Monze
Encyclopedia
Monze is a small town (population 30,000) in the Southern Province
of Zambia
and is about 180 km south-west of Lusaka
. It is the administrative centre of Monze District.
The town is named after Chief Monze
, widely acknowledged as the spiritual leader of the Tonga people
who inhabit the district. His palace is south of the town near a place called Gonde where a ceremony called Lwiindi
takes place. This annual festival is a thanksgiving ceremony which attracts a lot of people from around the country.
The main industry in the district is agriculture with maize being the most important crop. At one point in the past, the district used to produce more than 25% of the maize crop in Zambia. It was popularly known as the 'home of Zambia's granary'. Although its status as the leading maize producer has declined over the years, the most prominent feature in the town is still the grain silos to the north of the town.
Southern Province, Zambia
Southern Province is one of Zambia's nine provinces, and home to Zambia's premier tourist attraction, Mosi-oa-Tunya , shared with Zimbabwe...
of Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
and is about 180 km south-west of Lusaka
Lusaka
Lusaka is the capital and largest city of Zambia. It is located in the southern part of the central plateau, at an elevation of about 1,300 metres . It has a population of about 1.7 million . It is a commercial centre as well as the centre of government, and the four main highways of Zambia head...
. It is the administrative centre of Monze District.
The town is named after Chief Monze
Chief Monze
Chief Monze is the spiritual leader of the Tonga people of southern Zambia. The chief's palace is south of the town of Monze named after him, near a place called Gonde, where a ceremony called Lwiindi takes place. This annual festival is a thanksgiving ceremony which attracts a lot of people from...
, widely acknowledged as the spiritual leader of the Tonga people
Tonga people
The Tonga are an ethnic group living in northern Malawi. A related ethnic group also called the Tonga are found in Zambia and Zimbabwe, with some in Mozambique.-History:...
who inhabit the district. His palace is south of the town near a place called Gonde where a ceremony called Lwiindi
Lwiindi
Lwiindi is an annual festival of the Tonga people of southern Zambia. It is a thanksgiving ceremony which attracts people from around the country. It takes place at a Place called Gonde, near Chief Monze's place in Monze District...
takes place. This annual festival is a thanksgiving ceremony which attracts a lot of people from around the country.
The main industry in the district is agriculture with maize being the most important crop. At one point in the past, the district used to produce more than 25% of the maize crop in Zambia. It was popularly known as the 'home of Zambia's granary'. Although its status as the leading maize producer has declined over the years, the most prominent feature in the town is still the grain silos to the north of the town.