Namibia Holiday & Travel - People of Namibia - The Caprivians
Just under 80 000 people live in East Caprivi, which borders on Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Botswana. Most Caprivians are linguistically related to the Lozi and Makololo of Barotseland in Zambia. The Valozi are the remnants of the Kololo Kingdom, established by Chief Sebetwane of the Bafokeng (originally from the Orange Free State in South Africa), who crossed the Zambezi River in 1838 and overpowered the Luyi. The largest Caprivian tribal groups are the Masubia and Mafwe. Other tribes are the Mayeyi, Matotela, Mashi and Mbukushu.
Within communal areas there are different levels of traditional authority. In eastern Caprivi each village has a headman, generally the most senior male member. He advises the senior headman, who represents a number of villages. The senior headmen act as local representatives on the tribal council or kuta, which is presided over by the ngambela (chief councillor). The kuta is the highest legislative, administrative and judicial body in the tribal area. In western Caprivi, traditional authorities are less structured, but are similar in that authorities range from the local village headmen to a chief who presides over a large area.
In Caprivian society the family is the most important socioeconomic unit. Families usually live in villages. Two systems are distinguishable in the social organisation: the Masubias are patrilineally oriented, while the Mafwe reflect distinct matrilineal features in their rules of succession. The form of government consists of hereditary chieftainships, one for the Masubia and one for the Mafwe.
Most Caprivians are subsistence farmers who make their living on the banks of the Zambezi, Kwando, Linyanti and Chobe rivers. Land is cultivated under a system of individual right of occupation as allocated by the people’s authorities. Grazing and veld products are used on a communal basis. In addition to fishing and hunting, a significant but not exclusive element of the local economy, they keep cattle and cultivate the land. When the Zambezi and Chobe rivers come down in flood, more than half of Caprivi east of the Kwando may be under water. During this period the Caprivians use their mekoro (dug-out canoes) to traverse the routes normally used by trucks and pedestrians.
