Basubia History play online

The population of the Zambesi-Linyandi region has long been ethnically heterogeneous. The Basubia, who also refer to themselves, but are less commonly known to outsiders, as Bekuhane, are prominent throughout much of the region. They comprise approximately a third of the population of the Eastern and two thirds of the inhabitants of the District, as well as what colonial administrators once referred to as the "aboriginal" population along the northern bank of the Zambesi between Katima Mulilo and Kasangula. Additional Basubia concentrations are found in Botswana at Gomare in Ngamiland and the Boteti sub-district around Rakops.

Other indigenous populations long resident in the region include groups variously identified as Matotela, Maschi, Mafwe, Matoka, Mayeye, Bayei ("Makoba"), Bakgalagari, Hambukushu and Mila ("Mashukulumbane"), while considerable numbers of Malozi ("Barotse", Aluyi), Makololo (Bafokeng bagaPatsa) and Batswana (Batawana and Bangwato) have migrated into the area since the nineteenth century.