ZAMBIAN CULTURE Culture is the way of life of a people. The culture of Zambia is mainly indigenous Bantu culture mixed with European influences. Before the coming into being of modern Zambia, what may be called the indigenous Zambians lived in independent tribes. Each tribe had its own ways of life. The colonial era led to increased urbanization. Different ethnic groups started living together in towns and cities. As they lived together in towns and cities they began to influence each other and to adopt what may be called the European Culture. The original cultures have largely survived in the rural areas. In the urban setting there is a continuous integration and evolution of these cultures to produce what is now called Zambian Culture. The people of the Republic of Zambia do so many things that constitute their culture. Zambia has more than 35 ethnic groups, also called tribes. Each tribe has its own language. It is estimated that there are about 72 languages and dialects in Zambia. The main groups and languages of Zambia include Bemba in the Northern and Central provinces, Tonga in Southern Province, Nyanja in Eastern Province, and Lozi in the Western Province. English is the national language and is widely spoken, especially along the line of rail. About two-thirds of the population is Christian, though many combine that with traditional animist beliefs. Traditional Zambian music is heavily rhythmic, usually played on drums, whistles and thumb pianos. Zambian traditional music is nearly always accompanied by dancing. Rumba, imported from Congo DR, is the most popular styles. Others are kalindula, kalela, imfunkuntu, malimba, and so on. The staple dish in Zambia is a called nshima, commonly made from maize or sometimes sorghum or cassava. It's typically served in a communal dish and eaten with hands, rolling the nshima into a ball and dipping it into a sauce of meat or vegetables. In areas along rivers and lake shores, fish are also eaten. Popular freshwater types include bream, lake salmon and nile perch. |