The music of Zambia has a rich heritage and falls roughly into three categories - traditional, popular and Christian. The traditional music of music is grounded in the beliefs and practices of Zambia's various ethnic groups. This traditional Zambian music once had clear ritual purposes or was used in the social fabric of the culture.
The songs that made up the music of Zambia were used to teach, to heal, to appeal to spirits, and for mere enjoyment of the Zambians. Although the traditional music declined, its influences can still be heard in many of today's Zambian musical forms. The ever-present African "call-and-response" can be heard in almost every Zambian song no matter what the fashion. The customary drum rhythms and polymeters are evident in many different kinds of Zambian music. The contemporary forms such as Zambian Kalindula also show traces of traditional music in the finger-picking style that is used by the guitarists.
The traditional Zambian instruments that are used to produce the typical Zambian music consist of a variety of membranophones, both stick-struck and hand-struck. The drums are essential for most of the traditional dances. The Ngoma is the generic central African term for drum but Zambian drums come in a variety of shapes, sizes and purposes. These drums have specific names depending on their tribal origins and functional roles. The budima drums of the Valley Tonga, for instance are used specifically for funeral ceremonies. The Budima drums come in goblet shapes and come in sizes ranging from large to small. The so-called "lion drum" is one of the most interesting types of drums and are used at the traditional funerals. This is a type of friction drum which is not struck at all but which has a stick inserted through the drum head that is rubbed.
In the year 1964, after Independence, the most vital basis of popular music was the Zambia Broadcasting Service. The other sources of music in Zambia were the affiliated bands like Lusaka Radio Band. The Zambian radio was dominated by Congolese rumba. Many record companies were soon formed which included first the Peter Msungilo's DB Studios in Lusaka and the Teal Record Company.
The Christian music also forms an integral part of the music in Zambia. It is not surprising that the music in today's Zambian Christian churches exhibits traditional, colonial, and popular musical elements.
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