The 2020 Nc’wala Traditional Ceremony for the Ngoni Speaking people of Chipata in Eastern Province brought different kinds of people who came to witness the annual event.
The Theme for this year’s ceremony was “Preserving our culture for our heritage and environment”.
The guest of honor was Defense Minister Hon Davies Chama who was accompanied by Tourism and Arts Minister Hon Ronald Chitotela, Finance Minister Dr. Bwalya Ng’andu, Housing and Infrastructure Development Minister Hon Vincent Mwale, Chiefs and Traditional Affairs Minister Hon Lawrence Sichalwe among other senior dignitaries.
Former South Africa President Jacob Zuma’s two children also attended.
N’cwala Traditional Ceremony is held every year on the last Saturday of February by the Ngoni people of Chipata City in Eastern Province of Zambia.
It is a celebration of the first harvests of the year.
The ceremony takes place at Mutenguleni village in Chipata.
N’cwala Ceremony was revived in 1980 by Paramount Chief Mpezeni III. At the ceremony, the Ngoni people pay homage to their ancestral spirits, commemorating their victories during their tribal wars, during their migration from current day South Africa and praising their God for giving them fresh crops in the fields
The Nc’wala traditional ceremony sparks various activities which are centered around the ceremony including the Ungoni Exhibition which is presented by the Ministry of Tourism and Arts at Luangwa House and visits to the Nsingo Community Museum where people turn up in numbers to learn more about the History of the Ngoni people. The Museum has various Ngoni cultural items on display and has a lot of history about the migration of the Ngoni speaking people from present-day KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa to Chipata, Eastern Province – Zambia.
Whichever artist and stylist came up with that artistic work behind the mpezeni does like the inkosi at all, why use a European crown, is mpezeni a real Madrid supporter? The artist should have put a nduku and some assegais as a symbol of strength for the mankosi, just like the litunga and chitimukulu use an elephant and crocodile as a their symbols of strength. This ngoni artist awe mwandi.
OK the lions that’s good, but that crown is un ngoni and unAfrican.
Excellent ceremony. I am still trying to recover after a very heavy weekend. Ncwala brings out the beast in people. I saw things I had never seen in my entire life. Good though to see that safe sex was been promoted. Now we back to work some of us. Kz
In fact they’re simply Ngoni or Nguni people and not Ngoni-speaking people because the majority don’t even know the Nguni language. There’s a tendency among all chiefs and chiefdoms to want to equate themselves to the modern state with its own apparatus and functions. Only the Barotse system comes close. They’re not and cannot be the equivalent of the modern state as their development was disturbed by colonialism and are therefore no longer the protector and defender of their people.
Great to see the young generation in traditional dress and keeping the culture alive but let’s hope that they keep the good parts of our culture and discard the bad side of it such as polygamy and denying women their property rights, and how many wild animals were killed to make those animal hides? ZAWA where are you?
Aristotle well said, that picture of a crown on Mpezeni’s thrown is completely unAfrican. Where is JayJay and Mushota to comment on this? Guys your presence is missed!
Poachers!! This tribe finished wild animals, look at those tons of skins. Now there nothing left, they just did mice imbeba eating even their tails.
Yes…..Our Great Chief Mpenzeni, my Chief!
My mother is a Jere from the House of Royal Maguya. My Grandfather was son of a Maguya chief. I enjoy seeing my culture and honour our great Paramount Chief Mpenzeni. I stayed in Chipata until I was 3 years old with Grandpa and Grandma and remember the beauty of Chipata. Playing with dolls made out of those green fruits and straw, the fruits celebrated in this ceremony.
This particular tribe is most majestic of all In Zambia because of its connection to the greatest warriors, Shaka Zulu and Zwangendaba who fought a mighty battle across the Southern African Plains from KwaZulu across Tanzania and other countries to settle in Chipata. A great History. Unique and awesome!
Not forgetting, Fort James, where Britain managed it’s soldiers and some like my Grandfather served for Her Majesty. This province is Rich in culture and is a Tourism Goldmine. Govt needs to lavish expenditure to promote an area that can hold tourism interest.
God Bless, Chief Mpenzeni, Long may this Zulu Warrior Live! He holds together our past and serves, keeping our history intact.