Mbukushu

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Mbukushu

Hambukushu
Total population
124,422[1]
Regions with significant populations
Namibia	51,422 (2023 Census)[2]
Botswana	43,000
Angola	17,000
Zambia	13,000
Languages
Thimbukushu
Religion
Christianity • African traditional religion
Related ethnic groups
Lozi people • Kavango people

The Mbukushu people, also known as the Hambukushu, are a Bantu-speaking ethnic group indigenous to Southern Africa. They are part of the larger Lozi ethnic group and have significant populations in Angola, Botswana, Namibia, and Zambia, numbering around 120,000.^[3]

In Namibia, the Mbukushu hold traditional authority and are one of the five Kavango Kingdoms. They speak the Mbukushu language, known as Thimbukushu.

The Hambukushu originate from Barotseland and primarily reside in Ngamiland, within the Okavango Delta. The Tswana people of Botswana refer to them as "Mbukushu," but they call themselves "Hambukushu." An individual from the tribe is referred to as a Mbukushu.^[4]

The Hambukushu are renowned for their rain-making abilities in the Okavango Delta,^[5] earning them the title "The Rain-makers of Okavango." They are also celebrated for their basket weaving artistry, and their women are known for using traps to catch fish.^[6]