The pic of the week captures the vibrant Likumbi Lya Mize – Zambia’s UNESCO-recognised cultural heritage festival attracting visitors across the country and beyond to a colourful display of local culture from August 23-27.
The festival includes the Makishi masquerade at the end of the Mukanda (an annual initiation ritual for boys between the ages of eight and 12) celebrated by Vaka Chiyama Cha Mukwamayi communities including the Luvale, Chokwe, Luchazi and Mbunda peoples who live in the northwestern and western provinces of Zambia.
Symbolic of their historic migration from the east to the west bank of the Zambezi River, community members journey from the Zambezi River beach to Mize (the traditional Luvale capital).
The festival features traditional dances, music and storytelling bringing communities together to honour their shared heritage. This year’s festivities included a statue of traditional King Kayipu at the entrance of Mize where participants paid homage – deepening connections to their ancestral lineage.
The Makishi’s colourful masks and elaborate costumes, set against the backdrop of traditional rituals, vividly demonstrate the Zambian people’s enduring cultural legacy.
