History of Luchazi People of Angola and Zambia .

Luchazi People can be found in Zambia and Angola , they are part of the Bantu Speaking people . They are related to the Chokwe people and they grow crops such as yams , cassava , peanuts also known as groundnut , millet , maize and they use maize to make traditional beer , domesticated livestock is kept , Including Sheep , goats , pigs and chickens , meat is obtained through hunting , there is a exclusive association of big game hunters known as Yanga but everyone contributes to the capture of small animal games .  

According to accounts on Luchazi People of Angola and Zambia , They are related to Chokwe, and their history is Interconnected with both Chokwe and Lunda Political movements , which have historically dominated the region between 1600 and 1850 , they were under considerable Influence from Lunda States and were centrally located in Present day Angola .

 In the Second half of the 19th Century , though , considerable development of the trade routes between Chokwe homelands and the Angolan coast led to an Increased participation in trade of Ivory rubber wealth acquired from this allowed Chokwe Kingdom to expand , eventually overtaking Lunda States that had held swag over them for so long .  

Family has an Important place in Luchazi Culture , the Individual derives from a relationship to an extended family group . The Cimbundu also known as Chimbundu are the traditional healers who pratice their medicine with herbs and white powder . The Mwene is the head of religious Instruction , he rule the affairs of the spirit , just as he ruled in the day to day affairs of the physical word and It is believed harmony of leadership reflect the society , who saw all things linked to spiritual world . 

 According to Anthropologist Macculloch account , Luchazi are also known as Valuchazi , Mulochazi , Balojash or Makangla , they are people living in Angola and Zambia, Luchazi together are related to Chokwe , Bambundu and Baluimbi ,the Portuguese referred them as Vangaguela , their number are more than 500,00 In Angola and approximately 50,000 in Zambia , Luchazi language belongs to the western group of the Bantu languages , they adhere to their traditional beliefs and their Chief occupation is farming millet ,and corn hunting and fishing are well developed .  

According to Britannica account , Luchazi , Chokwe , Songo and Mbundu are of Congolese origins but they broke away from the Central Lunda Kingdom in Present day Southern Congo , the traditions of Mbundu are similar to Chokwe , Lunda , Luchazi , and Luvale , although there are a few differences and the major foods of them are the same and even there was Intermarriages . 

Food customs at Luchazi Ceremonial occasion , during Ceremony , grilled Chicken , soft drinks and bottled beer are served and also local beverages such as maize beer and palm wine , In their Culture they do not recognize a paramount leader , but Instead offer allegiance to local Chiefs who Inherit their positions matria- linearly from their maternal Uncle , Mwana Nganga are Chiefs and they consult the committee of elders before making decisions.

 Villages are divided into manageable sections , which are governed by family headman and all members of the society are divided into two categories , those who are descended from the founding matrilineal lines . In Luchazi Concept , Kalunga is considered as God of Creation , Nganga is the diviner he or she is consulted for healing and many more and their forms of divination involved basket divination , which consists of tossing up to sixty Individual object in a basket , the configuration of the diviner objects is then read by the diviner to determine illness . 

Luchazi are rich natural resources their resources Include gold , diamonds , bauxite , uranium and copper . During the 19th Century they began to write articles , novels , poems and folktales and they have a strong story telling tradition , family celebrations Include cultural rituals associated with birth , death and adulthood their communities celebrate the beginning of harvest and hunting along with mask making , ceramic arts and wood carving furthermore cassava is the most Important food , It can be made into bread , flour , tapioca or alcoholic beverage . In their tradition , young man talks to his father and mother about the girl that Interest him , the mother then talks to the mother of the girl about arranging the bride price , It is said woman who is not married and has no children , the family would expect to receive 2 cows as a bride price . 

When the father of a family dies , the nephews inherits and rite of passage is also Important and girls are given a feast during the days of the feast, She is taught what she need to know and must be eligible for marriage , for boys between 6 , 7 , 8 and 10 years of age are taken to the forest to be circumcised in a ceremony known as Mudanda , a day of feasting and dancing is called Mandumbu . 

They are very artistic , though their art is used mainly for commerce in the modern day , mask are a form of art , singing as well plays a big role , playing drums , basket weaving and honored arts . 

 In their Tradition , the most common greeting is the handshake always greet elders first , It is customary to bow when Introduced to someone who is obviously older or has a senior position and they perfom cultural dances such as Wavikokojola , Makishi , Samanjinga and many different cultural dances .