People & Culture
Sparsely populated country
Zambia’s relatively small population of over 13 million live in an area double the size of Zimbabwe (or nearly two-thirds that of South Africa). Therefore much of the country is sparsely populated.
The greatest concentrations of people live in the capital Lusaka and along a 90-mile corridor of land which provides the country’s major source of revenue, copper, known as the ‘Copperbelt’.
Languages and dialects
A lesson in Bemba
In this video… Theresa translates a few common phrases she uses into her local language, Bemba. The language is widely used in Lusaka, Zambia’s capital. Theresa asks you how you’re doing “wherever you are”. She says, in Lusaka: “We’re all doing fine.”
Zambia is home to many different groups, speaking more than 72 local languages and dialects. Bemba is the most widely-spoken language (apart from English) and is used by more than two million Zambians in Lusaka and across the Copperbelt.
As well as Bemba, there are six other main local languages – Nyanja (used across the country), Kaonde, Luvale and Lunda (spoken in the west), Tonga (in the south) and Lozi (spoken along the Zambezi).
Unhurried greetings
As in many African countries, Zambian society is unhurried and a formal greeting always takes place before any conversation.
A typical greeting would involve an exchange of ‘Good morning’ or ‘Good afternoon’, followed by an inquiry and response such as ‘How are you?’ – ‘I am fine, thank you.’
Traditional customs
Too many husbands?
In this video… Jackie, office manager at the national office of SOS Children in Zambia, says she has 52 ‘husbands’ within the SOS Children organisation alone. It’s because ‘traditional cousins’ in her tribal tradition are regarded as ‘husbands’. She has lots, she jokes, because women in her tribe make better spouses.
Although Zambia is predominantly Christian (following the arrival of many missionaries in the 1800s), and Easter and Christmas holidays are celebrated, traditional beliefs and customs are also retained, particularly in rural areas.
Traditional ceremonies are held annually across the various regions. Some mark when children become adults, while others commemorate a season (Shimuenga gives thanks for the safe delivery of crops and livestock) or an historical event (Umutomboko celebrates when the Lunda conquered the west).
Probably the most famous traditional ceremony is the Kuomboka, when the Lozi people make their way in boats along the Zambezi for a ceremonial trip away from the annual floods – Kuomboka literally means ‘to get out of the water onto dry ground’. The Litunga (king) and his family lead the procession in a barge with white-dressed paddlers.
This ceremony dates back more than 300 years when the Lozi people first settled in the upper regions of the Zambezi.
Arts and crafts
Traditional arts and crafts, such as wood carving, basket-weaving and pottery, are under threat because of migration away from rural areas and modern manufactured goods. National museums and craft organisations in Zambia therefore aim to promote craftwork to keep traditional skills alive.
Basketry varies widely according to local practices and materials, which range from bamboo, liana vines, roots, reeds, grasses, rushes, papyrus palm leaves and bark. They are decorated with natural dyes. Basketry items include mats, tableware, sieves and beer strainers.
