The Basenji is a breed of hunting dog. The name comes from the Lingala language of the Congo, mbwá na basɛ́nzi which means 'villager dogs'. Europeans first described the type of dog the Basenji breed derives from in 1895—in the Congo. These local dogs, which Europeans identified as a unique breed and called basenji, were prized by locals for their intelligence, courage, speed, and silence. The name comes from the Lingala language of the Congo, mbwá na basɛ́nzi which means 'villager dogs'. Europeans first described the type of dog the Basenji breed derives from in 1895—in the Congo.