First Lady Maureen Mwanawasa has called on the corporate world and other stakeholders to join efforts with government in supporting traditional ceremonies in the country.
Mrs. Mwanawasa says there is need for stakeholders to support traditional ceremonies as they help in contributing to the growth of the tourism sector in the country.
The First Lady said this in a speech for her behalf by Vice President’s wife Tandiwe Banda at the Kazanga Cultural Association dinner dance in Lusaka last night.
She urged the business community and other stakeholders to rise to the challenge of contributing financially to cultural ceremonies which are significant in the development of the tourism sector.
She said the ceremonies once supported would help improve tourist inflows and subsequently contribute significantly to national Gross Domestic Product, GDP.
Mrs. Mwanawasa further said by uplifting the country’s cultural heritage, Zambia will be influenced by the development of the private sector cultural industry.
The First Lady noted that apart from attracting tourists, ceremonies are also an opportunity for different communities to share cultural experiences.
Mrs. Mwanawasa has since urged communities in the country to actively participate in cultural ceremonies in order to contribute significantly to the development of the tourism sector as well as help in the preservation of the country’s cultural heritage.
Earlier, at the same function, Kazanga Cultural Association Fund raising Committee Chairperson, Maureen Lilanda, commended government for taking an active role in supporting traditional ceremonies in the country.
The Kazanga ceremony of the Nkoya people is a ceremony which is held annually in the month of June.
The Nkoya hold the ceremony as a thanks giving event for the good harvest.
Maybe if she organized one location to publicise the ceremonies in advance, tourists might go to them. Tourists from overseas plan their safaris up to a year in advance, so if the First Lady is real about this, this would be a good place to start.
Tourism is a benefit, but it also corrupts the traditions because the tourist dollar becomes more important than the meaning of the ceremony. The best reason for supporting the traditional ceremonies is to remind the people of who they are and where they come from
Ex-Zambian, I couldn’t agree more. it seems everyone these days is “Hule” minded. You visit a church, a traditional ceremony, or even funeral, you will find the topic is “money related”
TRADITIONAL CEREMONIES ARE NOT PRIMARILY FOR TOURISM. THEY ARE THE VERY ESSENCE OF MAINTAINING MANNERISMS AND MORALS OF SOCIETY, SOCIAL CULTURES, SOCIETAL RESPONSIBILITIES, MARRIAGE COUSELLING AND MANY OTHER GOOD ASPECTS OF BEHAVIOURAL CHANGE WITH AGE AND TIME.
TOURISM IS BASICALLY A MINOR AND SECONDARY BENEFIT. THE MAJOR BENEFITS ARE THE MORALS PUMPED INTO THE HAED OF YOUNG BOYS AND GIRLS AT SOME CEREMONIES WHICH MAY GO A LONG WAY IN AVOIDING HIV AND AIDS, THE KILLER WITH NO BOUNDARIES. LET US MOVE WITH AND VALUE OUR ROOTS. THESE UNTAUGHT GIRLS CANT EVEN SWING IN BED, THEY SWING AND SCREAM AND SOB LIKE MOVIE MAKERS IN BED, THATS NOT OUR TRADITION COMMON GIRLS! BACK TO THE ROOTS.
Yes people, back to the roots! Nga mwalaba shani?
Why don’t we begin with that traditional ceremony that’s celebrated by the people around Teka area of Ndola? What is it called again? Yer, that’d be a good one to ask the tourists to support with their hard currency! And while the tourists are being rounded up, why don’t we start with a hefty contribution (or is it called “donation”) from the Zambia Tourism Board? This is nohing more than a cheap ruse hare-brained scheme to loot the national by the first family.
First let me thank the first lady for a job well done. Also let me thank the Vice President’s wife and finally let me also thank Maureen Lilanda for playing a leading role in organising this event to promote and preserve our Zambian cultures in the form of the Kazanga Ceremony of the Nkoya people. We need to preserve our cultures ladies and gentlemen. Yes we have been overcome by foreign cultures but we should not stop in reminding ourselves of who we are and our rich cultural history and backgrounds.
Long Live Kazanga Ceremony, Long Live Zambian Cultures.
What has the Tourism Body done about this? The so called new Z.T.B? i WONDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
stupid topics
#5 I say not “back to our roots” but “forward from our roots” We cannot turn back time and we cannot forese the future, but,if we know who we are and where we come from, we are better equipped to face the future.
#10, it’s the same difference!
Well said madame first lady for promoting ethno tourism. I will attend the Kazanga ceremony of the Nkoya people this year and many more years to come.
Tradition ceremonies are welcome and are meant to remind us of who we are and help us to remain true to ourselves. But, remember to keep them sacred and do not allow the so called ‘tourists’to exploit and use these ceremonies to deny Africans leading roles in international activities/institutions on the basis of some traditional practices. Others will use these as a basis of soliciting funds from donors in the pretext of NGOs fostering development in the third world countries. Care must be excersied.