Trip to Zamiba: Likumbi Lya Mize Festival and Kulamba

Discover the highlights of this trip to Zambia

Likumbi Lya Mize Festival and Makishi rituals of the Luvale people

The core of the trip to Zambia will be participation in the Likumbi Lya Mize Festival. This Likumbi Lya Mize Festival is one of the most striking traditional ceremonies in Zambia. Over several days, we will witness the Makishi rituals of the Luvale people. The Makishi, ancestral spirits, symbolically emerge from the underground during the ritual. They then take possession of the dancers and move through the town with chants and dances. In this way, this ethnographic trip to Zambia allows close observation of an ancestral worldview. At dusk, the Makishi cross the river in traditional canoes. This gesture symbolises the passage from the world of the dead to that of the living. On the riverbank, they perform dances on the water and essential spiritual rituals. Afterwards, they proceed to the royal palace of Mize to swear loyalty to the Luvale king. If circumstances allow, we will have an audience with the traditional chief. This experience reinforces the character of the trip to Zambia focused on authentic tribal ceremonies. On the final day, the Makishi prostrate themselves before the monarch while the court sings historical epics. We will also see traditional dances, acrobats and ritual sacrifices. Finally, the initiates symbolically return to life through collective dances.

Safari in Kafue National Park: wild and little-explored nature

After the ceremonies, the trip to Zambia will continue to Kafue National Park. This site is one of the largest parks in Africa and remains scarcely visited. Therefore, it offers a particularly exclusive safari experience. During the photographic safari, we will explore savannahs, miombo woodlands and wetland areas. We will also travel through riverine landscapes linked to the Kafue River. This environmental diversity turns the trip to Zambia into a complete natural experience. In the Busanga Swamp, elephants, buffalo and numerous antelopes gather. There is also the possibility of observing lions and leopards in their natural habitat. Consequently, the trip to Zambia integrates ethnography and wildlife in a single journey.

Kulamba ceremonies and Nyau dances (Gule Wamukulu) of the Chewa people

The final stage of the trip to Zambia will take us to the eastern part of the country. There we will participate in the Kulamba ceremonies, celebrated by the Chewa people. These Kulamba ceremonies bring together dances, masks and community rituals of great symbolic significance. We will also admire the Nyau dances, known as Gule Wamukulu and protected by UNESCO. These Nyau Gule Wamukulu dances combine masks, music and historical narration. Therefore, they constitute one of the key elements of the ethnographic trip to Zambia. During the festival, snake charmers and “flying spirits” are presented. There is also the possibility of an encounter with the Paramount Chief Gawa Undi. That institutional contact will helps us understand the traditional political structure of the Chewa people.

Who is this trip ideal for?

This trip to Zambia is ideal for travellers interested in rituals and living cultures. It is particularly suitable for enthusiasts of anthropology and ethnographic photography. Also, it appeals to those seeking traditional ceremonies in Zambia beyond conventional tourist circuits. It is equally perfect for travellers wishing to combine tribal festivals and safari in Southern Africa. Furthermore, this ethnographic trip to Zambia will attract those who value direct contact with local communities. Ultimately, it is a unique proposal to understand the symbolism of the Makishi rituals, the Likumbi Lya Mize Festival and the Kulamba ceremonies within a single coherent itinerary.

© Photos by Germano Mignani taken during a trip to Zambia.

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