While handshakes are still a very popular way of greeting, it’s not as common in Congo. When two men meet in Congo they can great each other by simply rubbing their heads against each other side by side.
This form of greeting is only performed by men of a certain ethnic group. It is also forbidden for women to greet this way.
This form of greeting is called Congo-Head-Bump. The head-bump is a little cozier. The head-bump is sort of like a forehead nuzzle between two men.
Here is the rundown:
Step 1: See someone you know.
Step 2: Lean forward and press one side of your forehead to the opposite side of your buddy’s forehead.
Step 3: Alternate to the other side of the forehead.
Step 4: Alternate yet once more.
Presumably, more often than not, one does the head-bump with someone who knows the drill. Otherwise, as experience has shown, you might end up standing there alarmed and confused.
Ironically, for a relatively homophobic country, men here are very comfortable with the man-on-man contact. It is not unusual to see Congolese men holding hands while they walk or cross the street.
In addition to the head-bump, another standard greeting here is the triple cheek kiss. Most people follow this convention, but with such a diverse international community in Kinshasa, you never know for sure what you are going to get.
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