Miabi is a territory of the Kasai-Oriental

Kasai-Oriental

Kasai-Oriental is one of the ten provinces of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It borders the provinces of Kasai-Occidental to the west, Équateur to the northwest, Orientale to the northeast, Maniema to the east, and Katanga to the south. Kasai-Oriental is one of the richest diamond producing...

 Province in the south-central of the Democratic Republic of Congo. It is inhabited by the Bakwa Dishi

Bakwa Dishi

The Bakwa Dishi is a people belonging to the Luba ethnic group living today in the Kasai-Oriental Province in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Miabi, the Dishi Capital, is located West of Mbuji-Mayi...

 and the land which is approximately 1900 square miles (4,921 km²) is owned by its royal family.

Miabi is also a town within the territory; it was founded in 1933 by Kazadi Diofua after his release (he was imprisoned for 10 years by the local colonial power for rebelling and demanding the autonomy of his people). Kazadi Diofua was the last King of the Bakwa Dishi and uncle of the present heir to the throne André-Philippe Futa

André-Philippe Futa

André-Philippe Futa was a politician in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. He was originally from Miabi in the Congolese province of Kasai Oriental.-Biography:...

. Miabi considered the capital of the land of the Bakwa Dishi, is the place of birth of André-Philippe Futa.

Other significance

Miabi is a word in Tshiluba which is the plural form of "muabi", a tree of light greyish leaves with a white trunk and branches which is typically found in the current territory of Miabi.

In the tradition of the Bakwa Dishi (the people inhabitating this region), this tree is used to bless a man or a woman (the tree was planted accompagnied by ceremonies of blessings).