Written by Amber Bai '24
Global warming. Two words that are being repeated countless times. It has become one of the greatest issues in our generation, with more and more reports of icebergs melting, extreme weather, animal extinction, and so forth.
When you first hear these words, what comes to mind is probably survival— how death from heat is increasing as fast as the global temperature is, how the fluctuation of rainfall plagues communities with disease. But what is often ignored is that global warming is threatening the existence of something else too: culture.
Take Zambia, for example. Zambia, a country in eastern Africa, has been experiencing extreme weather due to global warming. According to The Guardian, a record from 1960 suggested the country has warmed by at least 1.7C in 60 years, and because of this, the average rainfall in Zambia has fallen by 2.3% per decade in the same period (Siavonga). The declining average rainfall had brought a significant impact on the southern and western parts of the country; an article from the AEP (African Education Program) details how citizens in rural areas are experiencing food insecurity due to the drought. Clearly, people in Zambia are struggling to survive due to the catastrophic repercussions of global warming. But their struggle does not end here: their cultures are bordering death as well.
The Lozi people are an African tribe with around 46 ethnic groups inhabiting western Zambia (The Editors). One of their traditions is the Kuomboka, which happens between March and April at the end of rainy seasons and is said to have over 300 years of history (Lungu). During that time, the lower land is flooded because of the rainy season, and the king decides to move to the dryer upper lands in a boat paddled by hundreds of Lozi people (The New York Times). However, this tradition is impacted by global warming, as there are no more rainfall and floods to move the king to the upper lands (The New York Times). The looming death of this tradition is exemplified when, in 2019, the Kuomboka was canceled due to the low levels of water in the river (Q FM). If global warming continues to worsen each year, the drought in Zambia will continue and the rainfall will decline: eventually, Kuomboka, one of the greatest traditions of the Lozi people, will be gone as well.
Yet, the Lozi people are just a single representation of all whose traditions and cultures are affected by climate change. Around the globe, beliefs such as Animism and Shamanism along with their rituals are closely related to nature; Maori people use Maramataka (the lunar calendar) for their agriculture, and Greenland holds the tradition of dog sledding (Park; Taonga; How Different Cultures). All these cultures, and many more, are closely connected to the environment around us. But if global warming continues to worsen, and we do nothing to restore the destructions we’ve made, there will be more and more examples of Kuomboka happening around us. Thus, our generation must understand that global warming is a pressing issue not only for survival, but for culture as well.
Works Cited
African Eduction Program. “Zambia’s Ongoing Drought: The Role of Climate Change in Food Security.” African Education Program, 11 Feb. 2020, www.africaneducationprogram.org/blog/2020/2/11/zambias-ongoing-drought-the-role-of-climate-change-in-food-security. Accessed 19 Jan. 2022.
How Different Cultures Interact with the Natural Environment Video. “How Different Cultures Interact with the Natural Environment | Study.com.” Study.com, 2020, study.com/academy/lesson/how-different-cultures-interact-with-the-natural-environment.html. Accessed 17 Jan. 2022.
Lungu, Tom. “The Kuomboka Ceremony - RowZambezi.” The Kuomboka Ceremony - RowZambezi, 5 May 2018, rowzambezi.com/news/the-kuomboka-ceremony/. Accessed 18 Jan. 2022.
Park, George Kerlin. “Animism | Origin, Belief, & Place of Worship.” Encyclopædia Britannica, 2019, www.britannica.com/topic/animism. Accessed 18 Jan. 2022.
Q FM. Kuomboka Ceremony 2019 Cancelled. 24 Mar. 2019, m.facebook.com/qfmzambia/photos/a.117082862661/10157393576962662/?type=3&source=57. Accessed 17 Jan. 2022.
Siavonga, John Gibbons in. “Zambians Brace for Water Shortage despite Recent Rainfall.” The Guardian, 12 Mar. 2020, www.theguardian.com/world/2020/mar/12/zambians-water-shortage-drought-lake-rainfall. Accessed 18 Jan. 2022.
Taonga, New Zealand Ministry for Culture and Heritage Te Manatu. “Traditional Kaitiakitanga.” Teara.govt.nz, 24 Sept. 2007, teara.govt.nz/en/kaitiakitanga-guardianship-and-conservation/page-3. Accessed 17 Jan. 2022.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Lozi | People | Britannica.” Www.britannica.com, 20 Apr. 2011, www.britannica.com/topic/Lozi. Accessed 19 Jan. 2022.
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