Lwiindi Ceremony

Lwiindi is an annual festival of the Tonga people of southern Zambia. It is a thanksgiving ceremony which attracts people from around the country. It takes place at a Place called Gonde, near Chief Monze's place in Monze District about 9 miles South West of Monze town. It is held usually on the 2nd of July and is the main traditional ceremony of the Tonga peoples. Gonde is the place where the first chief Monze disappeared - his 'court' claimed their chief didn't die and this same place became the burial place for all chiefs - though only two are buried there. The rest have no graves as their bodies just disappeared at death.
Each year the Chief leads his community in the annual Lwiindi ceremony, traditionally held to give thanks for the first harvest of the year. The Chiefs of Monze are held in tradition to be 'Shine Chiefs' or Rain Maker. Traditional culture records that Chief Mukulukulu, the first Rain Maker, disappeared into the sky and is responsible for sending the rains.

Many Tonga people believe that Chief Monze the First, fondly called Mukulukulu by the Tongas, is said to have mysteriously disappeared and is the giver of rains. The reigning Chief Monze celebrates the praise given to Mukulukulu by consuming the first meal from the new season's harvest.

The ceremony attracts many important people from around the country, Zambia's elected politicians, representatives of the opposition parties, many Chiefs from towns in the province and hundreds of people both in and beyond the province all converge for this colourful event.