SWAMPY TALES

DIRGES FROM BANGWEULU In any society, losing a loved one brings about a sense of hopelessness. More so if the departed was the only dependable bread winner of the family. The anguish and humiliation resulting from such a loss is indescribable. Consequently, people in different parts of the world express sadness in a variety of ways.   Although most of the people of the Bangweulu wetlands game reserves catchment area use English surnames, they call their children by the father’s first name, their way of expressing sorrow at the loss of their beloved ones is interestingly inimitable and far different from that of England. From the Bisa tribe living in the Chiunda Ponde and Kopa chiefdoms to the Unga of the Bwalya Mponda and Nsamba chiefdoms in the wildlife-rich wetlands, every funeral is a phenomenon completely different from the other. A closer look at one will give the reader an in-depth knowledge of why the people who host hundreds of tourists every year are dubbed contr...

COMING SOON! THE UNGA TRIBE OF BANGWEULU SWAMPS- MORE THAN JUST FISHERMEN CONTENTS CHAPTER 1: Origins and the founding of Lunga                CHAPTER 2: Chieftaincy and Succession Lineage CHAPTER 3: Language, Culture and Tradition CHAPTER 4: Fishing, Hunting as main occupation CHAPTER 5:  Wildlife, Traditional Ceremony & Tourism CHAPTER 6: Food and Nutrition CHAPTER 7: Social and Pastime activities CHAPTER 8: Death and Superstition CHAPTER 9: Politics and Development CHAPTER 10: Unique Words, Adages and Idioms  ____________________________________________ CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION Within Bangweulu Wetlands lies a vast 5,000 km 2 swampy area called Lunga, which is home to over 50,000 indigenous Unga tribesmen. The name Lunga simply means to hunt and was derived from the area’s suitability for hunting expeditions because of its abundant wildlife. Located...

MUSUBILWA  MPEMBA CEREMONY  OF THE UNGA PEOPLE OF ZAMBIA Picture courtesy of Lusaka Times The newly-delimitated Lunga district of Zambia  recently hosted the seventh edition of Musubilwa Mpemba ceremony on Saturday 30 th June 2018.  This is an annual event that is held in commemoration of tribal war victories of the Unga people, otherwise known as Aba-Unga, against the Bisa and Bemba tribes. It takes place at Matongo in Nsamba chiefdom with a cultural display of pomp and pride. Located in Luapula province of Zambia, Lunga is surrounded by four neighbouring districts, i.e. Samfya in Luapula, Mpika in Muchinga, Lavushi Manda in Central and Chilubi in Northern Province.  Lunga is a natural recipient of fresh water and other aquatic life from big rivers Chambeshi, Lumbatwa and Lukulu which water also outflows into Luapula river. It is also surrounded by Lakes Bangweulu and Chale which supplies a lot of fish to the area.  It is ...