Southeastern Congo(shore of Lake Tanganyika) is home to the Holoholo tribe. The tribe has a population of 2,000. The two spoken languages spoken are Kiholoholo and Kiswahili. In the 1880s the water level of Lake Tanganyika dropped significantly, inviting members of various ethnic groups to move into the area surrounding the town of Kalemie. The settlement that developed led to the emergence of the Holoholo.
Holoholo economy during the of late 19th century expansion was related to the eastern African slave trade. The Holoholo were employed by the Arabs to guard the lakeside ports and warehouses where gold and ivory were stored to await shipment across the lake. Today the region is primarily agricultural. Men and women work together to grow sorghum, maize, peanuts, and beans for local consumption.
Religious practices center around ancestor worship carried out through offerings made to miniature huts. Nature spirits that inhabit rocks, water, and mountains are not appeased by the general population, but their services may be called upon by witch doctors. Two secret societies exist for healers and witch doctors, one each for men and women. Secrecy and witchcraft accusations act as powerful social controls. Poison ordeals were employed to determine whether an accused was actually guilty of witchcraft.
The confluence of ethnic groups that resulted in Holoholo identity is reflected in their art, which incorporates many diverse styles. Elements of Luba and Tabwa styles are both apparent. A few figures attributed to the "master of slit eyes" represent the best known Holoholo art objects in museum collections.