Editor's note: This article by His Royal Highness Chitimukulu of the Bemba people ("Henry Kanyanta Sosala") provides important reflections on tribe, tribalism and culture. The article is reproduced from Lusaka Times.
Preamble
A tribe is a political, social and economic unit; it's like a social class in Europe in which people find their polyglot neighbours in times of distress and helpers in times of need. A tribe offered sanctuary in the old days of tribal wars. A tribe is exclusive and the only way to win acceptance is to be born into a particular tribe. This means that the people of one tribe are united by common citizenship; common language; common racial harmony and common tribal codes, most of which stretch back into pre-history but also by common bloodlines i.e., the blood of the tribe.
On the other hand, while the immigrant can acquire the general abstract status of Zambian citizenship which can even later be renounced, it is not possible for such an immigrant to become Lamba, Tonga, Lozi or Mambwe. The only way to be one of these is to be born into such a tribe.
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