Kin La Belle�� Pascal Maitre

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre

Kinshasa, a city of 10 million people known as extraordinary ethnic mix of the city which ravaged by civil war. While I was walking along Leopoldville during the colonial era after King draws in people from across one of Africa's a road, I met a boy who was poor, hungry and Leopold II of the Belgians, stretches along the largest countries and further afield. Often, the was wearing ragged clothes. Yet he had used eastern banks of the Congo river for miles. The waves of people converging on the capital, his imagination to preserve his dignity by seemingly endless sprawl of the low rise city fleeing violence and poverty in other parts of painting his shoes." The ethos of this where most Kinois, as residents of Kinshasa the country settle in ethnic groups in Kinshasa story, according to Pascal, could be applied to are known, live resembles a checkerboard of and bring with them the traditions, ceremonies most Kinois. Pascal Maitre huge road grids, tightly packed with rusty and songs of their regions. Rituals are passed roofs, grey walls, black earth, mud and the odd from one generation to the next and thus streak of green. The city is melting pot of preserved for the future. An elder in one of incessant chaos and activity, overflowing with Kinshasa's communities told Pascal that energy and maddeningly unregulated. More "if these ceremonies are still practiced than 85% of the population works in the it's mainly to please the ancestors and ask for informal sector and everyone who wants to their protection. We always try to have survive in this maelstrom has to be an representations of beauty. In the villages we entrepreneur, wheeling and dealing to make a always entrust the most talented sculptor with dollar or two to live another day. This daily making statues and masks whose beauty struggle leads to an inherent sense of creativity hopefully delights our ancestors." Many that is also reflected in the arts. Kinshasa has Western artists such as Picasso, Derain, given Africa some of its greatest artists. The Matisse and Modigliani have drawn extensively painters ChÃ©ri Samba and ChÃ©ri Cherin, on African masks and statues in the formation the sculptor Freddy Tsimba, the sculptor and of their own aesthetic. When the famous model maker Bodys Isek Kingelez and the Swedish writer Henning Mankell addressed the legendary musician Papa Wemba. These assembled dignitaries at the 2013 Davos World artists draw their inspiration from the daily life Economic Forum he told a story from his and the people of Kinshasa and the travels. "In the 1980s Mozambique was panos pictures

Unit K, Reliance Wharf t +44 [0]20 3322 8382 Hertford Road e [email protected] London N1 5EW w www.panos.co.uk 'Sapeurs', the French acronym for the Societe des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elegantes (the Society of Tastemakers and Elegant People), from the 'Leopards du Congo' Sapeurs group in the Matonge neighbourhood. They wear second-hand clothes by leading designers (e.g. Yamamoto, Dolce & Gabbana, and Paul Smith). La Sape fashion statement first appeared in the late 1970s as a reaction to the 'authenticity' advocated by Mobutu who banned western-style clothing. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00832DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk A group of 'Sapeurs', the French acronym for the Societe des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elegantes, the Society of Tastemakers and Elegant People, in a bar at night. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00869DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk A 'Sapeur', the French acronym for the Societe des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elegantes (the Society of Tastemakers and Elegant People). Members of the 'Leopards du Congo' Sapeurs group in the Matonge neighbourhood. They wear second-hand clothes by leading designers (e.g. Yamamoto, Dolce & Gabbana, and Paul Smith). La Sape fashion statement first appeared in the late 1970s as a reaction to the 'authenticity' advocated by Mobutu who banned western-style clothing. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00663DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk 'Avenue du 30 Juin' in 'La Gombe' district, where once only Europeans could live and until 1958, at 6.00 pm, a horn was sounded giving the signal for all Africans to leave. To the left is the Sozacom building. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00814DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Artist Bodo and his sons who are all painters and share the same studio. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00888DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk A man holds an oil lamp to light the canvas as artist Cheri Cherin paints. © Pascal Maitre Date: Ref:PMR00136DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Painter and 'Sapeur' (the French acronym for the Societe des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elegantes) the Society of Tastemakers and Elegant People, ChÃ©ri Samba at work in his studio with one of his paintings, 'La grosses d'un vigil infant', a compentary on the post-colonial experience, behind him. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00849DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Painter ChÃ©ri Samba and 'Sapeur' (the French acronym for the Societe des Ambianceurs et des Personnes Elegantes) the Society of Tastemakers and Elegant People. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00671DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Budiongo, Benj Kinenga and Ange Swana young artists, painting outside at an artist's community. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00867DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk A group of artist Freddy Tsimba's statues made from spoons. He says he finds his inspiration in the suffering experienced by many communities in his country. An advocate for disarmament, much of his art is fashioned from the remnants of weapons but he also likes to use old cutlery: ''There are lots of spoons in Kinshasa, but not much to put on them'', he says. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00891DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Bienvenu Nanga working in the courtyard of his home as his sister cooks food in the open air kitchen. Nanga makes imaginary works, like robots, with recycled materials. He has had exhibitions in Kinshasa and also in Belgium and Holland. He says he likes to make robots because they represent the strongest power. ''I find my inspiration in daily life''. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00822DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk A model of a robot made by artist, Bienvenu Nanga, in the courtyard of his home. Nanga makes imaginary works, like robots, with recycled materials. He has had exhibitions in Kinshasa and also in Belgium and Holland. He says he likes to make robots because they represent the strongest power. ''I find my inspiration in daily life''. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00828DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Artist Bodys Isek Kingelez, creates scale-model architectural designs of invented cities using paper and card and other found materials. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00674DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Pain Victoire, an industrial bakery and the largest bakery in Kinshasa, which is under Lebanese management. There is a large Lebanese community in the city. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00680DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Rachel Mwanza, talks to homeless friends on the streets where they once all lived together. Mwanza, also known as 'the miracle of Congo', has returned on a visit but has escaped the absolute poverty of the streets after the former street child became the main actor in the movie 'Rebel', directed by the Canadian Kim Nguyen, in which she played the role of a child soldier. She was awarded the Silver Bear at the Berlin film festival and the film was nominated for an Oscar in 2013. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00813DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Wresters, Six Colours (left) and Nengu Nengu (right), perform a ritual, with fetishes, that they hope will give them the power to win their upcoming contests. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00860DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk A wrestler performs a drop kick during practice. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00881DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Texas Mwimba, former wrestling champion and activist for albino people. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00883DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk The audience at a meeting, organised by albino wrestler Texas Mwimba, to disscuss the medical and social problems faced by albinos. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00856DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk The Ngaba junction , one of the busiest intersections in the capital, now a sprawling and anarchic city with a population of more than 10 million. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00682DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Members of the congregation, at the church of Mother Olangi, which has 25,000 people attending its services each Sunday. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00885DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Gaby, one of the tens of thousands of street children in Kinshasa, undergoing an exorcism at the Church of the Holy Spirit for the Salvation of the World, and is petrified. Like so many others, his family claimed that he was a witch and threw him out, making one less mouth to feed. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00673DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Members of Orchestra Handy Folk International reherse in the Ndjili (N'Djili) area of the capital. They were formed when a group of disabled people decided to create a group and try to make a living from music rather than begging. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00873DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Eddy Mboyo, drummer and director of the music group 'La Sanza.' Eddy created the 'Champerem' (Chamber percusion Eddy Mboyo), a percusion set made with recovered products, such as a fan, a pot lid etc. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00843DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Popular music star Werrason, and his dancers, perform in the Maluku district. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00817DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Violinist Danielo Kibatondo, who plays in one of the two Kimbanguist symphony orchestras in Kinshasa, rehearsing at his home in the neighbourhood of Ngiri-Ngiri. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00678DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Albert Matuban Nlandu, a member of the Kimbanguist Church Symphony Orchestra, in his yard in the neighbourhood of Yolo, where he makes violins and cellos by copying other instruments. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00679DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk As a woman breastfeeds a child beside him, cellist Danielo Kibatondo, who plays in one of the two Kimbanguist symphony orchestras in Kinshasa, rehearses at his home in the neighbourhood of Ngiri-Ngiri. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00824DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk An bassoonist takes a break from practice to make a phone call. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00821DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Children, from the Yaka tribe who have migrated to the capital from Bandundu province, performing a traditional ceremony that they have brought with them and seek to keep alive in the capital. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00846DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk A wrestler, after soccer (football) wrestling is the most popular sport in Kinshasa, prepares for training by burning candles, part of a ritual to help make a connection with the spirits of his ancestors. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00669DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk In the Masina district of Kinshasa, children of the Yaka ethnic group, from Bandundu province, dance. With the difficulties created by the country's ongoing conflicts, many people from different regions of the DRC have flocked to the capital. They have brought their traditions with them to be kept alive in the capital. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00662DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk A woman dances to the music of the tradi-modern orchestra TG Basokin in the Matonge district 'La porte Rouge'. They are from the Songye ethnic group from KasÃ¯. With the difficulties created by the country's ongoing conflicts, many people from different regions of the DRC have flocked to the capital. They have brought their traditions with them to be kept alive in the capital. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00878DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Women from the BoBongo Iyaya (Mongo ethnic group, Tomba tribe, migrants from Ã‰quateur Province) with red kaolin spread over their bodies to symbolise strength and energy. With the difficulties created by the country's ongoing conflicts, many people from different regions of the DRC have flocked to the capital. They have brought their traditions with them to be kept alive in the capital. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00853DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk In Mongafula neighbourhood, pygmies from Bikoro (Ã‰quateur Province) maintain their traditions in order that the younger generation does not forget their roots and to make sure that their ancestors continue to protect them. With the difficulties created by the country's ongoing conflicts, many people from different regions of the DRC have flocked to the capital. They have brought their traditions with them to be kept alive in the capital. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00667DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Kpou Ambitiri, a traditional group made up of migrants fleeing war and other problems in Orientale Province, and including 'Lokele' members, fishing communities from the banks of the Congo River, and 'Topoke' members, warriors, hunters and farmers. Together they carry on their ethnic traditions in the capital. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00836DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Mbuji Kipawano, with members from the Luba and Hemba ethnic groups (from Katanga Province). Three times a week, they conduct ceremonies celebrating their ancestral traditions which they hand onto the younger generation originally from their province but now living in Kinshasa. Their adornment is mainly kaolin clay; the white symbolizes harmony, peace and bonds between tribes. With the difficulties created by the country's ongoing conflicts, many people from different regions of the DRC have flocked to the capital. They have brought their traditions with them to be kept alive in the capital. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00668DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk People watching children, from the Yaka tribe who have migrated to the capital from Bandundu province, performing a traditional ceremony in the neighborhood of Massina, dubbed the 'People's Republic of China', because of the overcrowding. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00847DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Stadium Tata Raphael. Formerly Mai 20 stadium. The venue for the 1974 'Rumble in the Jungle' the historic boxing event between Mohamed Ali and George Foreman. Now the Judex women's boxing team train in what was Ali's dressing room. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00676DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk The 'Tata Raphael Stadium', previously the 'May 20 Stadium', where the 1974 'Rumble in the Jungle', the historic boxing bout between Mohamed Ali and George Foreman, took place. Now the Judex women's boxing team train in what was Ali's dressing room. © Pascal Maitre/Panos Pictures Date: Ref:PMR00830DRC

Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk Kin la Belle Pascal Maitre www.panos.co.uk