Culture

Zambia has a blend of more than 70 ethnic groups. Most of the tribes moved into this area in migratory waves a few centuries ago. English was chosen to be the national language of Zambia. Dance is amazing, with acrobatic spectacle and pulse changing drumming. Many traditional instruments are still played but the use of western instruments are increasing with common hand pianos, the silimba, and xylophone. Dance expresses the people's ideas, life style and thought over the centuries. It protrays a time of trouble and peace, retreat and advance and winning and losing in battles. Zambia's diverse cultures bring with them a wide variety of skills, with crafts that can be found in basketry and objects used in their daily life. Most of the population is Christain, though others combine that with traditional animist beliefs.