Around 1800 the copper mines on the Lubudi river were part of the Lunda Empire. The people delivered copper to the Emperor ("Mwant Yav") as tribute, but also sold copper bars in exchange for food such as dried fish and manioc flour.[2]
In the early nineteenth century the villagers on the upper Lubudi were subject to the Mushima chief, an ally of the king of Samba.[3]