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| Photo credit: Kafula Mwila |
Teaching history to adolescents can attract a lot of questions. A few
years back in one of the junior secondary school history classes, a debate
started and within a short time escalated into a heated discussion on who discovered
the Victoria Falls.
‘There were people already living there’, came one argument.
‘Maybe they lived there and they did not see it’, said another.
‘Or they didn’t know what it was’.
‘They knew what it was’, the first one said, ‘that is why they called
it ‘Musi-o-tunya’ in SiLozi or ‘Shungu Namutitima’ in ChiTonga.
I waited for their passions to abate and then it came, the question
that was always directed at teacher, ‘what about you madam, what do you think?
Did Dr. David Livingstone discover the Victoria Falls?’
It is such and many related subjects that have distorted the historical
picture of Zambia and probably many African nations. On the one hand, those
children needed to pass an examination based on wrong information that had been
authenticated in a text book. On the other hand, facts had been written from a
perspective of triumphant discovery rather than respect and awe of a great
wonder around which indigenous people had built a life.
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| Photo credit: Kafula Mwila |
Another type of misrepresentation rallies around heroes and heroines
who made significant contribution to the historical development of Zambia.
These great men and women have gone down unheard or information about them is
unclear. One case in example is the history of Alice Regina Mulenga Lubusha
also known as Alice Lenshina. Her religion has been deemed a cult and her
activities termed rebellious and counter-productive. Well, only one side of her
story has been heard. The truth behind her actions will never really be known
as what is mostly available are impressions that others had about her.
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| Photo credit: Kafula Mwila |
Therefore, how can a writer begin to retell stories from such a
background? Creative art that draws from historical themes is faced with
several problems. Is it possible to change Zambia’s narrative to one of triumph
and victory and glory? For instance, is it possible to rewrite the victorious
battles of the wonderful tribes of Zambia in a way that shows skill, power and
knowledge rather than defeat and great loss? Can a writer outline the religious
and traditional practices of old without demonizing the people that were
associated with it?
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| Photo credit: Kafula Mwila |
What sort of information does a modern day creative writer use then?
With a lot of inaccurate facts and in most cases unavailable information, one
would then have to take advantage of oral narratives and fill in gaps. For
instance, the names of some traditional rulers and names of tribes were mispronounced
by outsiders and the names have stuck to this day. Is it Mwene Mutapa or Mono
Mutapa? Is it Mwata Kasembe or Mwata Kazembe? The Bemba or Lunda do not have
‘z’ in their language, so how has the country ended up with ‘Kazembe’ and not
‘Kasembe’, which is the word for ‘axe’ in ChiBemba? The
Victoria Falls in Livingstone is a marvel. The surging of the mighty Zambezi
River over the huge gorge is an attraction. Tourists come in hordes, especially
between December and April, when the Zambezi is pregnant with a lot of water,
to witness one of the mighty wonders of the world. This is the most significant point of the
winding journey of the river before it continues on to empty itself in the
Indian Ocean. The geographical feature has put Zambia on the world map more
than football has. It is amazing that the journey of the Zambezi that starts as
a small spring hundreds of kilometers away in North-western Province,
transforms into such a powerful force of nature. It was named after the Queen
of England by missionary and explorer, Dr. David Livingstone. In his honour a
large statue stands adjacent to the falls. There are two Africans who were with
the explorer at the time of the ‘discovery’, Chuma and Susi. They are only
lucky enough to be named after a lodge. Susi and Chuma were natives of Central
Africa, probably hailed from the Yao tribe but very little is known about them.
The couple were only heard of after the passing of Dr. David Livingstone in
that they helped to transport his body for burial back in England. If we are to
head ‘Toward a Zambian genre’, then these are some of the areas of history that
need to be clarified, even rewritten.
This is a wake up call.
ReplyDeleteIt is indeed
DeleteIn the factor of language in Zambia professor Mubanga E. Kashoki said that "it would, however, be naive on our part to proceed on the assumption that this creative process has always been Objective or that it has always been motivated by good intentions. One must remember that the missionary and explorer who came to the shores of Africa, whatever his intentions, was very much the product of the society which bred him.one must bear in mind, too,that the Europe from which the missionary and explorer came at that time was extremely provincial and rather prejudiced in outlook. ...the European on being confronted with the 'Dark continent ',could only come to one conclusion, viz.,that the life others led-especially the customs which they observed and the beliefs which they held-was inferior to his own. Culture they had none,he concluded, and his considered judgment condemned their dances as ugly and sinful.
ReplyDeleteDaniel kunene in 'African Vernacular :An essay on self-devaluation 'said that "The missionary were not alone in modifying the thought patterns of the African, and in giving the writer his peculiar biases. They were only a section of a host of white comers who,by design or by accident, combined forces to remake the African in some image,usually their own."
I like the ideas expressed in both excepts and totally agree that the perceptions of outsiders is what was formally documented as Zambia's history. You should also read NoViolet Bulawayo's 'We need new names'
DeleteThank You, that is just so amazing. That is one book I look forward to reading. Thanks for the heads-up
ReplyDeleteGreat article, you have taken the words out of my mouth. I have always argued that if David Livingstone was TAKEN to go and see the so called 'Victoria Falls' which we already had a name for ‘Musi-o-tunya’ in SiLozi or ‘Shungu Namutitima’ in ChiTonga as you have correctly stated, then how did he discover it. Why do we not popularize it by the names our forefathers gave it because of its wonder as you have rightly said ‘Musi-o-tunya’ in SiLozi or ‘Shungu Namutitima’ in ChiTonga.
ReplyDeleteI had a previlage of visiting the Chishimba Falls in Kasama. I was left speechless at its rich history all the way down to 'Kaela Falls'. I asked myself why is it not as well known as the 'Victoria Falls'? Could it be because it was not 'discovered' by a white man? The falls are a marvel to see. One does not want to leave when you get there, it is a beauty of beauties a wonder of wonders.
Deletethank you, I totally agree with you, there is so much to be told and retold about Zambia
I love this Kafula. I hope that someday soon we can start to read more narratives from our own perspectives of history.
ReplyDeleteThsmk you
DeleteI look forward to that time too