Katanga is a province of the African country of The Democratic Republic of the Congo. Katanga is home to the vibrant Garanganze people. The English spelling is Garanganze, the French spelling of the Garanganze people is 'Garengaze'. Katanga is a southern province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Between 1971 and 1997, its official name was Shaba Province. Its regional capital is Lubumbashi (formerly Elisabethville in French, Elisabethstad in Dutch). Its area is 518,000 km² (larger than California and 16 times larger than Belgium, its former colonial ruler). Katanga has a population of about 4.1 million. Farming and ranching are carried out on the Katanga Plateau. The eastern part of the province is a rich mining region, which supplies cobalt, copper, tin, radium, uranium, and diamonds. The capital city, Lubumbashi, is the second largest city in the Congo.

In October of 2009 an official mandate from Sa Majeste´ Mwenda-Bantu Munongo Godefroid Mwami was extended to Cultural Anthropologist Julian Monroe Fisher FRGS FI'00. The initial aim of that mandate to Fisher was to locate and ultimately return artefacts belonging to the late Katanga King Msiri to the royal family of Katanga, artefacts that are believed to be located in museums and private collections across Europe. That mandate has now evolved into The Bunkeya Cultural Village (BCV).

The village of Bunkeya is located some two hundred and fifty kilometres north from the DR Congo city of Lubumbashi. Lubumbashi is an exciting African city that offers many of the conveniences of most major cities on the African continent to include safe and affordable lodging, fine dining, quality healthcare and adequate transportation. Located in the highlands of Katanga, the village of Bunkeya experiences tropical temperatures with a distinct dry season and rain season. The village of Bunkeya provides an increasingly rare opportunity for the international community to experience the sheer beauty of untouched Africa and her peoples.

During his personal audience with Sa Majeste´ Mwenda-Bantu Munongo Godefroid Mwami in July 2009 while visiting Bunkeya on his 'Journey To Katanga - An Expedition Into The Past - The 2009 Congo Expedition to Katanga', Julian Monroe Fisher presented his concept to the Mwami for The Bunkeya Cultural Village (BCV). Amongst the objectives for The Bunkeya Cultural Village (BCV), the initiative aims to enlighten the world to the Garanganze people and to the natural beauty of the region of Katanga while providing the indigenous people cultural and economical sustainability for future generations. Additionally the aim of the project is inform the world to the reality that there is far more to the African continent, to The Democratic Republic of the Congo and to Katanga than the corruption, famine, poverty, chronic disease and endless warfare reported by the international media. Although these social issues are challenges facing Africans, they are equally issues facing you and I.

Today the initiative is fully supported by His Majesty Mwenda-Bantu Munongo Godefroid Mwami des Bayeke et du Garengaze President National de I’ANATC et Senateur, the Royal Family of Katanga, to include Prince Eric Munongo, Prince Patrick Munongo and Mwema Pascal Kasongo Mwenda and the Garanganze people of Katanga.

Where the mandate and intitiative will lead us all, only time will tell. We sincerely thank you for your interest in the culture and history of the Garanganze people of Katanga. If you would like to learn additional information regarding the history of the Garanganze people of Katanga and the late King Msiri and the 1890-91 Stairs Expedition to Katanga, please refer to the following online links: