02/06/2026
Covered in Grief, Dusted in Cousinship, The Powder Ritual That Binds Bembas and Ngonis
By Staff Writer
As news of the death of Paramount Chief Mpezeni spread across Zambia, many Easterners knew that besides mourning their revered traditional leader, another unavoidable ritual awaited them.
They would be powdered.
Not by fellow Ngonis.
But by their cousins, the Bembas.
From offices and bus stations to marketplaces and family gatherings, Easterners have in recent days found themselves targets of handfuls of mealie meal, ash, white powder and other harmless substances poured over their heads by Bemba cousins.
To an outsider, it may appear disrespectful. Yet among the Bembas and Ngonis, it is quite the opposite.
The act is rooted in the long-standing cultural institution of chimbuya - cousinship - a unique relationship that allows the two ethnic groups to tease, mock and playfully provoke one another in ways that would be unacceptable among strangers. You also find it among the Lundas and Kaondes, Lundas and Tongas, Lozis and Luvales.
During periods of bereavement, that cousinship takes on a visible form. Powder becomes both a symbol of mourning and a reminder of the special bond between the two communities.
"When your cousin loses a relative, you must share in the grief," explains one elder familiar with the tradition. But because you are cousins, you also have the right to tease them. The powder does both," says Phiri.
The practice has become so entrenched that many Easterners begin anticipating it the moment news breaks of a death involving a prominent Ngoni figure.
At workplaces, colleagues quietly keep packets of powder nearby.
Some Easterners report entering offices only to be greeted by Bemba co-workers waiting to ceremonially dust them from head to toe. Others are ambushed in the streets, shops and markets.
Even social media has become an extension of the ritual, with photographs of powdered victims circulating alongside messages of condolence.
The death of Paramount Chief Mpezeni is expected to bring the tradition to its peak. Easterners across the country are bracing themselves for days of powdering from cousins who see it as both an obligation and a privilege.
Yet the ritual is not one-sided.
The Bembas know their turn will come.
Many still remember the death of the Chitimukulu's wife in a road traffic accident, when Easterners returned the favour with equal enthusiasm.
On that occasion, Bembas found themselves wearing the visible marks of mourning as their Ngoni cousins descended on them with powder and relentless reminders that grief, when shared among cousins, carries its own customs.
Beyond the teasing lies something deeper.
Anthropologists often describe cousinship relationships as social bridges that reduce tension between communities. In Zambia, the Bemba-Ngoni relationship is among the most enduring examples.
The powdering ritual transforms grief from a private burden into a shared cultural experience.
For the one being powdered, it is an acknowledgement that the loss is recognised. If you want to escape the powdering, you have to pay. The money is usually handed over to the grieving family. Well, sometimes!
For the one applying the powder, it is a declaration that family ties extend beyond bloodlines.
As mourners gather at Epandukeni Palace to honour Paramount Chief Mpezeni, the atmosphere will undoubtedly be heavy with sorrow.
But across Zambia, white powder on shirts, jackets and hair will tell another story. One of a cousinship so strong that even death cannot suspend its traditions.
For among the Bembas and Ngonis, mourning is not merely observed. It is worn. Pictures from Kanchibiya Town Council
