Barotse

Barotse, also referred to as Barotseland, denotes both the Lozi-speaking people of western Zambia and their traditional homeland along the Zambezi River floodplain. The Barotse are part of the larger Lozi ethnic group; their language is Lozi (siLozi). The Barotse Royal Establishment (BRE) is the traditional institution that oversees cultural matters, and the Litunga is the sovereign.

Geographically, the Barotse region lies in Zambia's Western Province, extending along the Barotse Floodplain. The Litunga's capital rotates seasonally, with Lealui serving during the dry season and Limulunga during the rains; the Nalikwanda is the royal barge used in the Kuomboka ceremony.

History holds that Nyambe founded the Barotse Kingdom in the 17th–18th centuries and it expanded under successive Litungas. In the colonial era, the BRE negotiated with British authorities; the 1964 Barotseland Agreement aimed to grant autonomous status within the future Zambia, but it was not fully implemented. Since independence, Barotseland has remained a part of Zambia, though some groups advocate greater autonomy.

Economically, the Barotse region relies on agriculture, including maize, millet, and sorghum, as well as fishing and cattle herding. Cultural life centers on ceremonies such as Kuomboka, the annual migration to higher ground, and other Lozi traditions preserved by the BRE.