The Litunga of Barotseland (in Zambia) is the King of the Barotse people. [1] The Litunga resides near the Zambezi River and the town of Mongu, at Lealui on the floodplain in the dry season, and on higher ground at Limulunga on the edge of the floodplain in the wet season. The Litunga moves between these locations in what is known as the Kuomboka ceremony. [2]
The current Litunga is Lubosi II.
Lozi people, or Barotse, are a southern African ethnic group who speak Lozi and Silozi, a Sotho–Tswana language| Khelobedu. The Lozi people consist of more than 46 different ethnic groups and are primarily situated between Namibia, Angola. Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa including half of the north-Western and western provinces of Zambia inhabiting the region of Barotseland.
Barotseland is a region between Namibia, Angola, Botswana, Zimbabwe including half of north-western province, southern province, and parts of Lusaka, Central, and Copperbelt provinces of Zambia and the whole of Democratic Republic of Congo's Katanga Province. It is the homeland of the Lozi people or Barotse, or Malozi, who are a unified group of over 46 individual formerly diverse tribes related through kinship, whose original branch are the Luyi (Maluyi), and also assimilated Southern Sotho tribe of South Africa known as the Makololo.
The Kololo or Makololo are a subgroup of the Sotho-Tswana people native to Southern Africa. In the early 19th century, they were displaced by the Zulu, migrating north to Barotseland, Zambia. They conquered the territory of the Luyana people and imposed their own language. The combination of Luyana and Kololo languages gave rise to the current Lozi language spoken by the Lozi people, descendants of the Luyana and nearby tribes. In 1864, the Kololo kingdom was overthrown and some chiefs moved to Chikwawa District, Malawi, with David Livingstone.
Mongu is the capital of Western Province in Zambia and was the capital of the formerly-named province and historic state of Barotseland. Its population is 179,585, and it is also the headquarters of Mongu District. Mongu is the home of the Litunga, King of the Lozi people.
Lewanika was the Lozi Litunga (King) of Barotseland from 1878 to 1916 . A detailed, although biased, description of King 'Lubossi' can be found in the Portuguese explorer Alexandre de Serpa Pinto's 1878–1879 travel narrative Como eu atravessei a África.
Liuwa Plain National Park is a 3,369-square-kilometre (1,301 sq mi) national park in Zambia's Western Province. "Liuwa" means "plain" in the local Liuwa language, a dialect of Lozi language, and the plains originally served as a hunting ground for Lubosi Lewanika, the Litunga of the Lozi people. The area was designated as a protected area by Lubosi Lewanika in the early 1880s, and as a national park in 1972, when Zambia's government took over management. The nonprofit conservation organization African Parks has managed Liuwa in partnership with the Department of National Parks and Wildlife and the Barotse Royal Establishment since 2003.
The Lusaka–Mongu Road of Zambia runs 580 km from the capital, Lusaka, to Mongu, capital of the Western Province. It connects that province to the rest of the country, as well as being one of two routes to the south-west extremity of North-Western Province. It also serves as the main highway of the western half of Central Province. The entire route from Lusaka to Mongu is designated as the M9 road.
Mulambwa Santulu was the 10th litunga (king) of Barotseland who ruled from 1780 to 1830. He is one of the most fondly remembered Luyana kings. He is famous for introducing a series of reforms such as a new constitution into the Lozi Kingdom. He has been called "Mulambwa Mutomi Wa Mulao" which translates to "Mulambwa the creator of laws."
Mwanawina I was a Litunga of Barotseland in Africa.
Mulena Yomuhulu Mbumu wa LitungaNgombala was a Great Chief of the Lozi people in Zambia, in Africa.
Mulena Yomuhulu Mbumu wa LitungaNgalama was a High Chief of Lozi people in Barotseland Zambia, Africa.
Mulena Yomuhulu Mbumu wa LitungaInyambo was a Great African King of the Lozi people in Barotseland, Zambia, one of the first kings of the Lozi, and likely a mythical ruler or demigod.
Mulena Yomuhulu Mbumu wa LitungaYubya I was a High Chief or King of Barotseland in Zambia, Africa, one of the sacred Lozi chiefs.
Mulena Yomuhulu Mbumu wa LitungaMubukwanu was a High Chief of the Lozi people, King of Barotseland in Africa. He quarrelled with his brother Silumelume.
Mwanawina II was a King or Chief of the Lozi people in Zambia, Africa, a member of the third dynasty of Litungas. His full title was Mulena Yomuhulu Mbumu wa Litunga.
Yeta III CBE was a king of Barotseland, of the Lozi people in what is now Western Zambia.
Nakatindi Yeta Nganga (1922–1972) was a Lozi aristocrat and Zambian politician. Jointly one of the first women elected to the National Assembly, she was also the country's first female junior minister.