In the first two weeks of May 2026, BantUGent PhD students Edward Ntonda and Aron Zahran hosted a workshop in Luangwa (Zambia) for the promotion and preservation of the Chikunda language and culture.
The workshop was funded by the UGent Global Minds Fund and was organised in collaboration with local partners BiLTA, Lusaka National Museum, and Chikunda community members and language activists from Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
The goal of the workshop has been to:
1. Document Chikunda history and cultural heritage
2. Produce Chikunda literary materials including booklets about tangible and intangible culture heritage such as historical sites, artifacts, stories, riddles, proverbs, and dances.
3. Produce Chikunda literary materials for children about topics related to sustainability, such as health and environmental issues.
4. Promoting cross-border unity and collaborations between Chikunda communities in Mozambique, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
Various invitees attended the workshop to give speeches and presentations, including
– Lawrence Shawa, Mayor of Luangwa Town Council
– Joseph Feremenga, President of Luangwa Establishment (association for the promotion of Chikunda and Nsenga cultural heritage)
– Reverend Dr. Gervazious Tizola Tembo, Team administrator of BiLTA Luangwa
– Precious Chisanga, Senior curator at Lusaka National Museum
– Traditional doctors, spirit mediums, and community elders.
The Chikunda language is unrecognised in the constitutions of the three countries where it is spoken. Hopefully this initiative will be a stepping stone towards recognition and increasing cultural pride of the Chikunda.
