Detail of an oarsman at the Kuomboka Ceremony on the Barotse floodplain in Zambia

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One of the oarsmen at the Kuomboka Ceremony, a festival held in the Western province of Zambia every year in March/April when the Paramount Chief, the Litunga, moves from his palace to higher ground as the Zambezi River floods. The Litunga travels in a very large, black and white striped barge called the 'Nalikwanda', paddled by dozens of oarsmen. It is considered a great honour to be appointed an oarsman of the nalikwanda. The oarsmen all wear red berets bearing a piece of lion skin. 'Kuomboka' is a Luyana name meaning, literally 'to get out of the water'. The traditional red headdress of this oarsman is topped off by a tuft of lion hair.

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Size: 3560px × 5392px
Location: Lealui, Zambia
Photo credit: © Alistair Scott / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

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