By CHUSA SICHONE –

“AS  a people, it is important that we preserve our culture so that we can always be reminded of who we are and that we pass on this heritage to our children because a people without culture are a dead people.”
These are the sentiments of Justice Minister Ngosa Simbyakula when he officiated at the Ngoni cultural night and dinner dance at Intercontinental Hotel in Lusaka on January 30, 2015.
Culture is one form of identity and thus one without culture is either regarded as dead or lost.
Annually, several tribes in Zambia showcase their cultures through traditional ceremonies and the N’cwala of the Ngoni people in Eastern Province is one of the biggest and prestigious events in the country.
N’cwala is among the more than 20 traditional ceremonies in Zambia and this year’s event has been set for February 28, 2015 at Mutenguleni Village.
Holding of the N’cwala traditional ceremony, like any other, is an expensive undertaking and thus calls for a robust fundraising campaign for it to be held successfully.
Fundraising for such a daunting activity cannot be done single handedly and thus the formation of the N’cwala ceremony organising committee chaired by Betternow Finance Company (BFC) managing director Noel Nkoma.
Mr Nkoma’s committee comprises eminent people in society including former Lusaka Mayor Fisho Mwale as a trustee, among several others.
The budget for this year’s N’cwala traditional ceremony is K715,000 and about 50 chiefs from Zambia and Malawi have been invited to attend.
The N’cwala traditional ceremony attracts more than 10,000 people from different parts of the country and beyond. These include foreign and domestic tourists.
To lessen the burden of meeting the budget, various cooperating partners have come on board to assist with cash and in kind.
Among the stakeholders that have rendered their support towards the hosting of the ceremony is Government, which has helped in renovating the arena to the tune of KK139,000.
“We are grateful to the President (Edgar Lungu) for facilitating the process (renovations). It would not have been possible had it not been for the President,” Mr Nkoma said.
Zamtel is the main sponsor of the event while MTN Zambia is the gold sponsor and together, the two mobile service providers have assisted the committee in cash and in kind with a combined total of K450,000.
Other major sponsors include FNB, Stanbic Bank, Investrust Bank and Zambia National Building Society.
The cooperating partners are Zambia Air Force (ZAF), Energy Regulation Board, Zambia Information and Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) as well as the Road Transport and Safety Agency (RTSA).
With support from the aforementioned coupled with other modes of fundraising, Mr Nkoma is optimistic that the K715, 000 budget will be met before February 28, saying as at February 18, 2015, about K150,000 was remaining.
What should be people expect at the N’cwala traditional ceremony?

• PARAMOUNT Chief Mpezeni of the Ngoni people (seated).

Representing Paramount Chief Mpezeni, Chief Madzimawe said during the Ngoni cultural night and dinner dance that the N’cwala traditional ceremony is a unifier as it attracts people of different tribes thus making it a national event.
“Our ceremony is a truly Zambian ceremony. If we have Zambian ceremonies in this country, N’cwala ceremony is one of those ceremonies,” he said.
The N’cwala traditional ceremony is held in February each year to celebrate the first harvests of the year.
The ceremony is also meant to pay homage to the Ngoni ancestral spirits for victories in the many tribal wars during their migration from one area to another.
According to the Zambia Tourism Board, the Nc’wala ceremony involves Paramount Chief Mpezeni, dressed in leopard skin, re-enacting an old tradition which has roots in early Zulu culture.
Originally from South Africa, also fleeing Shaka Zulu, the Ngoni migrated into Eastern Zambia and adopted the fighting tactics of Shaka. They conquered indigenous tribes there with ease.
The day they crossed over the Zambezi was a momentous occasion marked by an eclipse of the sun and ceremonial beer drinking, stories of which are still told to this day.
They ruled this area in peace until they were conquered by colonial government in 1897 with troops coming in from Nyasaland (Malawi).
Their warlike festival of N’cwala was suppressed until independence and then revived.
The Chief must taste the first fruits of the land (usually maize, sugarcane and pumpkin). He must then experience a ritual rebirth which involves home confinement for a period of time before the blessing of the fruits.
When the crops ripen at the end of February, the first fruits are given to Paramount Chief Mpezeni as a sacramental meal and thanksgiving to God and the ancestors.
Upon receiving the fresh fruits, the Paramount Chief takes them into his palace and prepares for the long journey from his palace in the Luangeni Hill to Mtenguleni.
The celebrants are adorned in leopard skins, wielding spears, clubs, shields and eagle feathers.
Speeches are given. People sing and dance. Stomping of feet is another notable and phenomenal activity.
The chiefs from Eastern Province travel with their finest dancers to Mtenguleni Village. Each group dances before the Paramount Chief and he elects one group as the best warrior dancers.
The ceremony reaches its peak when a Ngoni warrior spears a black bull to death. The bull is selected and killed for the occasion.
Another warrior quickly slits the throat and collects the blood which Chief Mpezeni, wearing leopard skin, drinks.
The Ngonis with knives cut the carcass. Within a short period the animal is dissected and some parts are eaten right on the spot. Ngoni warriors who are known as hyenas eat some of the raw meat, intestines and organs.
On February 28, scores of people will witness the rich Ngoni culture.
With all things being equal, this year’s N’cwala ceremony will be another marvel and undoubtedly attract tourists who will bring foreign exchange into Zambia.