Zambia Festivals
Cultural ceremonies and festivals
Zambia has several major festivals which are rarely seen by visitors. If you can get to one, then you will find them very genuine occasions, where ceremonies are performed for the benefit of the local people and the participants, and not for the odd tourist who is watching.
In particular there are a number of ceremonies to be seen which reflect this multi-faceted heritage.
The N’cwala (February )
This ceremony is thanksgiving by the Ngoni people at Mutenguleni Village in the Eastern Province. Chief Mpezeni tastes the first fresh produce of the year, a celebration marked by tribal dances- and much beer drinking.
The Kuomboka (Feb/March)
This is the most famous of the ceremonies, and takes place in the western province just before full moon. The precise date is decided upon by the Litunga. Its origin dates back centuries, when the Litunga established his headquarters at Leaului, which he soon discovered became submerged when the river rose during the rainy season.
This evacuation is what is today celebrated with great pomp every year. The journey takes most of the day and a flotilla of canoes, headed by the royal barge, finally arrives at Limulunga, where a huge party celebrates with traditional dancing and singing.
Likumbi Lya Mize (July)
This ceremony takes place at Mize, the official palace of Senior Chief Ndungu, about seven kilometres west of Zambezi Boma. People of the Luvale tribe gather to celebrate their cultural heritage, bringing displays of all types of handicrafts and spicing the event with traditional singing and dancing.
Umutomboko (July)
This is an annual celebration held in Zambia’s Luapula Province, chief Kazembeis area. It is held in a specially prepared arena, close to the Ng’ona River, and is accompanied by feasting and celebrations.
Shimunenga (Sept/October)
Held on a weekend of the full moon this traditional ceremony, held by the Ba-lla tribe at Maala on the Kafue Flats, express the people’s devotion to their divine ancestors.
Livingstone Cultural & Arts Festival (September)
First held in 1994, this festival attracts traditional rulers from all the provinces of Zambia and provides visitors with an insight to the unique cultural diversity of Zambian tribes. The festival attracts musicians, artists, poets and dramatists and is destined to become the focal point of cultural activity in Zambia.
| Ceremony | Tribe | Where | When |
| Lwiindi | Toka Leya | Livingstone | February |
| N’cwala | N’cwala | Chipata | February |
| Kuomboka | Lozi | Mongu | March/April |
| Kufwikila | Kaonde | Kasempa | June |
| Nsomo | Kaonde | Kasempa | June |
| Ntongo | Kaonde | Mufumbwe | June |
| Umutomboko | Lunda | Kazembe | July |
| Lunda Lubanza | Lunda | Zambezi | August |
| Kazanga | Nkoya | Lukulu | August |
| Kulamba | Chewa | Katete | August |
| Lukuni Luzwa | Buuka Leya | Livingstone | August |
| Chibwela Mushi | Lala | Mkushi River | August |
| Mukula Pembe | Bemba | Luwingu | August/September |
| Ukusefya Pag’wena | Bemba | Kasama | August |
| Malaila | Kunda | Chipata | September |
| Maside Weseki | Lunda | Mwinilunga | September |
| Vinkankanimba | Tumbuka | Isoka | September |
| Shimunenga | Ila | Maala | September |
| Lukwakwa | Lunda | Mwinilunga | September |
| Mukundu | Kaonde | Mufumbe | September |
| Kulamba Kubwalo | Lenje | Kabwe | October |
| Kwanga | Njumba | Samfya | October |
| Twimba | Nsenga | Petauke | October |
| Kwenje | Tumbuka | Chama | October |
| Chibweka | Lunda | Kabompo | October |
| Ngondo | Namwanga | Isoka | November |
| Nengele Kununka | Namwanga | Isoka | November |
Popular Searches
August 21st, 2009 5:53 pm
It is not nengele kununka and it is not celebrated by the Namwanga people but by the Lima people it is Nsengele Kununka, it is celebrated in Mpongwe at Chief Machiya’s chiefdom.