The common people of the Mambwe and the Lungu of Tafuna (but not those of Mukupa-Kaoma who are essentially bemba speakers) are part of the same ethnic group.
[1] The ruling line of the Mambwe is said to have been founded by a man called Changala who came from Kola (Angola) and was a Mulua.
Changala settled in the south of Mambwe country in the area which acknowledged the authority of Chindo, the head of the Simwinga clan.
The Bemba group led by Chitapankwa, Makasa and Mwamba, surrounded it, cutting access to the gardens and streams.
After a month, the Mambwe were reduced to starvation; they were forced to live on rats, dogs and even the bark cloth in which babys were carried.
Some time later Chtapankwa raised a large army and set off to maswepa in Mambwe country to seek vengeance.
[6] When the British arrived at Abercon(Mbala) in 1893, they found the Mambwe largely disrupted by internal politics.
The then Nsokolo, Kimialile, was living with the Mambwe of what is now Tanzania, having sought refuge there after a defeat inflicted by the Bemba.
Kamialile was blind, his younger brother Kosi had put out his eyes because he contemplated surrendering to the Bemba.
The British though, began to use Kimialile as the principal administrative agent, and for the first time he found himself backed by a force sufficient to compel the other chiefs to recognize him as the main authority.
[7] Every Mambwe belongs to one of a large number of exogamous, dispersed, patrilineal clans, nearly all of which are prefixed by the syllable 'Si' (Father of) for males and 'Na' (Mother of) for females.
Some of the more common are; Sikazwe, Sichula ( Frog, royal clan of the Mambwe), Sichilima (Cultivators), Simpemba (White clay), Simwinga (Hunters), Simpasa (Axe), Simutowe (Caterpillar), Simutami (to throw a stone at someone), Silavwe, Mwambazi, Sikasote, Sichivula, Simpungwe, Sinyangwe, Sinchangwa, Simfukwe, Sinjela, Sikapite, Simazuo, Simbao, Simukoko, Simbeya, Siluamba, Simpokolwe, Musukuma, Sinzumwa, Silungwe, Simunyola, Sikaumbwe and Simuyemba.
They also have various artists such as; Kalambo hit parade, Solo Kalenge and Esther Namunga who perform Mambwe Lungu traditional music.
This is a traditional ceremony of the Mambwe and the Lungu of Tafuna, it is conducted to celebrate a successful harvest and to pray for rains for the next farming season.
Traditional Mambwe religion recognizes a supreme god called Leza, he created the earth and everything on it, but he is so remote from his creation that he is not concerned with the affairs of men and as such is never worshiped.
A shrine or temple called kavua was erected in each village, dedicated to the ancestors of local chiefs.
Natural objects such as hills, caves, large rocks or permanent pools of water are divinized and referred to as mayao or maleza.