—Josephine Sombo Muzala Chipango believes she was born on April 15, 1955 to Luvale parents. She was born, raised, and educated in the former capital and current tourism central of Zambia: Livingstone. Livingstone was (and remains) ethnically diverse, and there was a strong Luvale cultural presence there due in large part to her family. Josephine’s parents were singers, dancers, and overall “traditionalists.” Her older sister, Sela, was a part of the city’s first wali (traditional female initiation school, also known as litungu). Her brother, William Muzala Chipango, also played a big role in Livingstone Luvale culture (and would later have a profound impact on other aspects of her life). Josephine developed a strong interest in her culture since infancy because of her family. She often served as a chairperson for her primary and secondary school drum/dance groups. Here she became familiar with many non-Luvale items of repertoire and gained vital experience leading groups.

—Josephine was initiated in wali for a year in Livingstone around 1970. Soon after this, she had a short stint working in the police before employment with the United Bus Company of Zambia (UBZ). This job took her back and forth to Lusaka. After a UBZ promotion in 1975, she finally relocated to Lusaka, initially in the Kafue Estates neighborhood. Around this time, she became a committee member of the Zambia-Angola Friendship Association. Her interest in this mission was another result of her family as her father worked for the Angolan embassy. This marked the beginning of what would become an important life mission and defining aspect of her relationship with Luvale culture.

—Her brother William was a politician (with the UNIP party) and the first African mayor of Livingstone. During colonialism, he was arrested for “treason” and imprisoned in Lusaka. This catalyzed a pivotal moment in Josephine’s life; she moved to the Chibolya neighborhood so she could more easily visit her brother in prison and attend his court sessions. Chibolya has since been her home and the locale from which she has had her largest impact on Luvale culture and local communities. From here she also attended Regent and Evelyn Hone College for secretarial studies. In 1980 she left UBZ and took a short-lived job with the German Embassy as a secretary. Two years later she married a police officer, Martin Luundu, who undoubtedly influenced her eventual building of a police force in Chibolya. Around this time, she again put her new skills to work as a parish secretary in her Catholic church. This led to intense periods of community service including the establishment of schools for orphans in Kanyama, John Leng, and Chibolya compounds. She headed these schools before finally consolidating them into a larger, single location in Chibolya. In 1993 her husband passed away and Josephine responded with an even deeper devotion to culture.

—Josephine was already a member of the Likumbi Lya Mize Cultural Association (LLMCA). One of their main tasks was fundraising for the Likumbi Lya Mize festival, often through dinner dances. Up until this point, the LLMCA had to bring in groups from outside of Lusaka (such as Koji Kawina’s Ngoma Yetu from Kaoma or Kapalu Lizambo from Zambezi). This, however, was costly and diminished fundraising efforts. So, in 1994 Josephine started the Likumbi Lya Mize Chibolya culture group to maximize the Association’s fundraising efforts. Initially, the group was predominately from Lusaka and primarily consisted of Josephine’s relatives. But as the group tried to improve their makishi presence, they found it increasingly necessary to recruit members from the village. These non-Lusaka members were usually identified by various regional chair-people in the executive committee of the LLMCA. Though her group specialized in Luvale (and related) items of repertoire, a steady influx of members from the Western Province resulted in mastery over some Lozi and Nkoya genres, as well.

—By 1996 the Likumbi Lya Mize Chibolya culture group was solidly established as a cultural and entertainment force and was considered an important training ground for up-and-coming performers and group leaders. Most notable Luvale performers have, in some way, passed through the Zango Chibolya (as the combined complex of her compound and group are colloquially referred to). This list includes, but is not limited to, Kapalu Lizambo of Lenga Navo, William Vunda of Chota, and Charles Likumbi of Ulengo. Though her group originally formed for LLMCA events, they soon branched out to government functions, then kitchen parties, and eventually a variety of performance settings. As the group’s reputation grew, government troupes would increasingly recruit their members to perform with them abroad. This was especially the case when government troupes wanted to feature makishi as Chief Ndungu VI restricted the list of performers and groups who were allowed to perform with makishi.

—Around 2002, Josephine became the elected provincial Vice Secretary for the Zambian Folk Dance and Music Society (ZAFODAMUS). This was the government agency for cultural ensembles housed within the National Arts Council (established by Zambia’s second president, Frederick Chiluba). Her tenure with ZAFODAMUS led to her eventual election to the National Arts Council where she has since been re-elected thrice.