TOURISM WITH NDUBI MVULA

The Chandaule traditional Ceremony

You may have been there to witness this colourful event performed by the Mukuni people of Mukuni Village of Kazungula District. If you have never been, then the good news is that a Mwams Pro-Graphic documentary depicting this rich ethno tourism is on the shelves for collection and viewing as NDUBI MVULA writes.

THE ceremony is called “Chandaule Ceremony”. It is the harvest ceremony celebrated by the Mukuni (Leya) people of Kazungula District in Southern Province.

Mwams Pro-Graphics Managing Director Kagosi Mwamulowe says recognising that Mukuni Village in the recent past has become a must-visit destination in Livingstone, there has been much demand for information about the lifestyle, heritage and culture of the Mukuni people from both domestic and international tourists.

Mwamulowe, who explains the intricacies of this new area of tourism, describes this as the premiere of the Mukuni Village’s documentary and walks through what is expected.

Under “Africa Impressions”, Mwamulowe says “discoveries series is an idea born out of Livingstone, the home of the Mighty Victoria Falls and Zambia’s Tourism Capital. The concept is aimed at revealing the nation’s hidden treasures to the world at large.

He said the project has the blessings of Senior Chief Mukuni the 19th, of the Leya people who is one of Zambia’s leading Tourism patrons and Ambassadors whose Royal Foundation and the Mukuni Development Trust fully supports the project.

Since charity begins at home, the Discoveries Crew deem it proper to start its unstoppable journey, in-search of tourism destinations and exposing them to the world, with an icon of cultural tourism with Mukuni Chiefdom, as a launch pad. 

Unique cultural ceremonies such as Kuomboka of the Lozi and Lwiindi of the Leya, are just amongst the many exciting ceremonies that Zambia is proud of. This is also amplified by this nation’s diversity in tribes together with its pristine nature thereby making Zambia a truly tourism destination of super class.

Mwamulowe further explains that in the lives of Senior Chief Mukuni, his female co-ruler, the Bedyango, and his subjects, there are the 17 Napoleon Hill’s principles of success being applied. 

“These are having a definiteness of purpose, the mastermind alliance, applied faith, positive mental attitude, going an extra mile, personal initiative, self-discipline, creative vision, accurate thinking, control of one’s attention, teamwork, learning from defeat, enthusiasm, attractive personality, sound health, budgeting time and money and use of cosmic habit force,” he said.

Chief Mukuni Munokalya the 19th believes in Napoleon Hill’s saying that “in every adversity, there is the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.” To this effect, the Chief observes that the misfortunes of the Mukuni people, those of having infertile soils and inadequate rainfall for agriculture, have a greater compensation from tourism. 

The documentary depicts Mukuni Village as a good example of a unique African village setting with a population which thrives on cultural and eco-tourism with the dual kingship that gives the chiefdom a special place in gender consideration. 

The art of being grateful for the blessings you already possess is of itself the most profound form of worship, an incomparable gem of prayer. It is this principle, which brings together annually after every harvest season, the Mukuni people or locally known as Bena Mukuni, for the ceremony of thanksgiving, traditionally known as Chandaule.

One would definitely pose a question as to who these people are, where they came from and where they are found apart from the famous Mukuni village. 

However, Mwamulowe’s documentary, which is a must keep, takes you on a journey of the installation.

“The Mukuni Chiefs are installed at the graveyard during the function which is performed by the Bedyango. Just as No one can be born without a woman i.e. notwithstanding the origin of the test-tube babies whose births are against the laws governing nature, no one in Mukuni Chiefdom becomes Chief without the transfer of authority from Bedyango. This is to say that the Bedyango holds the mantle when one Chief dies and hands it over together with the royal drums and regalia to a newly installed Chief. The Bedyango then dresses the new king in a lion’s skin as a rite of passage,” he said.

The ceremony starts with the arrival of village headmen and female representatives of and subjects from the 12 zones subdivided into 120 villages of the chiefdom. They bring forth various harvest i.e. food which is later prepared as part of the celebrations and also bring along beddings since the festival would last three days.

One very interesting feature of the ceremony is that both Senior Chief Mukuni and his co-ruler, the Bedyango attend mass in a Catholic tradition since the two rulers are Catholics in a like-manner that one would easily say giving to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God that which belongs to God.

The mass is conducted by a Parish Priest and it is held in the main arena. However, the Bedyango is given a role to give thanks to God for the good harvest.

The Chief who is franked by the Bedyango and the Prime Minister enchants the names of the preceding dead Chiefs from the 1st to the most recent emphasising on how the mantle was passed on from one Chief to the other.

Beer is committed to the ground on a living stone which is passed on from one Chief to the other and this is done by mentioning their names whilst pouring beer on the stone in order to appease the ancestral Mukuni Chiefs. 

The other beer is poured near the entrance to the main arena behind the Nabenzu, a Royal Lounge where the Chief meets visitors to the palace, including any dignitaries regardless of one’s status in life.

In the Mukuni Chiefdom, the Chief is not expected to be partial. Owing to this, the Chief cannot even attend the funeral of his own family members, as this would be tantamount to segregation.

Chief Mukuni also indicates that this annual ceremony provides an opportunity for him to mingle freely with his subjects. The other ceremony, which gets the Chief closer to the people, is one where there are annual door-to-door visitations, which last about a month. During this period, the Chief walks to each and every household to see how his subjects are faring. This proves a point that a Chief in the Mukuni Chiefdom is not a master but the people’s servant.

The tourism activities within the Mukuni Chiefdom are a true testimony that whatever your mind can conceive and believe, one can achieve.

Chief Mukuni enjoys narrating the historical background of the Mukuni Chiefdom as he makes himself available to any visitor; be it domestic or international. One attribute that cannot be underplayed about Chief Mukuni is that he is a very humble Chief who at the same time wields a lot of power and respect.

Get yourself a copy of the documentary and learn more about this unique rich traditional ceremony of all time.