Cultural Preservation Literacy in Zambia: A Case Study of the Lala People of Serenje District.

Abstract

This article was based on a case study under qualitative research design of post-positivism knowledge generation paradigm. The purpose of the study was to establish the strategies that the Lala people were using to preserve their cultures. The research methodology employed was purely qualitative mode of inquiry. Data was collected from 38 respondents in Serenje District including Chief Chitambo’s community. The specific strategies used to collect data were interviews, focus group discussions with a traditional council ‘Insaka ye Lala’ and observation of certain cultural practices. The study revealed that there were several strategies which the Lala people were using to preserve their cultural heritage such as hosting a traditional ceremony annually, conducting dance performances at different functions within the district such as graduation ceremony at Colleges of Education and other public gatherings such as agriculture shows and rallies. The Lala people were also eating traditional foods and most of them encouraged the speaking of Lala language in most contexts. It was also noted that some aspects of the Lala culture were vanishing and getting extinct slowly certain food stuff such as millet (amale) nshima; some marriage processes were literary extinct such as a stage where parents used to find a spouse to marry their children and finally, the traditional dressing of the LALA people was no longer common. It was recommended that the Lala community should continue preserving their culture and restore those important aspects that were extinct or slowly vanishing.