King Zwangendaba, who was the first king of the Ngoni people, led his clan on a historic journey from present day South Africa to present day Zambia, nearly 200 years ago.

 

Originally from near Pongola in Kwazulu Natal, the Ngoni people were part of the larger Mfecane movement in Southern Africa.

 

After suffering defeat at the hands of Shaka, Zwangendaba led his people, then called the “Jele”, on a migration of more than 1,600 kilometres lasting more than twenty years

 

Beginning in the early 1820s, Zwangendaba migrated to northern South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Zambia, and Malawi, before eventually reaching Tanzania.

 

History scholars point out that in November 1835, en route to Zambia, king Zwangendaba crossed the Zambezi River with legend indicating that this happened during a solar eclipse.

 

190 years later, the modern Ngoni people decided to commemorate this for the first time ever.

 

Incorporated into the Nc’wala traditional ceremony commemorations, unprecedently, Paramount Chief Mpezeni symbolically relived that experience, crossing the Luangwa River from the Zimbabwean side into Luangwa district, formerly known as Feira .

 

The ceremony saw dozens of boats accompanying the Paramount chief as he crossed the river from the Zimbabwean side.

 

It was an event, full of excitement as both the local people and tourists from far flung areas rushed to the shore of the rivet to catch a glimpse of Paramount Chief Mpezeni as he descended from his boat.

 

The traditional ruler then made his way to the arena, which was in close proximity, where the event to commemorate the historic inaugural event would officially take place.

 

Inkosi Mbhekiseni Gumbi of the Somkhanda house of the Gumbi Chieftaincy in South Africa also attended the event as he is also directly related to the Jele people.

 

Speaking during the ceremony, Inkosi Gumbi thanked Paramount Chief Mpezeni for inviting him to be part of the occasion.

 

The South African chief thanked Chief Mpezeni for recognizing Ngoni heritage, saying being invited to the event was testament that Paramount Chief attaches importance to the historical link between the Ngonis in Zambia and his chiefdom.

 

“God should keep you (Paramount Chief Mpezeni) today and tomorrow. I am thankful to God that he has made you reach 2025 to bear witness to this important event. I am equally grateful that you saw it fit that I attend this ceremony,” Inkosi Gumbi said.

 

Paramount Chief Mpezeni described the occasion as historic, saying it marked the reuniting of two long brothers, Zwangendaba and Somkhanda, after 190 years.

 

In a speech read for him by Nc’wala National Organizing Committee, Chairperson Dumisani Tembo, Paramount Chief Mpezeni stated that Inkosi Mbhekiseni Gumbi was a descendant of King Somkhanda while Chief Mpezeni was also in the lineage of King Zwangendaba.

 

Paramount Chief Mpezeni also paid tribute to Senior Chief Mburuma of the Nsenga-Luzi people in Luangwa district who was also present at the ceremony for the role his forefathers played in receiving King Zwangendaba when he crossed the Zambezi River into Luangwa and helping him navigate the way to Petauke where the Ngoni people first settled.

 

The Paramount Chief also expressed gratitude to Government for ensuring that crossing of the Zambezi River was a safe undertaking.

 

“We are very grateful to Government for all the facilitation to ensure that this ceremony is a success. Without the government support, we would not manage to do what we have done. The Government has provided us the resources, such as the divers, the Commando Unit that have gone to assess that the crossing is a safe venture without which we would have been taking a risk but the Government averted that risk.” he said.

 

Minister of Tourism Rodney Sikumba who officiated at the traditional ceremony, observed that the Ngoni people created a new tourism product for the country by reenacting the crossing of the Zambezi River.

 

Mr Sikumba, expressed satisfaction that a town widely regarded not as significant as others such as Luangwa would gain wide attention owing to Nc’wala ceremony incorporating the aspect of crossing over into the district from Zimbabwe.

 

He added that the wildlife in Luangwa, an area known for human-animal conflict, adds tourism value in the area.

 

The Minister pointed out that the arrival of tourists in Luangwa would be economically beneficial for local businesses.

 

He said the monetization of traditional ceremonies greatly benefits the local community.

 

“Government recognizes that cultural tourism has long been a vital part of our national identity, and in this regard the Ngoni tradition stands as a shining example of how cultural heritage can contribute to socio-economic development. Everyone you can see sitting in here has actually spent bit of money, almost immediately, the economy of Feira has improved,” Mr Sikumba said.

 

Lusaka Provincial Minister Sheal Mulyata was delighted that her province hosted an event that has long been commemorated in Eastern Province.

 

Ms Mulyata urged Lusaka Province chiefdoms to emulate the cultural impact of the Ngoni speaking people in making the Nc’wala ceremony, huge in magnitude.

 

The provincial Minister hailed the traditional ceremony for being rich in culture, adding that Zambians should put more effort in applying commitment towards promotion of the cultural heritage.

 

“Let us renew our commitment to preserving and promoting our cultural heritage. Let this event be a reminder that the history of the Ngoni speaking people is not just a story of the past but a living and breathing part of who we really are today,” she said.

 

With the new twist of including an aspect of crossing the Zambezi River into Luangwa from the Zimbabwean side, this is envisaged to be a game changer for the locals and the nation at large.

 

The move by the Ngoni speaking people to commemorate the Nc’wala traditional ceremony by starting the procession in Luangwa, will undoubtedly put the little known town of Luangwa, on the international map.

 

If the inaugural crossing of the Zambezi River ceremony is sustained, it can evolve into a massive cash cow for the local people who will have a chance to provide goods and services to both local Zambian and international and tourists.

 

Heritage and culture, when properly harnessed, can contribute to the socio-economic development of not only a town but the entire nation at large, and indeed, the region