The Vambunda (singular Kambunda,
adjective and language Mbunda, Mbúùnda or
Chimbúùnda) are a Bantu people who, during the
Bantu migrations, came from the north to south-eastern
Angola and finally Barotseland, now part of Zambia.
Their core is at present found in the south-east of
Angola from the Lunguevungu river in Moxico to the
Cuando Cubango Province.
The Vambunda comprise a number of subgroups, each of
which speaks its own dialect: Mbunda Mathzi (Katavola),
Yauma,[1]
Nkangala,[2]
Mbalango, Sango, Shamuka (Chiyengele) and Ndundu,
all of them alive in southeast Angola.[3]
Origins
According to the oral tradition of the Vambunda, the
first Mbunda Monarch was King Mwene Nkuungu. It was
along the tributaries to the Zambezi that the first
Mbunda settled in the now eastern Angola.
After the crossing of the Lyambayi or Zambezi river,
as it is known today, the Mbunda under the leadership of
Vamwene Kaamba ka Mbaao travelled up to a tributary of
the Luena River, Angola in the now Angola which they
named Mithimoyi. They settled along the Mithimoyi river,
the second river southwards after crossing Luena River,
Angola from Luena, Moxico Province[4].
Others call it Sakasaji river after a Chokwe village
around that area, and now called Mishimoyi River,
Angola, and they settled near its confluence with the
Luena river, with the first Mbunda capital assuming the
name of Mithimoyi[5].
However, the need for more settlement land was still
vital to the quickly growing population. Queen Vamwene
Kaamba sent some of the Mbunda to search for more
settlement land to the south. The group settled at
nearby river region called Luchathzi, who were later
called after that river as Luchazi.
This expansion, which was later spearheaded by the
12th and 13th Mbunda monarchs, King Mwene Kathangila ka
Mukenge and King Yambayamba Kapanda expeditions
respectively, also gave way to dialects such: Katavola
(Mbunda Mathzi), Yauma,[6]
Nkangala,[7]
Mbalango, Sango, Ciyengele ("Shamuka"), and Ndundu, all
of which are close.[8]
all of them alive in southeast Angola. Out of the two
route migrations of the Mbunda from the confluence of
Kwilu and Kasai rivers, southeast of the now Angola was
inhabited by a thirteen Mbunda descendant ethnicity of
the Mbunda Mathzi(Katavola], the Chimbandi, the Humbi,
the Ngonjelo, the Luimbi, the Nyemba, the Luchazi, the
Sango, the Mbalango, the Nkangala, the Yauma, the Ndundu
and the Mashaka.
The Mbunda continued expanding southwards to a larger
settlement, where the Mbunda Kingdom continued to
flourish in what became known as Mbundaland from
Lungwevungu river to Chibanda or southern border with
Namibia, while Lumbala Nguimbo became their capital,
where His Majesty King Mbandu III Mbandu Lifuti reigns
today.
War with the Chokwe
Meanwhile, back in Mbundaland the Mbunda people were
involved in a fiece battle with the Chokwe people. That
came about after the death of the 19th Mbunda monarch
King Mwene Katavola I Mwechela, who was believed to have
been assassinated after an abolitionist cabal,
clandestinely plotted against him due to his
promulgating a royal decree which forbade intermarriages
with other nationalities. His successor and 20th Mbunda
monarch, King Mwene Katavola II Musangu, who was
believed to be one of the plotters of his assassination
contravened the royal decree of his predecessor by his
passion for a Chokwe slave beauty named Nyakoma, who was
owned by the Chokwe Chief called Mwa Mushilinjinji whom
he allocated land to settle at the Luwe, a tributary of
the Nengu river. The marriage proposal was turned down
by Mushilinjinji[9]
because it was a universal taboo for a royal personage
like the king to marry a slave, no matter how attracted
he was to her because the offspring of such a marriage
could never qualify as royals. That resulted in his
declaration of war against the Chokwe people and an
attempt to chase them out of the Mbundaland. He was
killed within a few days after the Mbunda-Chokwe battle,
having been ambushed and killed by the Chokwe guards who
then ran away, all the way back to their original
homeland in the present-day Democratic Republic of the
Congo. The war conclusively ended in favour of the
Mbunda, with his predecessor and 21st Mbunda monarch,
King Mwene Mbandu I Lyondthzi Kapova who waged a
systematic war of vengeance against the Chokwe for his
nephew's death.
It is as a result of those battles, that gave birth
to the Mbunda and Chokwe cousinship, up to today, and
extended to Zambia. However, the Chokwes who did not
migrate to Mbundaland and remained in their country of
origin, do not know about this cousinship that came
about because of the King Katavola II Musangu war,
because their forefathers did not witness that war. Some
are only imitating the cousinship and applying it in a
different way from the Chokwes and the Mbunda of
Mbundaland. It is customary for most Africans to have
cousinship relations after a war. It is a good custom
because it heals the wounds of war and promote peace and
friendship among the warring parties.[10]
War with the Luvale
King Mwene Mbandu I Lyondthzi Kapova also led the
Mbunda in their armed confrontation with the Luvale who
were anxious to break the military power and
independence of the Mbunda state and wanted to capture
slaves for sale. The two opposing military forces
engaged each other in armed combat in the Lunjweva area
where he shot and killed Masambo,[11]
the leader of the invading Luvale forces. With the
elimination of Masambo, the invaders were put to rout
and forced to beat a hasty and disorderly retreat back
to their homeland.[12]
Migration to Barotseland
At the end of the 18th century some of the Mbunda
migrated to Barotseland, Mongu.[13]
upon the migration of among others, the Ciyengele
[14]
The Mbunda people migration areas
from Mbundaland, now Angola to the now
Zambia, starting in the latter part of the
18th century
The Aluyi and their leader, the Litunga Mulambwa
especially prized the Mbunda for their ability to fight.
When the Luvale also known as Lovale invaded Barotseland
from the north, the Mbunda countered the invasion and
were victorious, ending the Lovale invasions.[15][16]
King Mulambwa also cemented the bond of friendship
between the Aluyi and the Mbunda[17]
with a ten (10) point Mulambwa/Chiyengele Treaty[18]
and ceremonially giving a sharp pointed pole called
mulombwe to Mwene Chitengi Chiyengele and confirmed his
stay in Barotseland as the Senior Chief of the Mbunda.
This and other factors earned the Mbunda to be included
on the Barotse National Council.[19][20]
Secondly, the Mbunda fought alongside Aluyi in the
Aluyi/Makololo war in 1830, which ousted the Makololo
occupation of Barotseland, leading to the establishment
of the Mbunda Chieftainship at Lukwakwa under Senior
Chief Mwene Sikufele now in Kabompo District, being a
descendant of the Mbunda that supported Prince Mubukwanu
of the Aluyi.[21]
The Makololo from the south introduced the Sotho
language spoken not only in Western Province today but
also Botswana, Lesotho, South Africa and Caprivi Strip.[22][23]
The Mbunda also fought alongside the Aluyi against
the Tonga in the 1880s, emerging victory as the Tonga
had no defense against the Mbunda‘s skill with a bow and
arrow, resulting in the Lozi/Mbunda and Tonga
Cousinship. Later the Kaonde/Lozi war which Lozis won
with the help of the Mbunda war machinery, resulting in
the Mbunda Chieftainship of Chief Mwene Kasimba having
firmly been established there at the confluence of the
Lalafuta and Kyamenge in 1893, opposite Chief Mushima
Njivumina of the Kaonde. In honoring the
Mulambwa/Chiyengele Treaty, the Mbunda have remained the
true allies of the Aluyi both in military and political
matters.[24]
The Mbunda lived peacefully, tendering their cattle and
growing cassava, maize and rice, while many of the men
left their homes to work in the South African mines.
With Zambia independence from British rule that came in
1964, the practice was discouraged and the men were then
recruited to work on the sugar plantations of Zambia.
Resistance to Portuguese occupation of Mbundaland
At the beginning of the 20th century due to their
resistance to Portuguese colonial occupation, when the
Portuguese colonialists abducted the twenty first (21st)
Mbunda Monarch, King Mwene Mbandu I Lyondthzi Kapova,
the Mbunda waged a fierce armed campaigns in defending
their Mbundaland. Technology however, aided the
Portuguese forces in gaining an upper hand in the war as
they had a consistent supply of gunpowder for their
guns. Without the knowledge to make gunpowder, the
Mbunda eventually found their muzzle-loaders useless and
increasingly relied on their bows and arrows as well as
a few other traditional arms which were suited for close
contact warfare. The Portuguese firepower took a heavy
toll of the Mbunda, some of whom started to throw their
muzzle-loaders in the rivers for lack of gunpowder. The
Portuguese eventually dislodged the Mbunda Kingdom
extending Angola territory over Mbundaland. This caused
the second migration of the Mbunda to Barotseland.[25]
The
Mbunda people migration areas
from Mbundaland, now Angola to the now
Namibia, after the Mbunda resistance to
Portuguese occupation, starting in the
earlier part of the 20th century
And later because of the impact of the Angolan War of
Independence (1961–1974), the decolonization conflict in
Angola (1974/75).[26]
Independence came to Angola in November 1975 and with
independence came Angolan Civil War (1975–2002). Again
many of the Mbunda fled Angola to relocate in nearby
western Zambia, this marked the third and fourth wave of
Mbunda immigration to the now Western Province of
Zambia. These refugees were related to the Mbunda who
were already living around Kalabo, Senanga, Mongu,
Kaoma, Lukulu and Kabompo in Zambia. As a consequence of
the latter, a number of the Mbunda also took refuge in
Northern Namibia, the west and east of Kavango Region
region, around Rundu and Nkurenkuru and Caprivi Strip.[27]
Royal Governance
The Mbunda system of traditional rule had been such
that sovereign rule of the entire Kingdom was vested in
the king who had to come from the central matrilineal
line of the royal hierarchy. This somewhat limited the
number of aspiring royals to the central throne. The
King had absolute authority so that when he made a
decision his or her decision was not questioned but was
to be carried out. The two main functions of a King were
to legislate rules and govern the community. At the same
time there was an effective, decentralized system of
traditional rule in the numerous areas and localities
which composed Mbundaland. Here numerous princes and
princesses fulfilled their roles as chiefs and
chieftainesses of the people under their jurisdiction.
This system of traditional rule had been one of the
fundamental factors which had contributed to the
relative stability and consolidation of the Mbunda
national state ever since the era of the renowned
founder King Mwene Yambayamba Kapanda, the 13th Mbunda
monarch.[28]
Economic Activities
The Vambunda are talented iron (vutale) and
copper (vunegu) workers and proficient hunters and
soldiers with their bows and arrows.[29]
Both men and women are good at fishing. While men use
nets and other implements, women use special kind of
baskets to catch fish. They are also remarkably skilled
at a number of economic activities, such as:
Mbunda women on a fishing expedition,
carrying fishing baskets called "Matambi"
over their shoulders
Art of making pots and jars of baked clay
They collect clay from the plain or the river banks,
put it in a special container called liwati and wet it
with water, after pounding it they then mix it with
burnt clay powder called vunga vwa vitambi.
Wood-carvings
Men cut pieces of trees and carve them into pounding
sticks, mortars, spear and fish-spear shafts,
knife-handles, walking sticks, axe and hoe handles,
poles, curios, canoes and oars and also musical
instruments, vithandthzi, a type of harp, vinkuvu,
drums, stools, bowls, pounding troughs and other
utensils.
Weaving, bark-cloth making
Men peel off the bark of big trees such as mushovi
and munyumbe and hammer them on a plank with mallets
called vithano till they become soft. These bark cloths
are called vifundo and when the work is completed, the
vifundo or maina! can be worn around the waist and also
used as blankets.
Basket-making
Women make winnowing baskets, small bowl baskets
called vingalo for food and big bowl shaped baskets
called mendeko for keeping mealie meal and other things
out of the roots of mijalu trees and small roots called
tujalu. Men make fishing baskets called matambi out of a
species of reeds called manenga, mats out of mateve
(papyrus) called manala, also manala or mats out of long
grass called n'olokoko as well as mavoya and kambanga
water grass.
Salt-making
Long ago the Mbunda people introduced their own salt
called mukele. Mukele is made out of the following
grasses: mulele, stalks of maize and millet, mateve
(papyrus) and cassava stalks.
Plant and animal oil-making
This is mainly for women again with the help of men.
Oil is made out of wild fruits that bears fat and some
of them are edible.
Apart from all that, Mbunda people cultivate the
tropical forest which are found in where they live, and
grow assorted crops. They grow maize, millet, sorghum,
beans, and sweet potatoes and cassava being their staple
food. They also keep domestic stock. Their traders
before the Protuguese occupation for all these
activities came into contact with the Portuguese, and
Ovimbundu traders of Bié Plateau of central Angola, who
largely traded in bee wax, ivory trade and rubber, in
exchange with guns and cloth material.[30]
Religion
The Mbunda like many other societies of the world are
a religious people. They have two religious traditions
which coexist in Mbunda society: the traditional
religious practices and the modern religious practices
and beliefs which are a combination of traditional and
Christian influences. Overwhelmingly the Vambunda follow
Christianity, with roughly equal shares falling to the
Catholic Church and to different Protestant
denominations, mainly the Igreja Evangélica
Congregacional de Angola (IECA), founded by American
missionaries.
Missionary Rev. Albert Bailey, of the Africa
Evangelical Fellowship (then called the South African
General Mission) entered Angola in 1914 and opened a
mission station on Luanginga River and, with the aid of
the Mbunda speaking man from Rhodesia, engaged in
compiling a vocabulary – one of the first steps in the
acquisition of an unwritten language. The work of
translating the Mbunda Bible was started in eanerst.
Still in 1914, a revolt by the Mbunda people against
the Portuguese Colonialists following the abduction of
the (21st) Mbunda Monarch, King Mwene Mbandu I Lyondthzi
Kapova of the Mbundaland to the east of Angola[31]
caused large numbers of the local people to flee across
the border into Barotseland, now Zambia. In 1916, Mr.
Bailey decided to find a more populated location and,
with the Governor’s permission, built a station at Muie,
in Mbundaland, under siege from the Portuguese
Colonialists. In 1918, following the fall of Mbundaland
at the hands of the Portuguese Colonialists in 1917, J.
Jakeman and Andrew McGill relieved Mr. Bailey and
established a number of out-posts among the Mbunda and
Luchazi people. In the ensuing years, four more stations
were established: Cunjamba, N'inda, Casuango and Catota
all in the fallen Mbundaland.
The book of John, was translated by the Rev Albert W
Bailey known as (Avele), it was printed at Kamundongo
Mission of United Church of Canada, now IECA- Igreja
Evangelica Congregacional em Angola, in 1919; The book
of Matthew in Mbunda and Portuguese was translated by
Abraham at Muie in 1925; The book of Mark was translated
by Rev. John C Procter at Muie also in 1925 and another
edition of Rev Bailey's translation was published in
diglot at Muie in 1928; The book of Luke was by Mateo at
Muie in 1927 and also Hymnal in Portuguese and Mbunda.
The Committee of reviewers consisted of Rev. Albert W
Bailey, Rev. John C Procter, A McGill, Dr P.V. Watson.
Mbunda people had books since 1919 in Mbunda
language, which were destroyed by the Portuguese
colonialists who considered Mbunda people as rebels and
forced to translate them into Luchazi, even though in
1932 the missionaries reported that their work was being
carried on among different ethnic groups: The Chokwe,
Mbunda, Luchazi, Mashi, Nkangala, Umbundu, Lwimbi,
Chimbandi and Songo. Others were: Mbukushu, Nyemba,
Nkhumbi, Ngambwe, Omwila, Kwanyama, Kubale, Makoma and
Yauma.
In 1937 Mr. and Mrs. Pearson initiated a Bible
Training School at Muie, with the New Testament
(published in 1935) as their only textbook. At Muie
Leonard and Nellie Brain had charge of the church work
and operation of the mission station.[32]
However, Rev and Mrs. Emil Pearson missionary work which
they started in Angola from 1919 to September 1966
turned out to be a fight against the Mbunda people as
opposed to Missionary J.W.V. Jakeman work who was in
favour of using the Mbunda language in ministry work.
Despite the hospitality from the Mbunda people, they
joined the Portuguese Colonialists in increasing
animosity between the Mbunda and their Luchazi brothers.
Mbunda people wanted their Bible translated in Mbunda
language, but the missionaries quickly concluded that
Mbunda, Luchazi and Nyemba were the same and decided to
translate the Luchazi Bible instead. They joined the
Portuguese Colonialists who wanted Mbunda language
completely wiped out of Angola and replaced by Luchazi
language in revenge for the many Portuguese lives lost
at war, at the hand of the Mbunda people. Consequently,
missionary Emil Pearson created Ngangela, by mixing
Luvale, Luchazi, Mbunda, and Luimbi languages to allow a
single translation of the Bible to serve all four
communities.[33]
Two of the Members of the Mbunda Bible
Translation Committee in Kaoma, Zambia:
Mr. Elijah Kavita (97) left and Mr.
Jeremiah Maliti Nkwanda (99) on 1st January,
2006.
The battle for Mbunda Bible translation in Mbunda
language continued, in Zambia, with Missionary Robert
Wesley Brain in Luampa, Kaoma District in Zambia,[34]
continuing to fight the Mbunda Bible translation work,
by his reporting a Mr. Elijah Kavita who was
instrumental in translating the Mbunda Bible to be a
witch. All what Mr. Kavita was alleged to have uttered
was that he would kill some people for fighting the
Mbunda Bible translation. Missionary Brain insinuated
that since an African threat to kill was not by a gun,
Mr. Kavita might have meant killing by witchcraft. This
supposition caused Mr. Kavita to be removed from the
translation team, and the Mbunda Bible translation work
came to a standstill in 1982.[35]
Missionary Brain was deported from Zambia and blamed his
deportation on the Mbunda people.[36]
During a Mbunda workshop conducted by Dr. Hope in 1987
participants requested that the writing of certain words
in Mbunda should be standardised and, that the
translators should be guided as to how to write certain
Mbunda words.
Launching of the Mbunda Bible in Lusaka,
Zambia.
However, on 17 April 1989 it was resolved to drop the
argument on the four major Luchazi spelling problems of
"s", "z", "nz" and "ts" as opposed to the Mbunda "th", "thz",
"ths" and "ndthz", and go ahead with the translation as
there was always room for revision. The point in mind
was that, the Bible Society of Zambia had received
requests to review the writing in the Lozi and Bemba
Bibles. The Mbunda Bible was finally printed and
launched on 17 August 2008 in Angola and 31 January 2009
in Zambia. However the Mbunda Bible translation is still
heavily saturated with Luchazi spellings.
Some Mbunda people though, still retain beliefs and
practices from African traditional religions, believing
in Njambi as a supreme creator of the world who created
everything of existence on earth. Their religion did not
address Njambi directly, but through the spirits of
their ancestors.[37]
Traditions and rituals
The Mbunda have maintained most of their old
traditions such as respect for their ancestors, “coming
of age” rituals for both boys (Mukanda Initiation
Ceremony and their not less than fifty Makithi
artifacts), girls (Litungu or Bwali), relying on cattle,
goats, wild meat, fish, chicken and cassava for their
food, men carry weapons such as bow and arrows, spears
or machetes when traveling away from their villages and
women still creating baskets from makenge roots.[38]
At the beginning of the planting season or when a
hunter failed to kill animals, the people of a village
gathered at fetish poles (vimbundi) marked or coloured
with red and white
Mbunda fetish poles (Vimbundi) used in
Traditional and Ritual worship
clay placed in the appropriate place, often outside
the house just near the door directly against the bed
where the heads point when people are asleep, to worship
and pray to their ancestors, before the field activities
start. This is also done when making offerings to there
ancestors, during sicknesses or deaths where evil
spirits were suspected, when bad dreams have been
experienced and when summoning rains during a drought.
Offerings are made in the form of a sacrifice such as
killing an animal, a chicken, goat, cow, pig or sheep or
any living thing with the exception of a human being.
The blood of the animal was rubbed against the fetish
poles (vimbundi) as respect, praise and honour to God
and the spirits.
Origin of The Mbunda Mukanda Circumcision Ritual
Mukanda, is an initiation ritual for boys, which is
practiced by the Mbunda. Usually, the young boys live
for three to six months at a bush camp away from their
villages after circumcission, to be taught practical
survival-skills as well as knowledge about nature,
religion, social practices and values. During that
period a Makithi masquerade of not less
Mbunda Mukanda circumcision camp in the bush
outside a village, away from females and the
uncircumcised
One of the not less than 50 Mbunda Makithi
artifacts
than fifty (50) exclusive Mbunda artifacts is
exhibited, and dances involving the pantomime-like
artistry artifacts is performed as a cultural
entertainment to the community. At the end of this
initiation period, the boys are reintegrated into the
community. This ritual is also practiced by other
ethnicities like the Chokwe the Luvale and the Luchazi,
with the Mbunda being the major stakeholders in the
Makishi masquerade as pronounced by others, owning not
less than fifty (50) exclusive Mbunda artifacts.
It is believed that a Mbunda Prince Consort
Mukwetunga Kamenga who was sent by the 10th Mbunda
monarch King Mwene Katete ka Lweembe in pursuit of the
elephants, strayed onto a Mukanda Circumcision camp for
the Mbwela people, near the present day Angola and the
Democratic Republic of the Congo border
[39] in Lubaland.
This led to him getting circumcised and introduced the
Mukanda circumcision ritual to the Mbunda upon his
return. When Prince Consort Mukwetunga Kamenga returned
with the Mukanda circumcision ritual, he found King
Mwene Katete ka Lweembe who sent him had died and the
Prince Consort's wife, Princesses Vamunamwene Mukenge
had succeeded him. Queen Vamwene Mukenge, Livindamo was
the last female Mbunda monarch. That was as a result of
the circumcision ritual adoption meant for men only,
which led to female rulership being subordinated to male
political authority. This change meant that only male
royalty could be enthroned as sovereign rulers or
monarchs of the Mbunda Kingdom. Female royalty could
henceforth never again assume the Mbunda monarch.[40]
Mbunda Annual Ceremonies
The Mbunda have four annual ceremonies in which
Mbunda people of Angola, Congo, Namibia and Zambia join
to praise their Creator the Almighty God for the
blessings on them in providing good harvest for the
year. These ceremonies are: One in Angola called
Lithathe Lya Miondo Ya Mbunda, celebrated every
second week of August with the weekend being the climax,
in Lumbala Nguimbo, Moxico at the palace of His Majesty
King Mbandu III Mbandu Lifuti. Three in Zambia, with the
first called
Mbunda Mbalango Lyenya, celebrated every August at
Chief Muundu palace in Liumba, Kalabo District of
Western Zambia. The second called
Mbunda Liyoyelo, celebrated every September at Chief
Chiyengele Chingumbe II palace at Kayombo in Kabompo
District of North Western Province of Zambia. The third
called
Mbunda Lukwakwa, celebrated during the first week of
October with the weekend being the climax at Senior
Chief Sikufele's palace at Manyinga in Kabompo District.
All these ceremonies showcase the Mbunda makishi
masquerade, wood carvings, a variety of Mbunda
traditional foods and dances.
Monthly and Seasonal Activities
Names
of Months
| English |
Mbunda |
Monthly Activities |
| January |
Kavalana |
In a traditional proverb it is said of
January that: "Ngonde ku ivambala mawa. Ya
vambala na vilya vya maxamgu".
Which means: This month is not important on
its own but owes its importance to the
harvesting of millet.
|
| February |
Kutatu |
It is the month that the new crop of millet
is tasted. There is not adequate relish yet food
is plentiful. There are heavy rains. |
| March |
Kuwana |
Time to meet in field huts to drink millet
brewed beer and rejoice because they have
reached the time of new crops according to the
Mbunda, it was their new year. |
| April |
Kuhu |
Time for harvests from fields to be taken
home and put it in granaries. |
| May |
Kathikana |
The cold season is just beginning and it is
time initiation ceremonies are prepared and
begun |
| June |
Kavavu |
Time trees and grass have withered by the
cold. |
| July |
Kondamema |
The coldness is believed to break rocks and
water left outside on dishes freezes. |
| August |
Kaxukwe |
Trees begin to loose their leaves. Clearing
and preparation of fields for cultivation,
sowing and planting start. |
| September |
Kapepo |
Sorghum is thrashed. Signs of rain manifest
themselves by the appearance of dark clouds and
thunder. Forests are burned. |
| October |
Lipepo |
Small lakes dry up. Side paths are created
to avoid the hotness of the main paths. This
month is sometimes called Kwenya, meaning
burning. |
| November |
Kandthzimbi |
Trees are green all over and flowers appear
on plants. Preliminary rains have begun to
shower and in scattered places heavy rains fall.
These rains are called nyondthzi ya cikaluvula,
meaning early rains. |
| December |
Ndthzimbi |
There are heavy rains. Many fruits decay;
mushrooms are growing while others are rotting.
Birds are not healthy. Starvation looms, because
food reserves have run out. Many go to work for
others to get food. This month is often referred
to as Ndungu, which means hunger. |
Seasons of The Year
| English |
Mbunda |
Seasonal Activities |
| Summer |
Ntondwe |
These are the months of Kashukwe (August),
Kapepo (September) and Lipepo (October). It is
in this season that fields are cleared and
millet is sowed and cassava plants are planted.
Many fruits ripen in the forests. it is also hot
and people begin to make side paths to avoid the
heat of the main paths. |
| Spring or Autumn |
Ndombo |
This is five months including Kandthzimbi
(November). Ndthzimbi (December), Kavalana
(January), Kutatu (February) and Kuwana (March).
During this time other fruits such as manjongolo,
vithala, vixole ripen while those. which ripened
in summer rot away. Mushrooms grow and become
important sources of relish. People who didn't
raise enough crops and have depleted stores
collect these for food until the next harvest. |
| Winter |
Chithika |
There are four months in this season. Kuuhu
(April), Kathikana (May), Kavavu (June), and
Kondamema (July). In this season harvesting and
grain storage are important. It is very cold and
water freezes and leaves are frozen and fall off
of the deciduous trees. |
Numerals
Numerical counting in Mbunda follows the usual
numerals but in Mbunda words. Fill ups are easily made
using small numerals.
|
1 - Chimo.
2 - Vivali.
3 - Vitatu.
4 - Viwana.
5 - Vitanu.
6 - Vitanu na chimo.
7 - Vitanu na vivali.
8 - Vitanu na vitatu.
9 - Vitanu na viwana.
10 - Likumi.
11 - Likumi na chimo.
20 - Makumi avali.
22 - Makumi avali na vivali.
30 - Makumi atatu.
33 - Makumi atatu na vitatu.
40 - Makumi awana.
44 - Makumi awana na viwana.
50 - Makumi atanu.
55 - Makumi atatu na vitanu.
60 - Makumi atanu na limo.
66 - Makumi atanu na limo na vitanu na chimo.
70 - Makumi atanu na avali.
77 - Makumi atanu na avali na vitanu na
vivali.
80 - Makumi atanu na atatu.
88 - Makumi atanu na atatu na vitanu na
vitatu.
90 - Makumi atanu na awana.
99 - Makumi atanu na awana na vitanu na
viwana.
100 - Chiita.
101 - Chiita na kamo.
110 - Chiita na likumi.
111 - Chiita na likumi na kamo.
152 - Chiita na makumi atanu na tuvali.
163 - Chiita na makumi atanu na limo na
tutanu.
174 - Chiita na makumi atanu na availi na
tuwana.
185 - Chiita na makumi atanu na atatu na
tutanu.
186 - Chiita na makumi atanu na atatu na
tutanu na kamo.
197 - Chiita na makumi atanu na awana na
tutanu na tuvali.
200 - Viita vivali.
|
201 - Viita vivali na kamo.
300 - Viita vitatu.
400 - Viita viwana.
500 - Viita vitanu.
600 - Viita vitanu na chimo.
700 - Viita vitanu na vivali.
800 - Viita vitanu na vitatu.
900 - Viita vitanu na viwana.
1,000 - Likulukathzi.
1,111 - Likulukathzi na chiita na likumi na
kamo.
2,000 - Makulukathzi avali.
3,000 - Makulukathzi atatu.
4,000 - Makulukathzi awana.
5,000 - Makulukathzi atanu.
6,000 - Makulukathzi atanu na limo.
7,000 - Makulukathzi atanu na avali.
8,000 - Makulukathzi atanu na atatu.
9,000 - Makulukathzi atanu na awana.
10,000 - Likumi lya makulukathzi.
11,111 - likumi lya makulukathzi na
likulukathzi na chiita na likumi na kamo.
20,000 - Makumi avali amakulukathzi.
30,000 - Makumi atatu amakulukathzi.
40,000 - Makumi awana amakulukathzi.
50,000 - Makumi atanu amakulukathzi.
60,000 - Makumi atanu na limo amakulukathzi.
70,000 - Makumi atanu na avali amakulukathzi.
80,000 - makumi atanu na atatu amakulukathzi.
90,000 - makumi atanu na awana amakulukathzi.
100,000 - chiita cha makulukathzi.
200,000 - viita vivali vya makulukathzi.
300,000 - viita vitatu vya makulukathzi.
400,000 - viita viwana vya makulukathzi.
500,000 - viita vitanu vya makulukathzi.
600,000 - viita vitanu na chimo vya
makulikathzi.
700,000 - viita vitanu na vivali vya
makulukathzi.
800,000 - viita vitanu na vitatu vya
makulukathzi.
900,000 - viita vitanu na viwana vya
makulukathzi.
1,000,000 - likulukathzi lya makulukathzi.
|
Reference
[1]
Ethnologue lists Yauma as "unclassified",
an apparent error, as it also notes that it is "part of
the Ngangela subgroup" of the Chokwe–Luchazi (K.10)
Bantu languages.
[10]
Robert Papstein,
1994, The History and Cultural Life of the Mbunda
Speaking People, Lusaka Cheke Cultural Writers
Association, pages 68-73,
ISBN 9982-03-006-X
[11]http://books.google.co.zm/books?id=gUgwAQAAIAAJ&q=masambo&dq=masambo&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SMf-Ue3IMJL64APXgoHgAw&redir_esc=y
Robert Papstein, 1994, The History and Cultural Life
of the Mbunda Speaking People, Lusaka Cheke Cultural
Writers Association, pages 84,
ISBN 9982-03-006-X
[12]
Robert Papstein,
1994, The History and Cultural Life of the Mbunda
Speaking People, Lusaka Cheke Cultural Writers
Association, pages 74-75,
ISBN 9982-03-006-X
[13]
The elites of
Barotseland, 1878-1969: a political history of Zambia's
Western Province: a. Gerald L. Caplan
ISBN 0-900966-38-6 Publisher: C. Hurst & Co
Publishers Ltd, 1970
[14]
Bantu-Languages.com, citing Maniacky 1997
[15]
Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and Middle
East, Facts On File library of world history, Facts
On File, Incorporated, Social Science, Infobase
Publishing, 2009, ISBN 1-4381-2676-X, ISBN
978-1-4381-2676-0
[16]http://books.google.co.zm/books?id=gUgwAQAAIAAJ&q=luvale+war&dq=luvale+war&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SMf-Ue3IMJL64APXgoHgAw&redir_esc=y
Robert Papstein, 1994, The History and Cultural Life
of the Mbunda Speaking People, Lusaka Cheke Cultural
Writers Association, pages 63-64,
ISBN 9982-03-006-X
[17]http://books.google.co.zm/books?id=gUgwAQAAIAAJ&q=luvale+war&dq=luvale+war&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SMf-Ue3IMJL64APXgoHgAw&redir_esc=y
Robert Papstein, 1994, The History and Cultural Life
of the Mbunda Speaking People, Lusaka Cheke Cultural
Writers Association, pages 63-64,
ISBN 9982-03-006-X
[18]http://books.google.co.zm/books?id=gUgwAQAAIAAJ&q=mbunda+names&dq=mbunda+names&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SMf-Ue3IMJL64APXgoHgAw&redir_esc=y
Robert Papstein, 1994, The History and Cultural Life
of the Mbunda Speaking People, Lusaka Cheke Cultural
Writers Association, pages 65,
ISBN 9982-03-006-X
[19]
Mupatu, Y. Mulambwa
Santulu Uamuhela Bo Mwene, London, 1954
[20]
Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and Middle
East, Facts On File library of world history, Facts
On File, Incorporated, Social Science, Infobase
Publishing, 2009, ISBN 1-4381-2676-X, ISBN
978-1-4381-2676-0
[21]
Encyclopedia of
the Peoples of Africa and Middle East, Facts On File
library of world history, Facts On File,
Incorporated, Social Science, Infobase Publishing, 2009,
ISBN 1-4381-2676-X,
ISBN 978-1-4381-2676-0
[22]
Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and Middle
East, Facts On File library of world history, Facts
On File, Incorporated, Social Science, Infobase
Publishing, 2009, ISBN 1-4381-2676-X, ISBN
978-1-4381-2676-0
[23]
White, C.M.N. Notes on the Political Organization of
the Kabompo District and its Inhabitants, African
Studies, IX, (1950), pp. 185-93
[24]
Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and Middle
East, Facts On File library of world history, Facts
On File, Incorporated, Social Science, Infobase
Publishing, 2009, ISBN 1-4381-2676-X, ISBN
978-1-4381-2676-0
[25]
René Pélissier,
La révolte des Bunda (1916-1917), pp. 408 - 412
(French for "the Mbunda revolt"), section footnotes
citing sources: Luís Figueira, Princesa Negra: O
preço da civilização em África, Coimbra Edição do
autor, 1932.
[26]
Franz-Wilhelm Heimer, Der Entkolonisierungskonflikt
in Angola, Munich: Weltforum Verlag, 1979
ISBN 3-8039-0179-0
[27]
Franz-Wilhelm Heimer,
Der Entkolonisierungskonflikt in Angola, Munich:
Weltforum Verlag, 1979
ISBN 3-8039-0179-0
[28]
Robert Papstein,
The Zambia Journal of History, Central African Oral
History Project, University of Zambia,
ISBN 9982-03-006-X
[29]
Encyclopedia of the Peoples of Africa and Middle
East, Facts On File library of world history, Facts
On File, Incorporated, Social Science, Infobase
Publishing, 2009, ISBN 1-4381-2676-X, ISBN
978-1-4381-2676-0
[30]
Robert Papstein,
The Zambia Journal of History, Central African Oral
History Project, University of Zambia,
ISBN 9982-03-006-X
[31]
René Pélissier,
La révolte des Bunda (1916-1917), pp. 408 - 412
(French for "the Mbunda revolt"), section footnotes
citing sources: Luís Figueira, Princesa Negra: O
preço da civilização em África, Coimbra Edição do
autor, 1932.
[32]
Billy Graham Center Archives: Collection 252, Robert
Wesley Brain, T1 Transcript
[33]
Robert Papstein, "The Central African Historical
Research Project", in Harneit-Sievers, 2002, A Place
in the World: New Local Historiographies from Africa and
South Asia, p. 178
[34]
Billy Graham Center Archives: Collection 252, Robert
Wesley Brain, T2 Transcript
[35]
Billy Graham Center Archives: Collection 252, Robert
Wesley Brain, T5 Transcript, last paragraph
[36]
Billy Graham Center Archives: Collection 252, Robert
Wesley Brain, T6 Transcript
[37]
Robert Papstein,
The Zambia Journal of History, Central African Oral
History Project, University of Zambia,
ISBN 9982-03-006-X
[38]
Robert Papstein,
The Zambia Journal of History, Central African Oral
History Project, University of Zambia,
ISBN 9982-03-006-X
[39]
Terms of Trade and
Terms of Trust: The History and Contexts of
Pre-colonial, Achim von Oppen, page 113 refers
[40]
Robert Papstein,
The Zambia Journal of History, Central African Oral
History Project, University of Zambia,
ISBN 9982-03-006-X
[41]http://books.google.co.zm/books?id=gUgwAQAAIAAJ&q=mbunda+names&dq=mbunda+names&hl=en&sa=X&ei=SMf-Ue3IMJL64APXgoHgAw&redir_esc=y
Further reading
Ngangela
Name Origin,
Language
History in SE Angola-
The Ngangela-Nyemba Dialect
Mbunda
Origin,
Other
Books,
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