In the second half of the 19th century, though, considerable development of the trade routes between the Chokwe homelands and the Angolan coast led to an increased participation in trade of ivory and rubber. Wealth acquired from this allowed the Chokwe kingdom to expand, eventually overtaking the Lunda states that had held sway over them for so long. The Luchazi grow manioc, cassava, yams, and peanuts. Tobacco and hemp are also grown for snuff, and maize is grown for beer. Domesticated livestock is also kept, including sheep, goats, pigs, and chickens.
Meat is obtained through hunting.
The farming and processing of agricultural products is done almost exclusively by women among the Luvale. Slash and burn techniques and crop rotation are practiced to naturally conserve the land. Luchazi do not recognize a paramount leader, but instead offer allegiance to local chiefs who inherit their positions matrilinearly from the maternal uncle. Villages are divided into manageable sections, which are governed by family headmen. All members of Luchazi society are divided into two categories, those who are descended from the founding matrilineal lines and those who are descended from former enslaved populations.