Kulonga

  1. Home
  2. Wiki
Kulonga
GenreCultural heritage; Harvest festival; Traditional ceremony
FrequencyAnnual (August)
Location(s)Lundazi District, Eastern Province, Zambia
Inaugurated1890 AD
ParticipantsTumbuka people, Henga people
This article is part of a series on the
History of the
Tumbuka people
Flag of Malawi
Timeline and periods
MudalaMulonga Mbulalubilo
Early settlements and regional states before c.1400
Nkhamanga era (Kamanga polities) c.1400–1700
    Consolidation in Northern Malawi (Henga/Phoka areas) c.1500–1700
Trade, migrations & neighboring influences 1700–1830
    Coastal–hinterland trade links via Lake Malawi corridor 1700s
Disruption & reconfiguration (Ngoni incursions) 1835–1900
    Refuge, alliances, and re-settlement across present Malawi/Zambia/Tanzania mid-1800s
Colonial era (Nyasaland & North-Eastern Rhodesia/Northern Rhodesia) 1891–1964
    Mission education & literacy in Chitumbuka 1890s–1950s
    Central African Federation period 1953–1963
Independence & nation-building 1964–1994
    Cultural safeguarding (e.g., Vimbuza recognition/growth) 1960s–1990s
Multiparty era & cultural revival 1994–present
    Cross-border identity in Malawi–Zambia–Tanzania–Zimbabwe 1990s–present
Topics
  • Dialects (Chidialecti cha Chitumbuka)
    • Standard Chitumbuka (Mzimba–Mzuzu)
    • Henga (Chihenga)
    • Phoka (Chiphoka)
    • Nkhamanga/Kamanga varieties
    • Sukwa (regional variety)
    • Manda dialect
  • Religion & cosmology
    • Spirit mediums & healing practices
    • Missions & Christianity (19th–20th c.)
  • Economy & society
    • Agriculture & cattle
    • Trade networks via Lake Malawi & plateau
    • Labor migrations (colonial–postcolonial)
  • Education & media
    • Mission schools & literacy in Chitumbuka
    • Radio/print in Northern Malawi & Eastern Zambia
  • Historiography
    • History of the Tumbuka people from 1400 (key source)
    • Oral traditions and clan histories
Groups & sub-groups
Places
Territorial evolution & movements
  • Early Nkhamanga/Henga/Phoka heartlands (plateau & valleys)
  • Lake Malawi corridor exchanges
  • Colonial boundaries shaping cross-border Tumbuka identity
Core regions
Notable localities
Ceremonies & heritage sites
Further reading & resources
  • History of the Tumbuka people from 1400 (book)
  • Archives: missions, colonial records, oral histories

Kulonga is an annual harvest festival celebrated by the Tumbuka people in Lundazi District, Eastern Province, Zambia and Tanzania.[1] The ceremony is presided over by Chief Mphamba and centers on the kulonga ritual, in which harvested foodstuffs are poured into baskets to symbolize thanksgiving, communal prosperity, and food security.

History

[edit]

The festival typically occurs in August and brings together communities for traditional dances, music, and cultural performances.[1]

In 2024, the ceremony attracted national attention with the expected attendance of Zambian President Hakainde Hichilema,[2] highlighting cultural and political significance.[3][4]

Kulonga is part of a wider network of Tumbuka cultural festivals in Eastern Zambia, including Muganda, Zengani, and Vimbuza, all of which serve to preserve intergenerational traditions, promote community cohesion, and maintain the cultural heritage of the Tumbuka people.[5][6]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b https://www.lundazicouncil.gov.zm/?page_id=2435
  2. ^ https://www.eas.gov.zm/?p=8484
  3. ^ https://www.eas.gov.zm/?p=4018
  4. ^ Editor, Assistant (2014-08-25). "Govt reiterates commitment to promotion of culture | Lusaka Voice". Retrieved 2025-09-07. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  5. ^ https://allafrica.com/stories/200911090303.html
  6. ^ "About Lundazi – Lundazi Town Council". www.lundazicouncil.gov.zm. Archived from the original on 2024-09-20. Retrieved 2025-09-07.