Abel Mboozi
10 April 2003
THE Kuomboka ceremony represents the annual migration of the Lozi Litunga and his subjects from the floods of the Barotse plain to the highlands of Mongu.
Using the huge barge, the Nalikwanda, the Lozi king is paddled from his summer capital, Lealui, to the winter palace at Limulunga where he stays until the water subsides.
Over the years, the ceremony has become an annual spectacle that attracts tourists from within the country and outside.
On the morning of the ceremony, a heavy traffic of boats leaves Mongu for Lealui to go and witness the start of the Litunga's journey.
The boat-rides to Lealui are a spectacle on their own as they involve coxswains outdoing each other on the ocean-like expanse of water that is the Barotse plain in the dry season.
Under normal circumstances, the Litunga's "voyage" from Lealui to Limulunga begins at about 11:00 hours and lasts about five to six hours.
This year's event, however, suffered two unexpected setbacks caused by rains and the presence of silt in the Lealui-Limulunga canal which resulted in the huge Nalikwanda barge getting bogged down.
While the scheduled departure time from Lealui was 09:00 hours, the Nalikwanda only left two hours later because of the rains.
Before departure from Lealui, praise singers braved the rains and sung praise of their King in the "Siluyana" language which the Lozi spoke before being conquered by the Makololo who fled Shaka's wars about 150 years ago.
After being implored to emerge and embark on the journey by the praise singers, the Litunga, accompanied by Vice-President Enoch Kavindele and clad in identical traditional skirt-like "Siziba" attire, walked towards the Nalikwanda in readiness for the journey.
At that juncture, anyone who crossed the Litunga's path or came too near him risked being sjamboked by the Litunga's security men called "Imilema."
As the voyage got under way, one paddler on the Nalikwanda was thrown overboard for having been drunk.
Even those not adept at paddling are said to risk meeting the same fate when identified.
At exactly 11:00 hours, the journey started with Mr Kavindele accompanying the chief up to a certain point where he disembarked to return to Mongu by boat with a view to welcoming him on arrival at Limulunga.
Also in attendance to welcome the chief at Limulunga was United Party for National Development (UPND) president Anderson Mazoka and two of his members of Parliament, Crispin Sibetta and Francis Simenda for Luena and Mongu Central, respectively.
After disembarking from the Nalikwanda at about 18:45 hours and majestically walking to the palace at Limulunga, some dances were performed at the palace arena to mark the Litunga's successful journey with men dancing "Ngomalume."
Apparently, on the journey from Lealui, the Litunga had changed from the "Siziba" attire to the 19th century British navy admiral's uniform that all previous Litungas have been adorning since time immemorial.
To welcome him also at Limulunga's "Nayuma" harbour as his barge docked, were Agriculture and Cooperative Minister Mundia Sikatana, MMD spokesperson Akashambatwa Mbikusita-Lewanika and other members from the Barotse royal family.
At the close of the ceremony at the palace, Mr Kavindele bade farewell to the Litunga who led him to his car. There after, Mr Kavindele retired to his Ngulu Hotel in Mongu.
The vice-president described the ceremony as the mother of traditional events in Zambia and one that had earned itself international recognition.
"It is an elaborate and unique event where the royals, the princes and princesses and the Indunas have their own unique dances," he said.
Mr Kavindele said the ceremony had now become a premier tourism attraction as evidenced by the large number of foreign tourists who witnessed it this year.
He said Government felt encouraged by the able manner in which the Lozi people organised their ceremony and challenged other tribes to do the same if theirs were to gain international recognition too.
"You may wish to know that the financing of this ceremony was borne by the Lozi people themselves. This is how it should be with other ceremonies," he said.
He reiterated Government's continued support to traditional ceremonies in the country.
Mr Kavindele, however, expressed sadness at the delay of the Litunga's arrival caused by the silt that clogged the canal and said there was need to dredge the canal before the event in future.
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