AbaBemba (the Bemba people) of Zambia in Central Africa are Bantus. Their documented history begins with the 1484-1485 Portuguese expedition led by Diego Cam (also known as Diogo Cão), when Europeans first contacted the Kingdom of Kongo at the mouth of the Congo River.

The Bemba are one of the largest ethnic groups in Zambia. They are concentrated in the northeastern section of the country and total more than 900,000 people today. (James S. Olson / Peoples of Africa) The Bemba of Congo (Kinshasa) are numbering 644,000.

Jun 28, 2023 · With their unique history and captivating traditions, the Bemba tribe holds a significant place within Zambia. In this article, we delve into the intriguing world of the Bemba people, exploring their heritage, customs, and contributions …

The Bemba are the largest ethnic group in the Northern Province of Zambia. About eighteen ethnic groups, give or take a few, in the area of Zambia, make up the Bemba-speaking peoples. The Bemba are also commonly referred to as a forest people.

Bemba, Bantu-speaking people inhabiting the northeastern plateau of Zambia and neighbouring areas of Congo (Kinshasa) and Zimbabwe. The Bantu language of the Bemba has become the lingua franca of Zambia.

The Bemba occupy the northeastern part of Zambia. They are a matrilineal group (tracing descent through the mother's line). The Bemba belong to a larger ethnic group usually referred to as the Central Bantu. The Bemba came to their present location during the great Bantu migrations of the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

The Bemba were members of the Luba empire in the Congo basin and were part of the Ng’andu (Crocodile) clan. It is thought that they left there in or before 1650, migrating east to an area around present-day Kasama.

Bemba history is a major historical phenomenon in the development of chieftainship in a large and culturally homogeneous region of central Africa. The Bemba are those who consider themselves subjects of the Chitimukulu, the Bemba's single paramount chief. They lived in villages of 100 to 200 people and numbered 250,000 strong in 1963.

Oct 18, 2024 · For the Bemba people, initiation ceremonies—called Ichisungu for girls and Ubwinga for boys—are more than simple celebrations. They are sacred rites of passage that transform young individuals into socially responsible adults, ready to take on the roles and duties expected of them in their community.

Aug 20, 2020 · The Bemba people trace their origins to the Luba empire and are believed to have migrated from the Congo in the 18th or early 19th century. They established a centralized government under a supreme chief known as the Chitimukulu, who belonged to a single matrilineal royal clan.