A myth about the kingdom's origins tells of a foreign hunter, Mbidi Kiluwe, whose son, Kalala llunga, became the first true mulopwe, with the help of a powerful diviner. Around 1870, the kingdom controlled a territory of about 200,000 square kilometres. In the twentieth century, the kingdom splintered into various chiefdoms, all of which now claim kinship, alliance or fealty with the dynasty founded by Kalala llunga.
Female representations prevail in Luba art.
And although it may be true that the feminine image here, as elsewhere, is a symbol of fecundity, this does little to explain the ubiquitous female figure in court art. The explanation lies partly in the belief system. To make contact with the supernatural world, chief diviners let themselves be possessed by a spirit that could speak through them. According to Luba belief, women have intrinsic qualities that make them ideal communicators with the supernatural world. At the turn of the century, many more women than men became mediums of the great vidye spirits.