Flooding in the Context of the Barotse People of the Upper Zambezi Wetlands

Abstract

Much of the historical and contemporary view of flooding is that it is a hazard which threatens property and life, as well as development and social activity. Whilst agreeing that this view is contextually appropriate to restricted places of the world, it is, however, not universal to all regions of our planet Earth. There are several cultural practices that welcome flooding for various  cultural, ecological and geophysical explanations. This paper picks on one such cultural practice, namely, that of the Lozi speaking people of the Western province of Zambia. In this regard the presentation seeks to highlight the garment school of thought in the understanding of floods by using the case and experience of the Lozi-speaking people.