There is an African proverb, “When an old man dies, a library burns to the ground”. This means that old people are a source of knowledge. They hold a piece of African culture. In Africa, one of the main ways we keep a record of our rich culture is through oral tradition. But if we don’t write down oral tradition, it will be lost forever.

I urge all of us, those who are still privileged to have their grandmothers and grandfathers, mothers and fathers, elder sisters and brothers, uncles and aunties to try and engage them, interview them, invite them to tell their life stories, record that in voice and in writing and share within this generation and the next generation in order to know the rich history, where we are coming from as a people, where we are now and where we are going. It is called posterity. INTAMBI, ne CHIFYALILWA tafyalinga ukulufya nakalya iyo.  

Oral tradition is when history, stories, memories and traditions are spoken about and passed on from generation to generation. Oral traditions are part of the African way of life. They are how we share cultural heritage and beliefs. They show African attitudes and feelings. They are very important in keeping the past alive. We now need to write and read it, record it in any form for the future and for posterity.

One of the many ways the Aushi people express their feelings, emotions, their past, and the praise for the dead as well as the living is through songs known as DIRGES. A dirge is a song or hymn of grief, or lamentations, a funeral song or tune, or one expressing mourning in commemoration of the dead, a song of mourning, performed as a memorial to someone who is dead.

Among the AUSHI People of Luapula Province in the Republic of Zambia, a dirge is known as “ICHIMBO CHAMALILILO”  in the AUSHI Language,  literally meaning “a song of mourning”  a somber song or lamentation expressing mourning or grief, such as would be appropriate for performance at a funeral.

A dirge is a slow and sad song that is sung or played during a funeral ceremony to mourn, honor or remember a dead person. Dirges are normally slow and invoke sad emotions, and memories of the dear departed ones. Tear-jerking and free flowing of Tears by men while the dirge is being sung.

Aushi, known by native speakers as Ikyaushi, is a Bantu language primarily spoken in the Luapula Province of Zambia, the Haut in Katanga Province of the Democratic Republic of Congo. Although many scholars argue that it is a dialect of the closely related Bemba language native speakers (Abaushi INKONKO)  insist that it is a distinct language. A subject for another day.

During the funeral, the period of mourning before and after the burial rites, Various DIRGES are sung by the mourners, to not only commemorate the person who has just died, the dirge extends to the praising of the places, the Palaces, the CHIEFS, past and present, the Heroes and all the people and Ancestors of various clans who have passed on to the other side of the World.

I have been paying a lot of attention to the words and sentences used during the “ICHIMBO CHAMALILO” during the funerals especially that my own mother (Marriane Kunda Katwishi Kalaba now 89 years of Age) my elder sister (Veronica Funkwe Kunda Kalaba, 69 years old), some late uncles and Aunties were and or are gifted to have learned and known the Art and can sing so well (Ukutatula Ichimbo Chamalilo) and Lead the song, passing it over from one specialist to the next during the mourning period.

I recorded and interviewed several of my relatives and one of the main THEMES which came out so distinctly clear is the aspect of how the AUSHI PEOPLE Praise their SENIOR CHIEF MILAMBO and all the CHIEFS and SUB-CHIEFS of the AUSHI people found in several Districts within Luapula Province.  

These are the PRAISES for our AUSHI CHIEFS which are intertwined in the DIRGES during the period of mourning our dear departed friends and family.  Pay attention and you will realize and appreciate the rich cultural aspect of ICHIMBO CHAMALILO by ABAUSHI. UBWAUSHI ni Pa Mutima.

1. SENIOR CHIEF MILAMBO – Ku Nsunga kwa Milambo kwa Myele myele kapaya wa Bantu
2. CHIEF MIBENGE – Mibenge wa pa Chikundwe
3. CHIEF KALABA – Kalaba wa pa Myulu
4. CHIEF CHISUNKA – Chisunka Mu Bukanda
5. CHIEF CHIMESE – Chimese Mese Inguni ya Milemba  – Uwa mwa Kaole umushenda kapondo ninshi Kaponoka
6. CHIEF MATANDA – Matanda Chabusha Bukaka. Na Walobele Bwale Mukonda. Matanda wa  Tandabala.  
7. CHIEF KALASA LUKANGABA – Kalasa wa Ngolyolyo – Ingolyolyo pantu shimena ku Mulundu.  
8. CHIEF KALASA MUKOSO – Kalasa na Menda ( Because of his closeness to Menda which is both a Kaonde and Aushi word for Water)
9. CHIEF MABUMBA – Kwa solo wa kubaliila imbuto, Kalaba Misenga – Mabumba wa mu Chipingo
10.  CHIEF SOKONTWE – Awaiting confirmation from Ambassador Dr. Elias Munshya
11. SUB CHIEF KALE – Kale Mukulu Munshi sumpwa Bunga, Pa FUNKWE Chalila Kabanda, ati Nakabanda Kalamwita Mwana Nkonge, Pa na Mundobwe Ya Kalyalya, Pe Salansa Pa Nyina Mulubwa. E Pa Bwaushi Pa KATI (Central Place of the Aushi people and the Sub-Chief Kale could have been installed as a Senior Chief of the Aushi people except for the story, I earlier shared).
12. SUB CHIEF CHAMA – Kwa Chama Wa Buseba
13. SUB CHIEF NSONGA – Kwa NSONGA  – Ku Minyunsa

Other People who speak the AUSHI language have settled in the following Chiefdoms;

1. CHIEF KASOMA LWELA –  Abena Kabende Mushi – “Kwa Kasoma ku Mwense” yaku Samfya
2. CHIEF KASOMA BANGWEULU –
3. CHIEF MULAKWA – Mwana mumembe – Ku Kapata Peninsula – Ku TWINGI – These are Batwa, Aba Unga elyo na ba Aushi abaya ikalako.

Nashala nine Kalume wenu –

Kunda Katwishi Kasapo Kaluba Katuta Kalaba

Mweni We Ingwee, Na Mpundu Masebe Kwa Wilwa

Umwina NGULUBE ya Mutukula Chisanga

Umwina NKALAMO – Ndashye iya kulonda Umwanda