Republic Day: December 31, 2009
Republic Day is a public holiday in the Congo.
Republic Day is a holiday that is celebrated in Congo to reflect on the country’s history with pride.
History of Republic Day
The Republic of the Congo (simply known as the Congo) is a country in Central Africa that is bordered by Gabon, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, and Zaire. The country celebrates Republic Day on December 31 of each year to remember when it was officially named as the first “people’s republic” of Africa.
Congo did not become a republic until 1968, even though it gained independence in 1960. Prior to these times, Congo was a large commercial hub for trade between the Bantu kingdom and European merchants along the Congo River. These two groups traded various commodities, manufactured goods, and slaves captured from the hinterlands. But, when the Europeans began to completely settle within the country, the Bantu groups and other kingdoms slowly phased out of Congo, and the French had ultimate control.
Once France gained control, it created French Equatorial Africa (a group of countries from Central Africa), chose the federal capital of the region (Brazzaville), and created an economic development strategy to expand the Congo’s infrastructure. The French administration benefited from these implementations.
It was after these changes were implemented that Congo gained its independence as the Congo Republic in 1960. Nine years afterwards, President Ngouabi proclaimed Congo to be Africa’s first “people’s republic”. This proclamation gave the country a source of pride, and to this day this pride has been celebrated.
Congo Republic Day Public Traditions, Customs, and Activities
Republic Day continues to be a source of pride for the country. The day brings people of all backgrounds together as proud citizenship of the country. The day usually starts out with memorial marches to remember this day in history, but ends with local celebrations.
Other interesting posts:
