Water in Batongo’s rituals after resettlement from the shores of the Zambezi

Abstract

The Zambezi River plays an extremely important role in the rituals of the Batonga people who inhabit areas of Zimbabwe and Zambia. The article traces how ceremonies changed after the construction of the Kariba Dam in 1959 when the entire people were displaced from their traditional settlements. This fact put the Batongas on two sides of the great river, which made mutual contacts difficult and led to economic and religious differences. The aim of this article is to show water rituals in the face of a changing reality that leads to their change and, more importantly, to a reduction in their practice.