ZAMBIAN CULTURE: HARNESSING CULTURAL LITERACY WITH A FOCUS ON SELECTED MYTHS AND TABOOS Second Edition, 2019. by Sitwe Benson Mkandawire, Steriah M. Simooya and Pauline Namakau Monde Published by UNZA Press, Lusaka-Zambia i |Zambian Culture: Harnessing Cultural Literacy with a Focus on Selected Myths and Taboos, by Mkandawire, S. B. et al., 2019. © 2019, Mkandawire, Simooya and Monde Published by UNZA Press for and on behalf of Sitwe Benson Mkandawire, Steriah M. Simooya and Pauline Namakau Monde Email: [email protected], [email protected] and [email protected] ISBN: 978-9982-03-105-9 CONTENTS Page Dedication................................................................................ v Acknowledgement................................................................... vi Foreword.................................................................................. vii Preface...................................................................................... viii Chapter 1: Context of Cultural Literacy ............................ 1 Definition of Culture ........................................................ 1 Importance of Culture...................................................... 2 Understanding Literacy.................................................... 4 Cultural Literacy ............................................................. 5 Zambian Culture versus Zambian Cultures..................... 7 Ethnicity, Multilingualism and Multiculturalism............. 14 Ceremonies and Rituals in Zambia ................................. 26 The Importance of Traditional Ceremonies in Safeguarding and Preserving Culture in Zambia ................................. 28 The Role of Culture in Development .............................. 40 Zambian Cultural Identity ............................................... 44 The Importance of Culture in Education ........................ 45 Chapter 2: Aspects of Zambian Culture and Cultures .... 48 Aspects of Zambian Culture............................................ 49 National Symbols .......................................................... 49 Food ............................................................................... 49 Dressing ......................................................................... 50 Living in Extended family ............................................. 52 Celebrations and Solidarity ............................................ 52 Sports and Games .......................................................... 52 Art and Entertainment ................................................... 53 Drinking and Clubing .................................................... 53 Agriculture ..................................................................... 54 Communication .............................................................. 54 Traditional Communication ........................................... 54 Modern Communication ................................................ 61 Conservation and Cultural Heritage Sites ...................... 62 Customs and Traditions .................................................. 63 iii |Zambian Culture: Harnessing Cultural Literacy with a Focus on Selected Myths and Taboos, by Mkandawire, S. B. et al., 2019. Marriage ...................................................................... 64 Finding a Marriage Partiner in Zambia ....................... 66 Ways of Marrying in Zambia .................................... 67 Expression of Marriage Intention to a Lady’s Family . 70 marriage Charges ......................................................... 73 Food Orientation .......................................................... 74 Marriage Ceremony .................................................... 74 Common Marriage ceremony Procedure ..................... 75 Child Marriages and Legal Position ............................ 75 Marriage and Life long Learning ................................. 78 Spirituality and Religiosity .......................................... 79 Aspects of Zambian Cultures........................................ 83 Traditional Marriage Processes in Selected Cases ....... 85 (i) The Lunda Marriage Process ........................... 85 (ii) The Ngoni Marriage Process .......................... 88 (iii) The Lozi Marriage Process ............................ 91 (iv) The Tonga Marriage Marriage Process .......... 96 (v) The Bemba Marriage Process ......................... 98 Chapter 3: Myths................................................................... 110 What is a Myth?............................................................... 110 The Social Status of Myths ............................................. 110 A List of Selected Myths with their Interpretations ........ 111 Chapter 4: Taboos................................................................... 166 What is a Taboo?.......................................................... 166 The Social Status of Taboos ........................................ 166 A List of Selected Taboos with their Interpretations ... 166 Why myths and taboos vary across regions ................. 176 Chapter 5: Cultural Laws in Zambia ................................. 178 Legal Position of Culture in Zambia............................... 178 Some International Organisations on Culture ................ 180 References................................................................................ 181 Glossary .................................................................................. 192 Index ....................................................................................... 203 iv |Zambian Culture: Harnessing Cultural Literacy with a Focus on Selected Myths and Taboos, by Mkandawire, S. B. et al., 2019. Dedication This book is dedicated to the culturalists and fanatics of culture Acknowledgements Sincere gratitude to all respondents that took part in the study that culminated into this book. The valuable information that you provided on culture, myths and taboos from all provinces of Zambia helped in reshaping this book. Our sincere gratitude to some University of Zambia lecturers, students, and researchers. We also acknowledge some elderly relatives to the authors and senior citizens of Zambia vested with wisdom and knowledge of traditions that served as informants for some parts of this book. Special gratitude to the following people for providing some information on marriage processes per ethnic group: Kasonde Mundende, Patrick Sikayomya, Zebron Tembo, Chilambe Patience, Chishala K. Getrude, Kalubale Makumo, Mbaka Elizabeth, Nox Zimba, Mhlanga Angel and Tepula Fredrick. vi |Zambian Culture: Harnessing Cultural Literacy with a Focus on Selected Myths and Taboos, by Mkandawire, S. B. et al., 2019. vi Foreword This book, ‘Zambian Culture: Harnessing Cultural Literacy with a focus on selected Myths and Taboos in Zambia’ is a unique text depicting the Zambian culture in general. The book starts with a discussion on culture, its significance in society and further situates the concept of cultural literacy and discusses the differences between Zambian culture and Zambian cultures at different levels with the use of relevant examples. What is more peculiar about this book is its effort in contextualising the composition of Zambian culture. The authors outlined the constituent of Zambian culture ranging from national symbols to the general lifestyle of Zambians. The authors further outlined six unique ways of marrying in Zambia, which could be familiar even to some neighbouring countries that share a similar culture with Zambia. The book focuses on selected myths and taboos where each myth and /or taboo, has been outlined, followed by their application and a possible interpretation in modern society. vii |Zambian Culture: Harnessing Cultural Literacy with a Focus on Selected Myths and Taboos, by Mkandawire, S. B. et al., 2019. Preface I am very delighted to provide this preface, made towards “Positioning Culture as a bedrock for national development planning in Zambia” (GRZ, (2017) ‘7th National Development Plan 2017-2021’, page 30). My remarks gladly re-project the late Simon Mwansa Kapwepwe’s words in a paraphrased and direct manner when he introduced (GRZ, 1970) ‘The Treasures of Zambian Traditional Art, National Museums of Zambia, Lusaka’. This booklet contains valuable cultural aspects including myths and taboos selected from across Zambia. This represents but a small part of our total stock of myths and taboos. These valuable collections signal what is possible when dedicated people resolve to sustain our Zambian cultural heritage. Must modernity kill Zambian culture? No, our modernity should concentrate on stopping the growing of aimlessness and emptiness in our Society; and one way of doing this is through drawing up schemes and programmes of cultural research and building the discoveries like those in this book, into an important beacon of knowledge for the present generation and those who will come after us. I am positively sure that discoveries of our history and culture will stregthen our intention to recapture our heritage and thereby project our identity in the international society. Some people have openly said that history is a dead subject and culture is nothing but primitive relics; I say lucky are those who can distinguish gold from ordinary stones. History is people’s memory that help them reflect on the past, understand the present and project the future. Without historical memory, man is demoted viii |Zambian Culture: Harnessing Cultural