PEACEFUL CO-EXISTENCE: EXPLORING THE CONCEPT OF “CHIMBUYA” IN ZAMBIA
One of Zambia’s proudest accolades is the fact that for many generations the various ethnic groups in the country have been able to co-exist peacefully and foster a relationship of unity in diversity. Traditional practices have been at the center of cementing this unity. One such traditional practice is “Chimbuya”
The term “Chimbuya” refers to the practice of traditional tribal cousinship. Tribal cousinship is a cultural norm that is rooted in humor, jokes and mutual respect. In Zambia today, humor based on tribal cousinship is part of everyday life. When Easterners and Northerners meet, they exchange jokes and mock each other. In a similar way, when Southerners and Westerners meet, they exchange jokes and make fun of each other. This humorous interaction among traditional cousins is most prominent during traditional gatherings such as marriage and funeral ceremonies. During funerals, it is common to see tribal cousins throwing powder and mealie-meal at each other as a way to demonstrate “Chimbuya”. It is also common to see incidents such as one group “taking over” a social event organized by their cousin group and doing things like supervising the kitchen or getting all the food as a way of demonstrating their “power” in a light hearted manner. Incidents where one group causes mischief in a cheerful manner during a traditional ceremony of their cousin group is also a demonstration of this intriguing relationship.
In order to have an appreciation of the importance of the concept of “Chimbuya” in Zambia society, it is important to explore the origins of this “traditional cousinship”.
Chimbuya is believed to have been coined by the Bembas and Ngonis in the 19th Century at the height of a fierce rivalry between the two groups. Frequent wars erupted between the two groups as they fought for superiority. Ngonis who took pride in their status as a kingdom of warriors went toe-to-toe with Bembas who felt they had military superiority because of the guns they had acquired through trading with Arabs.
In view of the tragic consequences that war had for both groups, they both saw no point in continuing with military hostility. It is believed that the concept of “Chimbuya” was introduced to control the antagonism between the two groups and enhance social cohesion. With time, the concept of “Chimbuya” became entrenched through mutual respect. Other groupings found in the Eastern part of the country such as the Nsenga, Chewa and Tumbuka also cultivated this relationship with the Bemba speaking people in the North. In Zambia today, anyone who is from the North is seen as the tribal cousin of one who is from the East.
The traditional cousinship that exists in other parts of the country also originated from some form of inter-tribal conflict. For example, conflict between Tongas and Lozis also created a rivalry that was pacified by the creation of tribal cousinship. Kaonde, Lamba and Lozi cousinship came into existence as a way to put an end to the armed attacks among these groups. Overtime, groups like the Lundas, Luvales etc all became part of this combination of tribal cousinship.
As generations have passed, the wars of the past are now a distant memory. Peace, love and unity are what characterize Zambia’s tribes as they interact with each other. In the eyes of many people, “Chimbuya” has been a very important factor in fostering national cohesion.
It is therefore important that the practice of “Chimbuya” is kept alive and thriving for the next generation. Feel free to explain in the comments section some of your memorable experiences when doing “Chimbuya” with your tribal cousins.
(By Zambian Footprints)