While
growing up as a child in the village in the Lundazi district among the Tumbuka
people of Eastern Zambia in the
Africa of the 1950s and 1960s, Dr. Mwizenge S. Tembo developed a keen
interest in story telling, African traditional dances and drumming. His wide
range of cultural experiences and first hand knowledge of African culture make
him an entertaining story teller, African drummer, African traditional and
modern dancer as well as an articulate teacher and academic. He calls his act
"BambaZonke", which in his
native language means ".variety show". Dr. Mwizenge S. Tembo was born
in 1954 in Chipata in the Eastern Province of his native country of Zambia in
Southern Africa.
He has
made presentations in his classes at Bridgewater College, has been guest
lecturer in classes at University of Virginia, as well as making presentations
in many elementary and middle schools in Bridgewater, Harrisonburg, Staunton,
Richmond, and Charlottesville School districts and Library system, the Roanoke
Library Branches, and the Staunton Public Library. He has made presentation at
Waynesboro Public Library, Samuels Public Library in Front Royal, Churches,
Banquets, and Birthday parties. Dr.
Mwizenge Tembo has a passionate interest in preserving traditional African
culture such that in his book Legends of Africa, he states:
"I
would like to express my strongest heartfelt wish that Zambians and Africans of
all persuasions document in the many media (audio, video, and print) available
today our rich traditions, knowledge, and culture that are, as you read this,
unfortunately rapidly going to waste in both urban and rural areas."
He
completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at the University of Zambia in 1976 with
majors in Sociology and Psychology. He
did his M.A and Ph. D. at Michigan
State University in Sociology in 1987. He was a Lecturer and Research Fellow at
the Institute of African Studies of the University of Zambia from 1977 to 1990.
During this period he conducted extensive research and field work in rural
Zambia particularly in the Eastern and Southern Provinces of the country.
Dr. Tembo joined the teaching faculty at Bridgewater College in 1990 in
Virginia. He is currently Associate
Professor of Sociology at Bridgewater College.
Postal Address: Dr.
Mwizenge S. Tembo
Tel. # Office: 540-828-5351
Fax: 540-828-5479