New Delhi, India, 12.12.25 — The Zambian Ministry of Tourism and the Zambia National Commission for UNESCO have successfully concluded a four-year project to safeguard Kuyabila, the traditional drum poetry of the Tonga people of Southern Province.
The project, which ran from 2021 with an International Assistance fund of US$83,790 from UNESCO, aimed to raise awareness of the UNESCO Convention on the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. Activities included community meetings, local media engagement, and collaboration with traditional leaders in Monze and Namwala districts.
A key component involved capacity building, with 42 stakeholders trained in community-based inventorying methods to foster local understanding and ownership of the safeguarding process.
Speaking at the 20th Session of UNESCO’s Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in New Delhi, Mr. Thomas Mambo Mubita, Chief Cultural and Folklore Officer at the Ministry of Tourism, expressed gratitude for UNESCO’s support.
He outlined the project’s major achievement: the comprehensive documentation of Kuyabila. This included recording 40 poems, publishing a book, and producing a video documentary featuring performances, interviews, and community experiences. An inventory was also compiled, categorizing poems by themes such as marriage, initiation, funerals, farming, health, and education.
Mr. Mubita reported that the project has led to the integration of Kuyabila into educational and cultural activities. Communities have experienced renewed pride and motivation to practise and transmit this heritage, with growing recognition at cultural events and increasing interest from educational and media institutions.
