This part of the Valley is the home of the Kunda tribe who migrated from the Luba area in Congo in the first half of the 19th century. The Kundas form a small tribe of about 35,000 people. Traditionally the Kundas were hunters but today the majority live as subsistence farmers. The conditions are tough, with extreme seasons and crop raiding animals. The villagers in the Nsefu area are still living in a very traditional way.
In 1997 the community, took the exceptional step of introducing cultural tourism. They believe that modern tourists are not only interested in wildlife but also have an interest in meeting with and learning from the local people. And they certainly feel that the school children will gain from interacting with guests from different cultures.
At Kawaza Village, guests will stay in traditional huts in a village, sleeping on raised mats (with mattresses) and eating local dishes prepared on an open fire. Upon arrival, a detailed program based on the wishes of the guest is drawn up.
Some of the options include:
A walk in the bush to learn of the different trees, plants and their traditional uses, a visit to the palace of the Senior Kunda Chief, visiting local institutions (the local church, the clinic), Spending time with the traditional healer & Interacting with the school children at Kawaza School.
Throughout the stay there will be hosts allocated to you who speak excellent English (making communication effective) and who understand the needs of tourists. In the village, the guest will experience the traditional way of living. However, the toilet facility has been built as an English style, long drop with a thunderbox and the beds has a mattress with sheets and a mosquito net.
Kawaza Village has not been ‘set up’ as a profit-making scheme by a tourist company. It is the community who wish to exchange ideas and culture with guests from outside the area. They feel that they and their children will benefit from this exchange. They also wish to raise money for the community development projects and for the school.
