Pathfinders: Zambian Culture |
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Zambian CultureZambia, formerly known as Northern Rhodesia, is made up of 72 tribes living in 9 provinces. While English is the official language of Zambia, many tribal languages are still spoken. The main tribal groups are Bemba, Nyanja, Lozi and Tonga with Bemba being the most widely spoken native language. Approximately 75% of the country is Christian, though many tribes combine Christianity with their own indigenous beliefs. Zambian music is typically drum based and is used to accompany native dances. Using both the University of Texas Libraries Online and the Google search engine, I used the search terms “Zambia culture”, “Zambian music” and “Zambian recipes”. While most of my research was conducted through the University of Texas, you may request these items through your local library. What is daily life like in Zambia? Tembo, M. S. (n.d.). Zambia: People and culture. Retrieved March 7, 2005, from Bridgewater College, Dept. of Sociology Web site: http://www.bridgewater.edu/~mtembo/ Dr. Tembo received his M.A. in Sociology and Psychology from the University of Zambia and is currently an Associate Professor for Bridgewater College. His Website contains his writings about culture in Zambia including recipes, poems, and festivals as well as the aids epidemic in Zambia. Vogan, R. (2000). Zambia: Cultural Profiles Project. Retrieved March 3, 2005, from Citizenship & Immigration Canada Web site: http://www.afrika.no/index/Countries/Zambia/index.html Published by the Canadian government, this site includes information on Zambian holidays, art, food, literature, family life and sports. The site includes a brief history of Zambia and offers further readings. Where can I learn about or listen to Zambian music? Fowler, D. (2000, December). Some old Ila songs and verses. Journal of African Cultural Studies, 13(2), 227-237. This article reviews songs of the Ila along with the situations in which they were sung. Included are children’s songs, initiation songs, beer drinking songs, songs of encouragement, hunting and fishing songs, ceremonial hymns, begging songs, personal songs, and mourning dirges. Various Artists (1995). Zambiance [Recorded by B. Mandelson]. On Zambiance [CD]. London: Globe Style. Performed by various Zambian artists, this CD contains 11 songs from several Zambian languages including: Bemba, Mambwe, Tonga, Luvale, Lozi, and Nyanja. What are some of the typical foods eaten in Zambia? World Hope Organization (n.d.). Simple Zambian Recipes. Retrieved March 7, 2005, from http://www.worldhope.org/multimedia/MTE_Zambian_Recipes.pdf A website with recipes for 2 popular Zambian recipes: nshima & ifisashi. Where can I find some examples of traditional Zambian storytelling? Vyas, C. (1974). Folk tales of Zambia. Lusaka, Zambia: National Educational Company of Zambia Ltd. This collection of Zambia folk tales was recorded by Vyas with the help of interpreters in Lusaka. Included is the “Lunda Myth of Creation and Death”. Aardema, V. (1997). This for that: A Tonga tale. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers. This retelling of a Tonga folk tale centers around a con‑artist rabbit bartering for water. The moral of the story is “a lie may travel far, but the truth will overtake it”. Ages 4-8. Where can I learn about some of the tribes and languages of Zambia? Ethnologue (2004, December). Languages of Zambia. Retrieved March 7, 2005, from http://www.ethnologue.com/show_country.asp?name=Zambia The Languages of Zambia Website lists all the spoken living languages. Each language has a link with information such as dialects, population speaking the particular language, and the regions where the language is spoken. Also includes a map of Zambia divided by language spoken. Roberts, A. D. (1973). A history of the Bemba: Political growth and change in north-eastern Zambia before 1900. Madison, Wisconsin: University of Wisconsin Press. This book recounts the pre‑colonial history of the Bemba, an agricultural people and one of the largest tribes in Zambia. Under British rule, the Bemba were the main source of labor for the mines of Central and Southern Africa.
If you have further questions, please contact me at laurayoung@mail.utexas.edu or see your reference librarian.
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