Zambia does not celebrate Halloween, but it has several traditional ceremonies that involve the evoking of ancestral spirits. Ceremonies like the Likumbi Lya Mize, which takes place at the end of August every year. During this celebration, the Luvale people celebrate the enthronement of their late senior chieftainess, Nyamulombwe, who lived for 123 years and died in 1963. It is also an occasion dedicated to the remembrance of the origins of the Luvale tribe and the establishment of the Mize traditional capital.
A Night in the Graveyard
The ceremony starts with the rising of the Makishi from the grave, the initial stage of the weeklong ceremony. Several carefully selected and initiated people spend a night in the graveyard doing all sorts of rituals in preparation of the ceremony; they emerge the following day dressed in masks. As a group, they are called the Makishi, each mask representing a particular character, including Chizeluki (the madman), Chileya Chewambanda (the woman fool) and many others.
Apart from the Makishi dancing, the ceremony is spiced by the Tundanjis (boy initiates), Nya Tundanjis (mothers of the initiates) and Nyamwalis (girl initiates) who dress in costumes and perform pranks.
The Nyau Dance
Another traditional ceremony still practiced in Zambia is the Nyau dance that is part of the Chewa culture from the Eastern part of Zambia. This is a ritual performance that is done during traditional ceremonies and upon the death of an older member of the tribe. At funerals, various masks representing life, death and happiness are worn.
With the coming of modern technology, most young people are bound to lose touch with their origins. That’s why traditional ceremonies like these are held annually – to remind new generations of Zambians of the ancient traditions.
The ceremonies are also a tourist attraction; Zambia earns a lot of revenue from tourists who travel from far just to witness and be part of the fun. Many Zambian companies are now investing money in these ceremonies to keep them going.
thelolos2
Oct 28, 2010
Thank you for sharing some of the history and culture of Zambia with us. It's always interesting and good to know of how "holidays" are practiced abroad.