The appeal of this study lies in its desire to show how deeply rooted Kinshasa's history is in its pre-colonial and colonial past, and the values and vistas of social perception of those who lived through it. The study culminates in the attempt to offer a vision of man and society, one that takes a holistic approach that is often neglected in past works. Based on field investigations, the analyses shed light on the experiences and impressions of the Congolese capital's world. The book serves as a reference for readers who want a better grasp of the lively, inventive, and defiant city of Kinshasa in order to draw out the logic, reasoning, and values behind its dynamic nature.
The book revisits the old villages of Kinshasa and the traces they have left in the collective memory. Patient sociography of the city and its neighbourhoods has yielded a better understanding of its current residents' concerns: among others, democracy, justice, education, water, and electricity. It teaches us to gain perspective on the ethnic problems and misleading impressions of the somewhat imaginary collapse of a Golden Age that all too often marks the narrative on the DRC.