, were involved in slave trade and in exchange received European luxuries, including guns and other firearms.
Where the RoC history differs from DRC is that while DRC was under Belgian rule, what nowadays is the Republic of the Congo was colonised by France and joined the French Equatorial Africa in the late 19th century. In 1958, the Republic of the Congo was established and in 1960 it gained independence from France. In 1969 it was named the People’s Republic of the Congo (until 1992) as it was a Marxist-Leninist state. The President from 1979 to 1992 was Denis Sassou Nguesso, who became president again in 1997 (after the Civil War 1997-98) until today. His regime has been accused of corruption and abuse of power. His defenders say he has brought stability to a country in a very volatile region, and critics say he and his family use state funds for personal gain, poverty rates stay high despite oil revenues, there is lack of transparent and fair elections, and abundant violations of human rights. His daughter married the President of Gabon (who had over 30 children with several women) tying the two countries close to each other. The family has had several scandals which make an engaging read to say the least.
The capital of RoC is Brazzaville, named after an Italian-born French explorer Pierre Savorgnan de Brazza, described as a “peaceful explorer” compared to others of the era but nevertheless a colonist. He was working for France and negotiated a treaty with King Makoko to place the area under French protection. The French outpost was placed by the Congo River directly opposite what would become Leopoldville (today Kinshasa).
Three books from Sony, Emmanuel and Alain
While the cinematographic offer is very limited, there is a great variety of books and authors, some of them very famous. Probably the most globally recognised authors from the RoC include Sony Lab’ou Tansi, Emmanuel Dongala and Alain Mabanckou. I decide to read one book from each.
Sony Lab’ou Tansi is considered to be one of the greatest African authors. He was born in the ‘Belgian Congo’ (present DRC) where his father was from. He moved to Congo-Brazzaville, where his mother was from, at an early age. He was politically active and part of the opposition movement. He died of AIDS in 1995 at the age of 37, after he was denied a passport for political reasons, therefore limiting his access to medical care. He is known for his books and plays, and for founding the Rocadu Zulu Theatre Company.
Sony’s books The African Saga (1994) and La Vie et Demie (Life and a Half, ) are considered classics of African postcolonial literature. The one accessible for me is La Vie et Demie, and only in French. It is also said to be one of the 100 best African books by the Leiden African Studies Centre (but this for me is an uneven merit as O testamento do Sr. Nepomuceno da Silva Araújo that I read for Cape Verde, and absolutely hated, is on that list).
Anyway, back to this book. It has been said to be one of the monumental books so my expectations are high, and they do not fully fulfill. It is a complex, heavy and at times grotesque book. It is satirical, cynical, confusing, very very violent (especially the beginning). It is set in a fictional African country that may or may not resemble Congo, ruled by a dictator called “the Providential Guide”. The heroes of the story are Chaidana (forced to marry the dictator) and the spirit of her martyr father. It is heavy with magical realism and not always for the better. But in general I did find it an interesting, maybe not captivating, tale of power, corruption, cruelty, resistance and survival.
Johnny Mad Dog by Emmanuel Dongala (2002) is famous for its movie adaptation (by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire, 2008). The movie itself was set in Liberia and used first-time actors, some of whom were former child soldiers. I saw the film years ago and it left a strong impression. I did know at the time that it was based on a book, but it was a surprise that I was familiar with the story.
The book has two protagonists, a 16-year old vicious child soldier Johnny Mad Dog and a 16-year old Laokole who is part of the targeted civilian population. It is fascinating at first and then loses steam towards the end. The stories of both are first interpolating and then come closer together. I might need to watch the film again to see whether it is still as impactful as it was all those years ago because the book does not rise to the same level of impact. It starts strong and the contrast between the two characters is striking. It becomes less powerful towards the end and drags a bit, but nevertheless, there are very powerful, disturbing and devastating images transmitted through the text. It is still quite a fascinating read even if, as said, it becomes less compelling.
Emmanuel himself has a very interesting life story. He is a chemist, specialised in stereochemistry, environmental toxicology and asymmetric synthesis. He was born in Brazzaville and studied in the US and France before returning to teach polymeric chemistry in Brazzaville. He combined his scientific career with art, founding a theatre group and writing. He had to leave RoC with his family during the Civil War 1997-98 and has lived in the US ever since, still combining science and the arts.
My last book for RoC comes from Alain Mabanckou, probably the most prolific Congolese author, nicknamed ‘the African Samuel Beckett’. He was born in Congo-Brazzaville and spent his childhood in a coastal town of Point-Noire in which Black Moses (2015) is situated. He lives in the US but is a French citizen and one of the most known French speaking African authors, and has won so many awards that I lost count of them.
The original name in French of Black Moses is Petit Piment (“Little Pepper”) and it is not the most acclaimed of Alain’s novels (but the one I found at the local library). He is best known for Verre cassé (Broken Glass, 2005) and Memoires de porc-épic (Memoirs of a Porcupine, 2006). I have both on my ‘to read in the future’ reading list because Black Moses did not completely achieve what I was expecting from it. It follows an orphan Moses, nicknamed ‘Little Pepper’ but with a very long and quite funny name given to him by one of his favourite adults. The first part (100 pages) of the book happens in a catholic orphanage in Pointe-Noire and it is the best part. It is clever, delicious, satirical, ironic and has a very good rhythm. It reflects political corruption, human decadence, solidarity and survival in a sharp way. When Moses leaves the orphanage and lives in Pointe-Noire the book becomes rushed and not completely thought through, and then a bit absurd when Moses has an emotional reaction that leads to a situation that feels a bit like lazy writing and a completely different story that just does not serve the whole well. The story does not come together again until the very last page, with a small clever scene. I was glad that I read the last page because it gave me some sense of satisfaction after a frustrating read of the last part of the book.
Only one movie
The Republic of Congo has a very small film industry with a long time between films. There have been a few pioneers including Sébastien Kamba who directed the first fiction film in 1964, called Le Peuple du Congo–Léo vaincra. Another important director was a France-educated Jean-Michel Tchissoukou, whose film M’Pongo (1982) is the one I set to find. What is really interesting about Jean-Michel is that he was assistant to Sarah Maldoror on Sambizanga (1972) that I watched for the Angola stop of Virtual Nomad.
I do not have access to a film I really wanted to see, Journey to Ouaga (2001) by Congolese director Camille Mouyéké. So, in the end I am lucky to find Jean-Michel’s films.
M’Pongo / Les Lutteurs (English title the Wrestlers) by Jean-Michel Tchissoukou (1982) is an interesting movie with strong intentions and uneven results. The central theme is built around a traditional Congolese form of wrestling, M’Pongo. M’Pongo was practiced in the Republic of Congo above all between 1930 and 1960 (the film itself is also situated in this timeline). It is a form of non-violent resistance-wrestling in which the intention is to flip the opponent into the ground. It is different from the other forms of wrestling practiced in both RoC and DCR; Voodoo Wrestling, Libanda and Kipura. In the film, the locations are beautiful and the insight into an old tradition is interesting. Wrestling is used as a symbolism between a generational divide and the tensions between the traditional and the modern/colonial, and as an expression of identity. It is an interesting film for what it intends to portray even if the plot is thin and the characters lack depth.
Next stop: the Cook Islands
Thank you L for your proof reading!