ABSTRACT
The heroic myths and genealogies proclaim the origin of chieftainship, and point to a distinction between ordinary chiefs and those been call 'divine kings'. Two remote ancestors who were preeminent are worshipped as heroes and creators, their graves are centres at which a large number of chiefdoms join in celebration, and living representatives are selected in every generation bearing their names. The distinction between a 'divine king' and an early ancestor who established a line of chiefs is not a sharp one, and we have indeed been uncertain whether or not to class Mwangomale, the founder of the Kukwe line, with Lwembe and Kyungu. The 'divine king' who came as a conqueror bringing iron is also associated with victory in battle. Still at present a brave fighter is saluted as 'Lwembe', and an iron spear is one of the emblems of chieftainship. The Lwembe was himself a priest—he is often referred to as unyago—but he was assisted by commoners.
