The Biggest First Fruits Harvest Ceremony in Zambia

The facilitator at today’s plantation meeting had a field day reminding me that this week, one of Zambia’s biggest and spectacular traditional ceremonies in Zambia, will be taking place in the Eastern part of the country. From Friday 23^rd to Sunday, 25^th February 2023, Chipata will be buzzing with a lot of activities for this year’s edition of the Ncwala.

As fate may have it, I stumbled open a treasure trove of the Ngoni (Isinguni) history that puts a spotlight on the background and happenings of Ncwala. This blogger did justice - I think - and I will just add a few of somethings here and there. 

  

Ncwala is also called the 'First Fruits Harvest’ ceremony and has its roots in South Africa.

However, Ncwala didn’t start with Shaka Zulu as it is commonly claimed though it could be true that the Ngoni broke away from the Nguni speaking people of South Africa. The ceremony dates back way back, even before the birth of the Zulu acclaimed leader. Even the Ngonis inspirational figurehead, Zwangendaba was born when the ceremony was already a birthed entity. With it, Zwangendaba left his tribal St Lucia Bay area to embark of a dramatic and monumental journey that spanned more than three decades and covered an astonishing 5000 plus kilometers.

He crossed the Zambezi River in 1835, 7 years after the death of Shaka Zulu in 1828. When Zwangendaba died in 1845 and got buried in Nakpnde, his kingdom disintegrated, forming many sister kingdoms around Central Africa.

The faction led by his eldest son, Nthutho or simply Mphezeni settled in Chipata, East of Zambia. It's this same group that would take a lead and indeed act as a poster group in treasuring the ceremony. From the first Mphezeni the ceremony was celebrated. But in the evenings of his life, a new adversary of the Ngonis that was looming nearby would put a crushing end to a centuries’ old tradition.

Note that the name ‘Mpezeni’ doesn’t mean anything in Isinguni. The actual name is ‘Mphezeni’ and in its full its Inkosi Yamakhosi Mphezeni KaZwangendaba. Mphezeni is gotten from the word ‘Ukupheza.

The British had been told by their intelligence that Mphezeni's land was rich in minerals. Thus, they set to colonize the area. But it was not easy. Nsingu, Mphezeni's eldest son and crown Prince realized that the whites were taking over his father's land clandestinely. He would not allow it, even if it meant fighting with his life.

In 1897 he led his regiment and attacked the British station in the Luangeni area. The British sent in reinforcements from neighboring Fort Manning. The Ngonis revolt was halted. Nsingu was captured and executed after being tried in a kangaroo court. But this was not enough, the British also confiscated 12000 cattle from the Ngonis, burn their villages and fields. The last nail on the coffin was banning the holding of the Ncwala describing it as being 'war like'.

Mphezeni's grandson, Chiloah Jere took over after his grandfather death in 1900. But the royal pilgrimage was never held during his reign. It was under his son's reign, Pontino Jele that the Incwala was resurrected in 1980. Since the time it was revamped, King Mphezeni moves from his Ekuphendukeni Palace at Feni to Lawini at Mtengeluni every year in February.

The King is initially secluded where he goes through a cultural rebirth. At Lawini, the King acquires new power from Nkulukulu to govern the people. Traditionally, he is supposed to go into seclusion and fasting for at least 3 days. When he comes out, the people come to worship their Ngwenyama for he has survived meeting with Nkulunkulu.

Legend says some Kings were struck dead during the seclusion period. During the last day of the event at the Mtengeluni arena, a black bull is speared, and King Mphezeni is given its blood which he drinks.

The Black Bull serves two purposes:

1. Affirming to the King that his Impis (soldiers) were ready for battle. In those days they killed it with bare hands, no rope no nothing only the spear!!! Blackness represents completeness. White colour is not revered. It has to be a black bull without spot.

2. The death of the bull spiritually represents the death of the past, starting afresh in new, after the King has returned alive from seclusion (where He receives a message from Nkulukulu). The bull’s blood is drunk as a sign of brevity and recharging the spirit.

The ceremony in original Nguni custom is supposed to be held in December, the last full moon to be exact. When the King consumes ukhamba/igobongo that is concocted with iNcwala/uSelwa for 7 days before the full moon.

 If there’s any place you should be this weekend, is in Chipata. Goodspeed, comrade!