Zambia Zambia (), officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country at the crossroads of Central, Southern and East Africa, although it is typically referred to as being in Southern Africa at its most central point. Its neighbours are t ...

, the Shimunenga ceremony of the Ba-

Ila people The Ila people are an ethnic group in The Republic of Zambia who make up 0.8 percent of the total population. The Ila are closely related in language and culture to their more numerous Tonga neighbours in Southern Province. The Ila people mainly ...

of Maala in Namwala District is celebrated on the weekend of the

full moon The full moon is the lunar phase when the Moon appears fully illuminated from Earth's perspective. This occurs when Earth is located between the Sun and the Moon (when the ecliptic longitudes of the Sun and Moon differ by 180°). This means ...

in September or October. Early in the morning of the first day, people gather at the shrine of Shimunenga, to chant traditional songs. There is also a cultural march of women and girls in traditional attire, followed by performances by traditional dancers. On the following morning, a drum sounds and animals are taken to the river, where cattle are displayed in the traditional manner. The first cattle to cross the river will be those of the custodian of the shrine. This is followed by a demonstration of a mock lion hunt and pelican fishing. The occasion is marked with traditional songs in honour and praise of the Shimunenga ancestral spirits. Celebrations continue in the village with pit-stops for traditional beer at different places. The shimunenga ceremony takes place in the middle October and November.

External links

Namwala.com
Festivals in Zambia Religious festivals in Zambia Folk festivals in Zambia Spring (season) events in Zambia Spring holidays (Southern Hemisphere) {{zambia-stub