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In Zambia traditional ceremonies manifest customs, social life, rituals, oral history, material and spiritual culture. Take this chance to discover them. Size the opportunity and enjoy them.
Your holiday in Zambia shouldn't be without the traditional ceremonies. And how can you ensure this? Your travel agents and car rental companies are on stand by, and happily too, to assist you find a traditional ceremony that occurs during the same time as your visit to Zambia. You have heard it and it is true. Zambia is a country with diverse local dialects (73 of them) but, incredibly, a “whole bunch” of friendly people.
Thus, Zambia is called a country of warm African welcome. Many visitors have attested to this every time they visit here. It is this that has made the country's tourim the new and fast growing destination of choice. The national heritage of the untamed wilderness, the profusion of wildlife and the spectacular landscapes have enhanced this attraction. Add to this the Victoria Falls and you have an irresistible destination. Visit Zambia NOW and check the excitement .
Why visit Zambia? And why indeed the people? You'll discover the reason when you visit.
There are more than 21 annual traditional ceremonies in Zambia. They provide a valuable insight to a traditional culture that has been passed down from generation to generation.
The open traditional ceremonies that visitors can watch are those that signify ancient times, when new kingdoms were being founded by ancient chiefs and are usually splendid, colourful affairs with much symbolism in their dancing and drumming.
Don’t miss out on the major traditional ceremonies such as the Umotomboko, a war cerebration of the Lunda people, the N’cwala, an annual ceremony of the first crop by the mighty Ngoni people, the Kuomboka, the royal crossing of the Lozi people at the height of the annual flooding of the Zambezi River, etc, etc.
Zambia’s diverse cultures bring with them a wide variety of traditional skills. Crafts can be found in great variety if not in abundance and among them is some of the finest basketry in Africa
The more common ones are the hand piano, a small instrument with iron keys mounted on a rectangular box and plucked by both thumbs. Or the silimba, a xylophone type instrument with a range of flat wooden keys mounted over gourds. The most common of course is the drum and drumming plays an important part of rituals, ceremonies, celebrations and community communication
Basketry, practiced by both the men and the women is widespread. The many forms and raw materials used reflect the environment in which they are made: bamboo, liana vines, roots, reeds, grasses, rushes, papyrus palm leaves, bark and sisal. They are decorated with symbolic designs using traditional dyes made from different coloured soils, roots, bark and leaves. The variety of uses for basketry is wide; carrying and storage, fishing traps, beer strainers, flour sieves, sleeping and eating mats and a variety of tableware. The Lozi and Mbunda people in the Western Province are particularly skilled in this field.
It is the men that usually do the woodwork and carving and produce canoes, furniture, walking sticks, utensils and food bowls as well as masks, drums and a variety of animal forms. The potters are usually, though not always, women who work the clay and then fire them on open fires or pits.
To know when traditional ceremonies take place get in touch with the travel agents and car rental operators . They will surely, like the sun will rise tomorrow, advise you. Then you can plan to arrive at “peak time” to coincide your visit with a particular traditional ceremony.
If you would like to know other places for vacations in Africa then click here to visit Africa Vacations .
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Zambia African Safari © ZAS 2004