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where the Tonga continue to live, was a flourishing
trade center. In this valley, there was a brief period
of trade between the valley people, Arabs, Chinese,
and Indians.
The Lunda
Now living in the Luapula area and North-Western
Provinces, the Lunda people are descendants of
the original Mwata Yamvwa Chieftainship of the
DRC.
The Bemba
Representing around 18% of the population, the
Bemba, along with the Lunda people recognize
a historic place called Kola as their land of their
origin. Historically, they were nomadic hunters and
gatherers. Their paramount chief is called the Chi-
timukulu. When copper mining began in the Cop-
perbelt, the Bemba speaking people came down in
droves in search of mining jobs.
The Kaonde
The Kaonde People can be found in Solwezi, Kase-
mpa, and the Chizera districts of the North-Western
Province and in Kaoma in the Western Province.
The Kaonde, like the Lunda, are descendants of
the famous Luba-Lunda Empire, which historically
comes from present-day DRC. The Kaonde were
among the first Zambian tribes to carry out the min-
ing of copper and also the first to discover archaeo-
logical evidence dating back to the Iron Age at the
Kansanshi Mine in Solwezi.
The Luvale
Coming from the North of Lake Tanganyika, their
first chief was a woman named Kenga Naweji. De-
scendants of these people can be found in the Valu-
vale, Valuchase, Vambunda, Vachokwe, and Vaviya
tribes living in the Northwestern Province. For cen-
turies, the Luvale were known for being great travel-
lers and traders. Much of their culture is based on
their contact with the Portuguese on the Angolan
coast five hundred years ago.
White Zambians
There are a small number of white Zambians who
trace their families back to colonial immigrants from
the period of British rule. Most regards themselves
as Zambians rather than British. Much of the coun-
try’s businesses are still owned and run by white
Zambians.
Asian Zambians
Like the white Zambians, many people of Asian origin
came to Zambia during the colonial period. When the
British ruled colonies in Africa and India, there was
a large movement of labor from Asia to Africa. The
Asian Zambians are an affluent group of people re-
taining a strong sense of Asian identity and culture.
Much of the country’s businesses are also owned by
Asian Zambians.
LANGUAGES
There are over 72 dialects spoken in Zambia, but the
official language is English. All media and business
is conducted in English, as most Zambians speak it
fairly well. Bemba is the next most commonly under-
stood language in many towns, followed by Nyanja,
Tonga, Luvale, Lozi, Kaonde, Lunda, Mambwe, and
Tumbuka.
While it is normal to speak English in addition to one
local language, most Zambians speak a number of
local languages fluently.
RELIGION
Freedom of religion and worship are widely respected
in Zambia with over 15 different prominent churches.
Christianity is followed by over 60% of the popula-
tion; however, there are also large groups of Hindus
and Muslims originating from the Asian communities.
Simultaneously, traditional African beliefs are widely
respected and adhered to as well.
EDUCATION
Private, public, and community schools only exist in
the Eastern Province. The majority of Zambians at-
tend public schools, which are free of charge up
through the 7th grade. That being said, "contributions"
must be paid for such things as school uniforms.
Community-run schools are also available, and teach-
ers at such schools are often made up of volunteers.
Some community schools, however, charge signifi-
cant fees, and they are sometimes considered to be
low-end private schools.
General Information
