Lewanika was the Lozi Litunga (King) of Barotseland from 1878 to 1916 . A detailed, although biased, description of King 'Lubossi' can be found in the Portuguese explorer Alexandre de Serpa Pinto's 1878–1879 travel narrative Como eu atravessei a África.

Lozi people, or Barotse, are a southern African ethnic group who speak Lozi and Silozi, a Sotho–Tswana language| Khelobedu. The Lozi people consist of more than 46 different ethnic groups and are primarily situated between Namibia, Angola. Botswana, Zimbabwe, South Africa including half of the north-Western and western provinces of Zambia inhabiting the region of Barotseland.