Significance of Zambian/African Traditional Kinship Bonds by Mwizenge S. Tembo, Ph. D. Professor of Sociology

Introduction

Kinship relationships, networks, and the bonds are probably the most important traditional foundation for social relationship among Zambians and Africans. Kinship are all those important fundamental social connections that happen immediately when any Zambian or African is born. It is the connections that instantly happen when 2 individuals, a man and woman, get married. The kinship relationships happen because of marriage or birth. In traditional Zambian/African societies, marriage was never just the young individual man woman getting married because they are in love; but it was more important that the marriage was the uniting of the man and woman’s families. This article will describe the traditional Zambian/African kinship relationships using Tumbuka terms as examples. The second discussion is the importance or significance of kinship in traditional society. Last, the article will discuss how these kinship bonds are still important today.

Kinship Relationships and Terms

As soon as you are born in a Zambian/African family, of course you will have amama (mother) and adada (father). All your siblings are dumbu or adumbu; which means sibling of the opposite sex; akulu or anung’una; older or younger  sisters or brothers. The term adumbu is used for your sibling of the opposite sex  with gender distinction embedded in the situational conversation.

All your Father’s Brothers are your adada or your fathers. All your Father’s Sisters are ankhazi or aunts. All your Mother’s Brothers are your asimbweni or uncles. All your Mother’s Sisters are your amama or Mothers. All your Father’s Brother’s children are adumbu or your sisters or brothers if the sibling is opposite gender to you.. All your Father’s Brothers’ sisters children are your vyala or cousins. Your Mother’s Sisters’ children are your vyala or cousins. Your Mother’s Brothers’ children are your vyala or cousins who you joke with and may even be encouraged to marry.

All your Father’s and Mother’s parents are agogo or grandfathers and grandmothers. All your Grandfathers’ and Grandmothers’ sisters and brothers are your agogo or grandfathers and grandmothers.

If you are a man or groom, when you get married, all your wife’s siblings and the people she calls adumbu or her brothers and akulu or anung’una; older or younger sisters are your mulamu or sister-in-laws or brother-in-laws. You become mkweni or son-in-law to her parents and all the people she calls amama and adada or mother and father in her kinship group.

If you are a woman or bridegroom, when you get married, all your husband’s siblings and all the people he calls adumbu or his sisters and akulu or anung’una; older or younger brothers are your mulamu or sister-in-laws or brother-in-laws. You become mkamwana or daughter-in-law to his parents and all the people he calls amama and adada or mother and father in his entire kinship group. The parents of the groom and bridegroom are asebele to each other. All of the above describe kinship relationships that have to do with both your mother and father’s or parents’ generations.

These next kinship relationships describe your own generation. All your akulu (younger) and mnung’una or older or younger’s Brothers’ Children are your sons and daughters. All your adumbu or sister’s or brother’s children are baphwa nephews or nieces.

These kinship relationships are difficult to sort out when one is required to  describe kinship relationships between two families; those of the groom and bridegroom. These relationships become more complex when families have polygamous marriages involving large extended families may be involving a hundred men, women, and children.

Significance of the Kinship

The kinship relationship through the family and clan your born into provides support from when the individual is a child, an adult, and up to old age. Besides the 2 biological parents of mother and father, the bond of kinship network provided individual identity and a source of vast support involving clans in two different villages. These two  villages sometimes may have a population of 300 men, women, and children in each  of the villages  of the groom and bridegroom.

The kinship relationships embedded in the clans and villages provided many advantages in life. Kinship provided the individual a place to live, food, clothing, social guidance, land for farming and provision of food, social support during difficult times such as death, being orphaned and during illness. In the 1800s when wars and conflict were common, kinship provided security from  threats from external sources from the village such as war and wild animals. Kinship provided you with help during marriage in terms of providing lobola, celebrations such as marriage weddings, child birth, and support when attending school.

Perhaps the most important aspect of kinship relationships and terms that are used is that they defined obligations to the people who shared the bonds. Fathers and mothers treated all their sons and daughters warmly with  obligations to support all the their daughters and sons with love. Brothers and sisters supported each other and enjoyed their relationships and especially obligations. One thing which is very significant is that in all the kinship relationships described, there were never any step fathers, step mothers, step sisters, step brothers, or half brother or half sister, or adopted son, adopted daughter, and adopted niece. Of course if people ask how the two people are related, they may explain some details of the background mentioning names. But the reality that someone was not biologically related to you, was never the focus of the kinship relationships and bonds. This is why in the Zambian/African traditional societies, even today, it is possible to have so many fathers, mothers, sisters, brothers, grandmothers and grandfathers.

Kinship Relationship Today

Although many of the traditional Zambian/African kinship terms are used, their used has been vastly urbanized and Westernized. Kinship terms such as mother, father, daughter, son, nieces and nephews are used mainly in the small nuclear biological monogamous family. Kinship relationships in the extended family outside the immediate nuclear family are less emphasized and less prominent. The use of uncle, niece, step-mother, step-sister, and half-brother are now very common in urban Zambia with very little link to their traditional uses as described. This may signal the weakening of kinship bonds that were very strong all the way to the 1960s and 1970s.

Adada Nati Niwele

Adada nati niwele
Mwanalume uyu wakunitoza
Ndine mwanakazi yayi
Mwanakazi mbulutu
Kwene munyumba nkhupyera
Ndine mwanakazi yayi
Kwene bana nkhubaba
Adada nati niwele
Niza mlima kukaya

Adada nati niwele
Mwanalume wanisuzgha
Ndeke zinai baliwiska
Ndine mwanakazi yayi
Ine bana nkhulela
Ndine mwanakazi yayi
Nabapa bana bankhondi
Ndine mwanakazi yayi
Mutima bukubin’gha nkhanira
Adada nati niwele
Niza mlima kukaya

Adada nati niwele
Mutima ukubaba
Mwanalume wavunduka
Ndimwe mwanakazi yayi
Kwacha nkhuniskula
Nchito nkhusebeza
Nkhubuka kandanye
Muhanya na usiku
Bana nkhuryeska
Adada nati niwele
Nkharo ya ulanda njiheni
Adada nati niwele
Nizamlima kukaya
Nakuluba munyumba

Adadda nati niwele
Namwana winu natambula
Turo nkhugona yayi
Mahambaga batinkha
Chekwechekwe nkhuryapo yayi
Kadende kacidulo mbaya
Na nthendero
Namwana winu nazingiziwa
Adada nati niwele
Ndeke zinai baliwiska
Mwanalume wakunisula
Usiku na muhanya
Ndiwe mwakazi yayi
Mwanakazi chilekwa iwe
Namwana winu natambula
Nyifwa yindanunkhe
Adada nati niwele
Nizamulima kukaya

Adada nati niwele
Seko panyumba palije
Mwanalume wakupantha
Nakupantha comene
Balendu abale binu mbaheni
Bakumala bufu panyumba
Bakumala makopara
Bangizanga panyumba yayi
Bahambenge kukaya
Amama nati niwele
Nizamlima kukaya

Adada nati niwele
Citima canikola
Kwacha masozi lakalaka
Nasuzghikilaci ine
Adada nati niwele
Nizamlima vingoma
Nakuseka mazuba wose
Adada nati niwele
Vimwemwe panyumba palije
Namwana winu thupi lamangika
Nyifwa yindanunkhe
Adada nati niwele
Nizamulima kukaya

Amama Nati Niwele

Amama nati niwele
Mwanakazi uyu wakunituka
Ndine mwanalume yayi
Mwanalume tondo
Kwene nyumba nkhusonkhela
Ndine mwanalume yayi
Kwene bana kuryeska
Amama nati niwele
Niza mlima kukaya

Adada nati niwele
Mwanakazi wanisuzgha
Ndeke zinai baliwiska
Ndine mwanalume yayi
Ndine mwanalume yayi
Namupa bana bankhondi
Ndine mwanalume yayi Mutima bukubin’gha nkhanira
Adada nati niwele
Niza mlima kukaya

Amama nati niwele
Mutima ukubaba
Mwanakazi wagaruka
Ndimwe banalume yayi
Kwacha nkhuniskula
Nchito nkhusebeza
Nkhubuka kandanye
Muhanya na usiku
Magalimoto ghatatu
Bana nkhuryeska
Amama nati niwele
Nkharo ya ulanda njiheni
Amama nati niwele
Nizamlima kukaya

Adadda nati niwele
Namwana winu natambula
Turo nkhugona yayi
Chekwechekwe nkhuryapo yayi
Kadende kacidulo
Na nthendero
Namwana winu nazingiziwa
Adada nati niwele
Ndeke zinai baliwiska
Mwanakazi wakunituka
Usiku na muhanya
Ndimwe banalume yayi
Banalume tondo imwe
Namwana winu natambula
Nyifwa yindanunkhe
Adada nati niwele
Nizamulima kukaya

Amama nati niwele
Seko panyumba palije
Mwanakazi wakusunkha
Nakupantha comene
Balendu abale binu mbaheni
Bakumala bufu panyumba
Bakumala makopara
Bangizanga panyumba yayi
Bahambenge kukaya
Amama nati niwele
Nizamlima kukaya

Amama nati niwele
Citima canikola
Kwacha masozi lakalaka
Nasuzghikilaci ine
Amama nati niwele
Nizamlima vingoma
Nakuseka mazuba wose
<Amama nati niwele
Vimwemwe panyumba palije
Namwana winu nazingiziwa
Nyifwa yindanunkhe
Adada nati niwele
Nizamulima kukaya

Banakazi Kutowa Abstract

Tumbuka

Kabekelo na msango wa cizungu wakupatula nakutuka banthu aba mba Cifirika na abale babo aba bali kuwalo kwa Afririka kwacitika sono pa vyaka two hundred. Ici ncholengeska nakunyoza banthu comene nchakuti cifukwa bazungu bapa banthu bose kabekelo aka, banthu wose sono bokhulupirira kuti para banakazi ba ciFirika wophaka mafuta kuti thupi litube panyake libe liswesi, ndiko kuti ibo aba banakazi wopenja kuti babe nathupi lotuba nge ni mwanakazi muzungu. Aba makani nalemba bakususka vyose ivi. Kwene aba makani nalemba bakufokoza mthowa inyake yopambana. Aba makani bakufotoka kuti pali kabanghiro ka zakendelo kathupi la munthu, nkharo-mwambo, naumu tikubekera kuti munthu wakutowa mu umoyo withu ise ba Tumbuka. Umu tikubekera ise kupambana chomene na umu bakubekera bazungu mukapatuliro nakutuka banthu chifukwa ca mtundu nathupi cikumba umucikuonekera. Makani aba bakususka nakuyowoya kuti banthu ba Tumbuka, baku Zambia namitundu yose ya muZambia na Africa, baku conga za kutowa kwa bakazi kulinganga na mathupi babo panyake mbaswesi panyake mbabinkha. Makani aba bakususka bakuti para mazgho na zeru izi za zghomerezgha naku ndondomekezegheka pa baLozi, baBemba, baTonga panyake Ba Lunda, banthu wose mu Afirika, tingasanga nakupanga kanghananganiro kanyake kawemi, kaufulu wuwemi  ka umu tubekera kutowa kwa banakazi muno mucalo cithu. Aba banthu bithu wose aba wosambira pamwacizungu bangapulumuskika nakusanga ufulu wakubeka kuweni kunyake kwa zakutowa za banakazi bithu wose babinkha.

 

MAZGHO GHAKULU

Anthroplogy ya Kutowa, Bakakazi na Banalume, Kutowa kwa Bakazi ba Cifirika, Kupatula khungu, banthu ba CiFirika bali kubwalo kwa ziko, Nkharo-mwambo wathu wathu.

Kukongola wa Akazi Abstract

Nyanja
Maganizilo, kupenya, ndi kukamba Kwa Azungu  kuja kwa kupatula ndi kunyoza anthu a Cifirika ndi abale abo aba alikukhala kunja kwa dziko kwakhala kuli cucitika panthawi zaka 200. Cocititsa manyazi kwambili ndi maganizo ndi kukhulupira kwa Azunguwa kwakuti akazi a ciFirika kapena a mu Zambia emene azola mafuta bakuti ayeretse thupi bali ndimtima wozinyoza cifukwa afuna kuni khungu labo likhale monga lija la mkazi muzungu. Nkhani yimene nalemba yikuti pali njira yina yopambana mwamene tionera nkhaniyi. Nkhani iyi yikuti pali kuyika pamozdi ndi kuvundulila kayendelo ka thupi la munthu ndi mwambo-nkharo yamunthu ndi zimene zimapanga pa ife banthu umu timaonera za kukongorola kwa mkazi. Aka kaonero kathu kamasiyana kwambiri ndikaonero ka Cizungu kamene kamapenya ndi maso akupatula ndi kunyoza anthu a ciFirika ndi a muZambia. Nkhani iyi yosusa ndi kutenga mboni kucokera mmene anthu a ciFirika ndi mu Zambia amacongera za kukongola kwa akazi kulingana ndi kuyera-kufiyira ndi kuda kwa khungu la mkazi. Nkhani iyi yikutiso kuti mumene anthu ife timacongera akazi tingafufuze ndi kuvomeredzedwa pa aChewa, aBemba, aLozi, aTonga, aKaonda ndi mitundu yonse mu Afirika, cingakhare cabwino. Kaoneredwe aka, maganizo, ndi kukamba uku kungamatsule ndi kupasa ufulu kwa ife anthu aFirika amene tinaphunzira nzeru ndi sukulu ya Cizungu. Ife tonse tiri mu Afirika ndi kubwalo kwa ziko tingayambe kupenya kwa tsopano za kacongoredwe ndi kunyadila kwa kukongola kwa akazi akuda mcalo conse.

 

MAU AKULU

Anthropology ya Kukongola, Akazi ndi Amuna, Kukongola kwa akazi a CiFirika, kupatula banthu pakhungu labo, Anthu akuda ali kunja kwaziko, mwamo-nkharo ya ciFirika.

Nyimbo za kalimba za Washeni Zulu

Nyimbo za kalimba za Washeni Zulu

Nyimbo zakalimba za Washeni Zulu ndi zabwino kwabiri. Nyimbozi zili ndi mphamvu kwabiri chifukwa zimakamba za umoyo wa anthu mu Zambia ndi zimeke zimawavuta mumtima mwawo.  Mnyimbo iyi a bambo Washeni Zulu alikukamba zimene zimachitikita kwa ana amasiku ano. Umoyo uja wa mwambo wakumudzi wa sinthika chifukwa ana ena sibalemeka makolo babo. Makolo nawo nthawi zina  amasiya mwambo ndikuyamba kukhala umoyo wosokoneza.  Iyi nyimbo ya  a Washeni Zulu dzina lake ndi “Lifiti Yinkhale Ng’anda” kusonyeza kuti uyu mwana wa mkazi apanga malifiti ba amuna kuti bakhale nganda kapena nyumba. Amene amavomeleza akuti “Mwana wanu nichungwa” kusonyeza kuti mwana niwosokonezeka. Nyimbo anakopa ndi  Dr. Mwizenge S. Tembo mu Zambia mu April 1989 pa Institute of African Studies of the University of Zambia.

[Introduction: The change from a traditional to the modern urban life style introduced tremendous conflict and stresses in the Zambian society. The lyrics of this song by a Zambian artist Washeni Zulu are a commentary on the life and conduct of  some young women today and how they relate to their mothers. Listen here: YouTube clip. ]

LIFITI  YINKHALE  NG’ANDA by  Washeni   Zulu

Washeni: Lifiti yinkhale ng’anda

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Lifiti yinkhale ng’anda

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Yinkhale ng’anda chimwana chanu chawutuka alume bake

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Kubutuka alume bake mwana ofuna kuyendayenda

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Akamva motoka mwana wanu matu pangalala

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Nkhuku zonse zikuti pokopoko

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Manzi pakuti papapaka

Response: Mwana wanu ni chungwa

Washeni: Kiti akuti ng’aung’au

Response: Mwana wanu ni chungwa

Washeni: Muoneni kwa kuza acita ngati kucesha kumenso

Response: Mwana wanu ni chungwa

Washeni: Bana bamasiku bano mweo aliye ulemu

Response: Mwana wanu ni chungwa

Washeni: Kunyata amai bake mbama  kunyata amai bake

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Kunyoza amai bake akuti amai nifontini

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Akuti amai nifara

Washeni: Zapaka motoka zupita mumseu

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Waiziba tyani kuti na A Banda akuza uku

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Kuiziba saundi motokali kuiziba saundi motokali

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Mwana wangu naona kunyala

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Ulwala vinji amama newo nulwala mutu

Response: Mwana wanu nachungwa

Washeni: Kasi niwenye wake kansi mwana wanu wawela na cinzonono

Response: Mwana  wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Taleta bifi we mwan awangu wewo wayifwaya kuni

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Niyike ku mnyango amama muyopa kuti munganinyate

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Neo niliye kukunyata

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Niliye kukunyata weo awuso amene angakunyate

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Leta bifi tilabe leta tilabe

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Kuyilaba amai bake ekuimvwa kuwama bifi

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Kuvina vina amai bake

Washeni: Kuvina vina amai bake

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Ocita nakuwa pansi

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Kuzinyula vilonda mweo

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Pamphumi cilonda amai bake

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Pankhokola cilonda

Washeni: Pofuma ku tauni mwana wao pofuma kutauni

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Uku vibolobodo mwana wanu

Washeni: Uku gomola mwana wanu

Washeni: Uku gomola mwana wanu

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Uku vishuga mwana wanu

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Amai powutukila mwana wao ewila pa mwala

Washeni: Mwana wanu ciri kumanja

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Iyi nikeke mayi weo yiri kumanja nikeke

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Leta tiyimvwe kuyilaula amai bake

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Kucita kubawezgha amai

Washeni: Bvwalani bwino mai

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Panja pali banthu amai

Washeni: Panja pali banthu amai

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Vinthu niwangu amai

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Vinthu mpasanga amai

Washeni: Vinthu nkucelwa mwana wanu

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Vinthu mgaligeti mwana wanu

Washeni: Vinthu mgaligeti mwana wanu

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Lifiti yinkhale ng’anda

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Lifiti Yiknhale ng’anda

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Yinkhale ng’anda mwana wanu awutuka alume bake

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Ofuna kuyenda yenda

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Ofuna kuyenda yenda akamvwa motoka mwana wanu matu pangalala

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Amai kumkosha mwana wangu ukuya kuni

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Nikuya kwa kweni banu

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Akweni banu nibani

Response: Mwana wanu nicungwa

Washeni: Neo nibani mai mwayibala beleta nyama

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Beleta nyama pasondo beleta wunga

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Zuseka nkhuku zonse zikuti pokopoko

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Manzi akuti pakapaka

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Kiti akuti ng’au ng’au

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Muoneni kwa akuza ocita kuchesha kumenso

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa

Washeni: Bana amasiku bano baliye ulemu

Response: Mwana wanu nichungwa