E7 The Mukuni Royal Dynasty, Zambia

African cultures and traditions go back far in time. To film a traditional ceremony few know about was an amazing experience. Zambia has over 70 different tribes, each with their own rich culture. Long before David Livingstone discovered and 'named' the Victoria Falls it had always been an integral part in culture of the Mukuni Royal Dynasty that dates back almost 400 years. This incredible waterfall is called Nsyungu Namutitima by the indigenous Leya people, or Mosi-oa-Tunya -- the smoke that thunders. (On a personal note I think its a touch of immense arrogance to have named them after a queen that has no relevance to the people here and one who has never set foot in this country)

The Mukuni Royal village, Gundu, is the site where in the 18th Century, the founder, Paramount Chief Mukuni Mulopwe settled here among the Leya people having travelled from the Congo. He married the Leya tribal Chief Priestess, Be-Dyango Munyama and so began what is now known as the Mukuni Royal Dynasty. The village was originally founded in the 13th Century by the Chireya Dynasty. It is built on a sandy knoll with a population of 10 000 inhabitants making it one of the largest of its kind in Africa. It is unique in that it is home to two palaces. Lumpasa for the male ruler and Nanjima for the female-co-ruler - Be-Dyango

The Mukuni Royal Dynasty today consists of 33 Monarchs that stretches across Congo, Central and Eastern Zambia and Northern Zimbabwe. They all converge here for this ceremony. It's a reminder of their ancestral past and a celebration of their culture.