Le Kikumbi is an initiatory rite widespread among the Bantu peoples spread over Gabon, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the People's Republic of Congo.
In Pointe-Noire specifically, in the Republic of Congo, in the “vili” tradition, the ceremony of the kikumbi rite consists in secretly preparing the bride. Before the wedding the young girl hides in a corner where she undergoes a certain initiation. This practice is also observed among the “Lari”, the bavili, the basolongo, the bawoyo and other peoples in Central Africa. This ritual is linked to social life. The practice of Kikumbi is also found among the Barega, the Bahunde, but also the Baluba of Kasai among others. The latter are also famous for the love dance that, during initiation, girls learn in the sacred grove to obtain ukutchebana, an essential talent for making a good wife. As soon as their daughters reach the age of 15, many parents gather together drinks and food to please the many guests to honor this great celebration which can last between 15 and 30 days in a row. In some cases, several young girls from the same family can be interned together for the Kikumbi, in order to minimize the parents' expenses. If this ceremony is expensive, for the parents it helps to prepare the young girl for her life as a woman.