All of these peoples have a matrilineal-matrilocal emphasis, and are predominantly agricultural. There is a general absence of cattle, since this area is within the tsetse belt, but the Bemba do have a few sheep and goats. Descent, sib affiliation, and succession to office follow the matrilineal line, and marital residence is matrilocal. Each individual belongs to a matrilineal lineage, which determines his succession to different offices and his status in the community. There are about 30 sibs among the Bemba, and they are ranked according to status based on their relations with the royal crocodile sib.
Inheritance is relatively unimportant, since there are few forms of inheritable wealth.
Despite this matrilineal orientation, the Bemba kinship system is in some ways, bilateral in nature. Richards claims that this group is more important to a Bemba sociologically than his matrilineal sib. As previously noted, the state is ruled by a Paramount Chief called Citimukulu whose office is hereditary within a royal sib. His authority is nearly absolute, and he is believed to have supernatural powers. Each icalo is a geographical unit with a more or less fixed boundary and name, and it is also a ritual unit.