The Luvale people are a Bantu ethnic group found in north-western Zambia and south-eastern Angola. They are closely related to the Lunda and Ndembu to the northeast, but they also share cultural similarities to the Kaonde to the east, and to the Chokwe and Luchazi, important groups of eastern Angola.
The Luvale are noted for their masks, many of which are danced during initiation ceremonies to educate the initiates and to mark the territory where the ceremonies take place. They are skilled craftsmen known for making baskets, weaving mats (“visalo”) pottery, metalwork (‘”utengo”) and stools. Some stools are made exclusively from wood, while some may feature a hide seat on a wooden frame called “likupu”. The most commonly made basket is the “mbango”, a medium-sized basket for storing grain or maize meal. They also make musical instruments such as the “jinjimba” (a xylophone), the “likembe” (a small hand piano), and a variety of drums.
Postcards
1970 – SAPRA Studio (RZ Series/Type 1) No.100-139
