MARGARET CHISANGA
Lusaka
KULAMBA Kubwalo traditional ceremony is an annual ceremony of the Lenje people in Central Province.
It is celebrated every year in October at a site called Likonde Lya Ba Nkanga, which is where the mother of the seven Lenje chiefs is buried.
The Lenje people originally moved to Zambia from the Kolo Kingdom in present-day DRC (Congo) around 1700. The first chief of the Lenje people was Chief Mukuni Ng’ombe. He moved to central Zambia, married, and had seven sons. There are currently seven Lenje chiefs, each of whom is descended from one of these seven sons.
Of the seven Lenje chiefs, one is selected to serve as the senior chief of the Lenje people and he is called Senior Chief Mukuni Ng’ombe.
The ceremony is held to pay homage to Senior Chief Mukuni Ng’ombe and all the other Lenje chiefs for their good leadership. It is a moment when Chief Mukuni Ng’ombe meets his subjects to celebrate their culture and thank God for all the blessings.
It is also a thanks giving ritual to God for a good harvest
The ceremony accords the chiefs an opportunity to evaluate food security and other developmental projects in their respective chiefdoms.
The traditional ceremony is preceded by a week’s entertainment activities and display of various traditional foods.
Dancers, drummers and singers have performances throughout the ceremony. The arena is colourful as the performers come out in multi-coloured traditional wear.
There are thunderous drum beats day and night. Dancing and singing is unceasing.
