This is an anthropological collection songs and music which take place during the initiation/seclusion period (mukanda) of Luvale boys of Zambia. Most Luvale art is in the form of masks, many of which are danced with, during ceremonies to educate the initiates and to mark the territory where the ceremonies take place. The Luvale (who also live in Angola, where they are called Lwena) peoples are closely related to the Chokwe, and their history is interconnected with both Chokwe and Lunda political movements, which have historically dominated the region. They number about 20,000. The agrarian Luvale grow manioc, cassava, yams, peanuts, tobacco, hemp and maize (grown to make beer). They keep some sheep, goats, pigs, and chickens, but prestige meats are wild game provided by a restricted secret society of hunters. The Luvale are divided into two categories, those who are descended from the founding matrilineal lines and those who are descended from former enslaved populations. The society is governed by family headmen who owe tenuous allegiance to local chiefs who inherit their positions matrilineally from the maternal uncle. The chiefs (mwana nganga) consult with a committee of elders and ritual specialists before making decisions. The Luvale preserve traditional religion, based on Kalunga, a god of creation, and a series of nature and ancestral spirits. The music in the collection is chiefly of interest to anthropologists and African musicologists, but some of the songs might entertain a casual listener.
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