Lungu People

Lungu

Lungu

The Lungu are a ethnic group living today near the Bembas and Kazembes near Lake Tanganyika in Democratic Republic of the Congo, and they can also be found in Zambia and Tanzania. They are divided into two groups.

The Lungu are a tribe of two Bantu ethnic groups, the Mambwe-Lungu and the Malaila-Lungu. The Mambwe Lungu are located primarily on the southwestern shores of Lake Tanganyika in Rukwa Region's Kalambo District, Tanzania and northeastern Zambia mainly in Mpulungu and Mbala district.

Globally, this group totals 800,000 in 3 countries.

Lungu People

The Lungu language is part of the Mambwe group of languages, although many Lungus speak Bemba. The northern Lungus, who probably have origins in East Africa, have a patrilineal descent system and make their living fishing and growing rice and cassava. The southern Lungus are farmers who raise millet and have a matrilineal descent system. In regions free of the tse-tse fly, the Lungus raise cattle.

 

Descent System

The Lungu are divided into a number of exogamous, dispersed patrilineal clans (Umwiko), nearly all of which are prefixed by the syllable 'Si' (Father of) for males and 'Na' (Mother of) for females. Some of the more common ones are; Sinyangwe, Sikazwe, Simuchenje, Silupya, Siulapwa, Sikatunga, Simfutata, Simuyemba, Sichilima, Sikasote and Chizu

 

Language

The Lungu speak a Bantu Language called Lungu (Cilungu), a dialect of Mambwe-Lungu.

 

Music

The Lungu have a traditional music piece consisting of a dance called Nsimba and musical instruments called Vingwengwe. They also have various artists such as Kalambo Hit Parade, Solo Kalenge and Esther Namunga who perform Mambwe Lungu traditional music.

 

Traditional Ceremonies

Walamo

This is a traditional ceremony held to install Chief Tafuna. In olden days the designate Chief was required to cross the strip of water between lake Tanganyika and the sacred Mbita island while holding on to two canoes. If he survived the journey without being eaten by crocodiles or falling over and drowning, it meant he was approved by the ancestors. It was upon reaching the island that he would seek permission from the spirits Kapembwa, Mbita and Namukale to become leader of the Lungu people.

Umutomolo

This is a traditional ceremony of the Mambwe and the Lungu of Tafuna, it is conducted to celebrate a successful harvest and to pray for rains for the next farming season. It takes place every last Saturday of June on the shores of lake Chila in Mbala. During the ceremony the wives of the Chiefs present samples of foods grown in their chiefdom so that the Chiefs can bless them and give thanks to the ancestral spirits for a successful harvest. The Chiefs then taste the food and then the subjects are free to eat. The ceremony also involves traditional dances and music.

 

Religious beliefs

The Lungu traditionally believe in a supreme god called Leza. He is remote from human affairs and as such he's not worshiped. The principal lesser divinity of Ulungu is called Kapembwa. Other ancestral spirits are Mbita, Namukale, etc.

 

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