AUGUST
August Katete Chewa Kulamba August Chienge Bwile Ubuilile
MONTH DISTRICT TRIBE CEREMONY
August Mansa Ushi Makumba
August Mungwi Bemba Ukusefya Pa Ng’wena
August Luwingu Bemba Mukulu Pembe
August Mwinilunga Lunda Chisemwa Cha Lunda
August Mufumbwe Kaonde Makundu
August Zambezi Luvale Likumbi Lya Mize -end August
Kasempa - Kaoma Dirt, fairly well graded. Don’t need 4wd. No pontoons. 220km - 3.5hrs. Kasempa junction on the M8 - Zambezi…5.5hrs Kasempa - Mufumbwe - 1hr Mufumbwe - Manyinga 1.5hrs Manyinga - Kabompo - 1/2 hr Kabompo - Zambezi - 2.5 hrs
August Solwezi Kaonde Lubinda Ntongo
05 August 2023 -first Saturday of the month
Chief Mumena (just outside solwezi on the Kabompop road at the palace)
August Kalomo Toka Leya Lukuni Luzwa buuka
LUBINDO NTONGO CEREMONY OF THE KAONDE in SOLWEZI
CHIEF MUMENA
THE Lubinda Ntongo traditional ceremony of the Kaonde-speaking people of Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo is not only a celebration of the hunters’ prowess and a good harvest, but of a society’s unity. The ceremony has been celebrated in the Mumena kingdom since 1992, when it was initiated by the late Chief Mumena V, whose real name was Peter Kajoba. Before then, the community always set aside times to celebrate various occasions and seasons. Some of the festivals which over the years have been observed by the Kaonde people include the rite of passage to adulthood, known as kubelula or kisungu; the installation of a new head person, called kusanga or mitanda; and restoring names of the dead, which in local parlance is mitanda. There is also the tasting of a new crop, called kusomona, and celebration of marriage, which is referred to as masongola. Sometimes people would gather food and drinks just to enjoy oneness, as well as to maintain relationships. Some popular references such as ‘bantu baswa mema’ and ‘ba Kaonde nekipale kyabo kibawamina’ attest to the solid relationships and humour shared by the Kaonde people, whose clans are defined by totems such as ba lembu (bees), ba longa (river/water), ba tembuzhi (lion), ba yanga (black ants), and ba pumpi, for wild dog. Other totems are ba samba (snakes/serpentine), bena kyowa (mushroom/thunder), bena nge (leopard), bena kasaka (sorghum/grain), bena kyulu (anthill/earth), bena mbuzhi (goats), bena luo (monkeys), bena nzovu (elephants), bena mbwa (dogs), and bena ng’onyi (birds). The Lubinda Ntongo is a unique traditional ceremony which signifies the hunting skills of the Kaonde people. It is time when new crops are also tasted. Some of the highlights of the ceremony are the worship of the creator God and when the king Lion (Chief Mumena) majestically appears in his royal mukundu (long skirt) on the stage to the public to charm the crowd with his tantalising performance with his kutomboka. This is the climax of the event when the headmen and head women also emerge to support him and surprise the audience when they equally mesmerise the audience with their traditional and contemporary manifestation of kutomboka dance punctuated with live music. The manchancha dance performed by women, the display of game by selected hunters, heroic traditional salutation by selected headmen, and the sound of the muzzle loaders, called mututula and shonongo, also form part of the activities at the glamorous occasion. What further makes the ceremony attractive is the involvement of everyone, that is, the men, women, and young people who all have roles to play. During this year’s commemoration, Chief Mumena the 11th blessed the land through God, and declared that there should be no hunger, sickness, and poverty among his subjects. “Let good health prevail, let there be bearing of children, successful marriages, and the preservation of tradition and culture,” the traditional leader said.
August-The Bemba Ukusefya Pa Ngwena
Zambian Heritage Traditional Ceremonies
The Bemba Ukusefya Pa Ngwena is a traditional ceremony held under Chitimukulu by the Bemba people in Mungwi District, Zambia
The event is held every in August. It was held where the Bemba People first settled after they migrated from present Angola, then called Kola. Angola. You could say it is a thanksgiving ceremony of arrival to where the Bemba's chose to settle permanently after after decades or even a century of migration. Much like the thanksgiving ceremony the Pilgrims of the Mayflower had when they landed in America, a ceremony which is now encaspulated in American tradition. There is a massive trench that surrounds the area built in the 17th century to protect from war with the neighboring Ngoni Tribe. Its believed that they filled the trench with poison tipped spears and then covered the trench with branches to hide it. When the Ngoni Tribe rushed across they fell into the trench and were killed. Bemba history is long and colourful. It requires a whole tome to tell😁 The Bembas had many fierce Battles over territory with the Ngonis. The Ngoni had fled Shaka's Mfecane, led by Zwangendaba and after a migration of 20 years, fighting and conquering their way up north, they run into a brick wall of stubborn, boisterous Bemba and were soundly defeated. Zwangendaba, the great chief, was killed by a poison arrow. His grave is in Bembaland, about 4km from Nakonde on the Mbala-Nakonde road. Last time I heard, the Ngoni had requested for Zwangendaba's remains to be repatriated to Ngoniland for reburial amongst his decendants. I believe the requesr was approved but I haven't heard if it was carried out. If it were to happen, they would be a mighty big ceremony between the Bembas and the Ngonis, who fondly call themselves traditional cousin who can playfully tease and insult each other, all in jest. Nowadays, there are permanent structures within area surrounded by the trench and each year grass huts are built surrounding the trench to act as accommodation for attendees. AbaBemba trace their origin from Kola (modern-day Angola) in the 17th Century. From Kola, they went to Luba (present day DRC). From Luba, they crossed Luapula, Chambeshi, and Kalungu Rivers. When they reached the banks of Milando, they came across a dead crocodile. Since Bemba rulers belong to the Crocodile Clan, the discovery, earmarked Bemba-land. A village was set up at this very spot -and it was named Ng’wena Village. On 1 August, lots of dancing and singing is done. Different groups of people are invited to the stage to dance and sing for the crowd. Then, a group of people representing the Ngoni Tribe came onto the stage and perform a traditional dance. Festivities are characterised by singing (various genres of traditional Bemba songs), prayers, speeches by Mwine Lubemba and invited guests.