The Lozi Creation Story
At the beginning of time, Nyambe created the earth, the heavens, the rivers, and all living creatures. Among them was Kamunu, the first man, moulded from the earth and given the responsibility to name the animals and care for all living things. Kamunu was intelligent and learned quickly. He began copying Nyambe’s skills—making fire, crafting tools, building canoes, growing crops, and taming animals. Nyambe had a wife named Nasilele and a daughter named Mwambwa, whose name means "one who is being talked about". At first, Nyambe was pleased. But his joy turned to sorrow when Kamunu began killing animals and cooking their meat, disobeying Nyambe’s command. Though Nyambe warned him, Kamunu refused to listen. As a result, Nyambe allowed suffering and death to enter human life. Kamunu’s pot broke, his dog died, and eventually his child died. According to Lozi belief, this is how death came into the world. As Kamunu grew more independent and ambitious, he followed Nyambe wherever he went. Nyambe tried to distance himself by crossing the floodplains, rivers, and mountains, but Kamunu always followed. He even built canoes and constructed a long ladder to reach the high places where Nyambe had gone. Eventually, Nyambe decided to leave the Earth completely and go to Litooma, the City of Nyambe, or Heaven. To escape Kamunu, he commanded a spider to weave a strong web. Nyambe climbed the web into the sky and, once in Heaven, he blinded the spider so Kamunu could not follow. From that day, humans were left on Earth, and death remained a punishment for disobedience.Nyambe and the Royal Lozi Bloodline
In Lozi tradition, Nyambe is not only the Creator of the world but also the source of the royal bloodline. While still on Earth, he had a wife named Nasilele, and together they had a daughter, Mwambwa. Mwambwa was chosen for a special purpose. According to tradition, the spirit of Nyambe fell upon her, and the power of the Highest overshadowed her, causing her to conceive. This sacred birth marked a new beginning and placed Mwambwa at the centre of the Lozi royal line. When Nasilele found out, she was overcome with sorrow and anger. She quarrelled with Nyambe and beat Mwambwa. Deeply hurt, Nyambe called upon his servant Sasisho and left Earth once again. He commanded a spider to spin a strong web and climbed it to return to Litooma, the heavenly realm. Nasilele later died from heartbreak. Mwambwa remained on Earth and later became the first ruler of the Luyi people, the ancestors of the Lozi. Because the royal line came through her, she was given the title Njimikati, meaning "a woman who cultivates much".{{cite web , last=Munyaza , first=Malcolm , title=Zambezi Names and Definitions , url=https://example.com/zambezi-names-and-definitions , website=Self-published , date=2021 , access-date=2025-06-15 She is remembered as the sacred child through whom the divine royal bloodline began. She bore several children, including a daughter named Mbuyu, who succeeded her. Mbuyu inherited the sacred lineage and ensured its continuation, becoming the second ruler. To this day, all Lozi royalty trace their lineage back to Mwambwa, the divinely chosen matriarch.References