Following the cultural meal, Nambwa guests are shown the different tools and trinkets used to fish, pound maize and help make everyday living in the village easier. During the final demonstration of the “Mokoro” the local boat used on the Zambezi and Kwando rivers, a strange noise can be heard from the hut where the witch doctor resides.

Guests are informed about approaching with care as the witch doctor is viewed as a powerful being that cures illnesses and curses criminals and wrongdoers within the village. With a painted face and subtle noises made with handcrafted instruments, the guests are shown an authentic witch doctor experience.

To conclude the Cultural Village Experience at Sijwa, all members working at Sijwa will perform a story told through vigorous gestured dancing, rhythmic music, and melodic singing. Storytelling in the village remains a much-loved pastime; these are explained in English and then re-enacted.

The stories may include a tale of a mother with her baby traditionally fastened on her back, asking for help from others as she pounds maize and struggles. Alternatively, stories of two men who journey for miles in search of honey; once honey is found at the base of a tree, they must be stung to reap the reward of the sweet gooey gold.

With all this to offer when visiting The Sijwa Project Experience, guests can depart having observed a personal story about a culture that is slowly dying out.

“Ndishaka mwanangu alitute chizo changu, Ndishaka mwihwangu alitute chizo changu, behwa ba mwihwangu ba litute chizo changu.”

Directly translated from one of seven local languages of the Zambezi region “Sifwe” to English. “I want my children to know my culture, I want my grandchildren to know my culture, and their grandchildren to know my culture.”