Burke students meet with counterparts in Democratic Republic of Congo

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Burke High School students recently met virtually with their counterparts from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).

The DRC is an equatorial country in Africa. It is ecologically, culturally, and linguistically diverse, with each of the estimated 450 different ethnic groups speaking a different dialect in addition to the country’s national language, French.

The country has a dark history. It was turned into a rubber-mining colony by the Belgians, who used violent and inhumane methods to force the native population into labor. The Congolese were also exploited by Americans, who brought large portions of the population over as slaves.

According to the Charleston County School District (CCSD), “it is estimated that about 60% of African-Americans in South Carolina can trace their lineage back to this region of Africa.”

The meeting provided an opportunity for the students to learn more about Congolese culture and share aspects of American culture with students in the DRC. The students discussed “what it means to be American and Black and what it means to be a Congolese youth.”

Alexis Marianiello teaches AP Human Georgraphy at Burke. She said that after the meeting, “many Burke students have seen a renewed interest in their African heritage, and a burgeoning interest in Congolese music and other cultural markers.”