Figure 1.--The photo shows Mary Mupeta with her children (2010). They live with the father, that during the day goes out to work, in Ndola, the third largest city in Zambia. Till then the family had nine children.

Zambia is a land-locked country in East Africa, sometimes regarded as central or southern Africa. It is surrounded by Angola, Zaire, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. The area is a vast plateu with mounaneous terraine in the east and northeast. Zambia is crossed by several rivers. The largest is the Zambezi in the south, originating in Lake Kariba leading to the Indian Ocean. The immense Copper Belt in the northcentral region is one of the richest deposits of this mineral any where in the world and as a result, copper is Zambia principal export. The Kariba Dam on the Zambezi provides vast amounts of electricuity to the country, including the mining oprtations. Important agricultural crops include tobacco, corn, and peanuts. A major rail system has been built, primarily to service the mining industry. Early humans inhabited present-day Zambia between one and two million years ago. Eastern Zambia touches on the southern terminus of the Great Rift Valley. As a result, evidence has been found of early Homonoids, including Homo rhodesiensis. The area was terrorized by Arab slave traders operating from Zanzibar durung the 18th and 19th centuries. The capitves were transported to both the Middle East through Zanzibar and European colonies (especiually Portuguese colonies) through Mozambique and to a lesser extent Angola. Europeans did not enter the interior until the mid-19th century. Dr. David Livingston passed through Barotseland (werstern Zambia). He eventually discovered Vicoria Falls (1855) as part of his explorations of East Africa. Britain made Barotseland a protectorate (1891) and goverened it from Rhodesia. It was controlled by the British South Africn Company (1911). Direct British rule was established (1924). The colony after World war II became part of the Federation Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953). Britain granted indepoendence (1964). The country participated in U.N. sactions agaunst Rhodesia which damaged the economy. More details are availble on our history page. We note an image of what purports to be an ordinary Zambian family after indeopendence in the 1960s. We believe this is highly idealized. Zambia despite having immense mineral wealth has not been an economic success since independence. A combination of inadequate ledership and a commitment to socialist economic policies has ment that the country like all too many African countries have actually declined economically since independence. We have a school page.

Geography

Zambia is a land-locked country in East Africa, sometimes regarded as central or southern Africa. It is surrounded by Angola, Zaire, Tanzania, Malawi, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, and Namibia. The area is a vast plateu with mounaneous terraine in the east and northeast. Zambia is crossed by several rivers. The largest is the Zambezi in the south, originating in Lake Kariba leading to the Indian Ocean.

History

Early humans inhabited present-day Zambia between one and two million years ago. Eastern Zambia touches on the southern terminus of the Great Rift Valley. As a result, evidence has been found of early Homonoids, including Homo rhodesiensis. The area was terrorized by Arab slave traders operating from Zanzibar durung the 18th and 19th centuries. The capitves were transported to both the Middle East through Zanzibar and European colonies (especiually Portuguese colonies) through Mozambique and to a lesser extent Angola. Europeans did not enter the interior until the mid-19th century. Dr. David Livingston passed through Barotseland (werstern Zambia). He eventually discovered Vicoria Falls (1855) as part of his explorations of East Africa. Britain made Barotseland a protectorate (1891) and goverened it from Rhodesia. It was controlled by the British South Africn Company (1911). Direct British rule was established (1924). The colony after World War II became part of the Federation Rhodesia and Nyasaland (1953). Britain granted independence (1964). The country participated in U.N. sactions agaunst Rhodesia which damaged the economy.

Economy

The immense Copper Belt in Zambia's northcentral region is one of the richest deposits of this mineral any where in the world and as a result, copper is Zambia principal export. The Kariba Dam on the Zambezi provides vast amounts of electricuity to the country, including the mining oprtations. Important agricultural crops include tobacco, corn, and peanuts. A major rail system has been built, primarily to service the mining industry. Zambia despite having immense mineral wealth has not been an economic success since independence. A combination of inadequate ledership and a commitment to socialist economic policies has ment that the country like all too many African countries have actually declined economically since independence.

Chronology

We do not yet have much chronological information on Zambian clothing, incluing boys' clothing. As far as we know there is no inforatin t alluntil modern times. The Arabs wee the firt literate pople to reach ht is now Zambia. But as far as we know there was not a lot of Arab intrest in ethnographic studies. Tey set up trding posts along the coast. The Portuguese were the first Eyropeans to enter the India Ocean. But here interest in Africa was limited. There orimary interest was trade with India andd China. Arabs penetrated into the interior on trading and slave hunting expeditions. Europens did not follow until much later (mid-19th century) and the scrable for Africa (late-19th cebtury). Until this time, there was no Europen fashion impact on Zambia. And for the most part, European fashion did not have a major impact on Zambia until after World War II.

Families

We see some views of Zambian families. Family images are wounderfull insights into a range of social and economic trends as well as fashion trends. We note an image of what purports to be an modestly successful Zambian family after indeopendence in the 1960s. It is notav=bly a very small nucear family iyj only one child. We believe this is highly idealized showing how many Zambians saw the future at the time of independence. Rural families like the one seen here tended to be much larger (figure 1). As many families live in rural areas or have recently moved to the growing cities, this has meant a rapidly increasing population growth rates because of high birth rates.

Tribal Groups

Zambia has a population of some 15 million people from over 70 destinct ethnic or tribal groups, most of which are quite small. There are around 0.1 Asians (mostly Indians) and a few Europeans who settled in Zambia after Zimbabwe officials seized their farms and expelled them. As Zambia borders on Angola, Botswana, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, and Zimbabwe. Many of the Zambian tribal groups are spread out in those neighboring countries. The largest tribal group is the Bemba tribe, amounting to over 20 percent of the country's population. The Bemba group trace their origin to the upper Congo basin and are said to have entered Zambia through a mythical land called Kola. Three Zambian presidents have been Bemba. TheBemba are matrilineal who were hunters and gatherers but after the arrival of the British turned to copper mining. The staple of their diet is millet. The Tonga/Batonga are Zambia's second largest tribe, nearly 15 percent of the population. They are centered in the Zambezi Valley. The term Tonga means independent reflected by a lack of a centralized authority. Great influence rests with entitled men known as the sikatongo who were the priests and the ulanyika who were the land owners. The Tonga believed they descended from a legendary chief Monze who came from heaven and invited Batonga into his chiefdom. The principal economic activity is trade owing to control of a major trade center with routes leading all the way to China, India, and the Arabian Peninsula. The Chewa/Bachewa ethnic community makes up over 5% of the Zambia’s population and are mostly subsistence farmers. The Chewa are said to have migrted from the Congo Basion along with the Bemba. Their language is Chichewa. They are found in southern Zambia. There are two clans: Phiri and Banda. The Phiri are the aristocrats and monarchs. The Banda are known for healing and mysticism. They signal their clan identity with tattoos. Their religion is based on Nyau, a secret society. Women are seen as special. Their social organization is matrilineal. The Lozi/Balozi tribe also constiture over 5 percent of the Zambia’s population. They live in western Zambia with some if there tribe across the borders in neigboring countries. Unlike the other major trines, they believe this is where they have always lived. The Lozi in pre-colonial times were conquered by a Khoisan army from the south. They traded in gold, copper, and food crops. The Lozi are the least developed of the major Zambian tribes. Their culture is centered on the flood cycle of the Zambezi River. They celebrate the Kuomboka festival (February or March). At this time they migrate from their lowland plains to higher grounds to avoid the floods. Other Zambian groups in the country include the Nsenga, Tumbuka, Ngoni, Lala, Kaonde, Namwanga, Lunda, Mambwe, Luvale, Lamba, Ushi, Lenje, Bisa, and Mbunda. The different Zambian tribes have lived together in harmony. This has developed despite the large number of tribes. In many other African coutries there os a long history of tribal conflict. It is not clear just why. One possibility is the belieft among most of the tribes that they have common origins.

Activities

WE do not know a great deal about boys' activities in Zambia. We have a school page.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing national pages:
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Created: 12:58 AM 10/3/2017
Last updated: 12:58 AM 10/3/2017