The fact that things don’t change until you do something differently is beyond accurate. However in certain instances merely changing something doesn’t make a whole lot of a difference. You need to want to change so badly that it’s almost the only thing that matters. Scratch that, it has to be the only thing that matters. Passion, desire, determination, or whatever you want to call it, you’ve got to have oomph.
As a Zambian in Diaspora, I got questions about Zambia and my heritage a lot. The more I got asked about it, the less I had and the more I realized I was lacking. I just thought of myself as an individual but to everyone else that saw me, I wore a badge. A symbol of some sort that represented my heritage as an African and a Zambian; going through life with a baton passed to me by my ancestors ready to be too given to the ones to come.
Getting into the blogging world gave me a chance to fill in the missing gaps. In the journey of self-discovery and empowerment, one has to dig deeper and acknowledge their roots. Looking around and seeing the patriotism around me made me stop in my tracks and think ‘What makes me proud to be Zambian?’
Like everybody else I assume, my grandparents told me tales of their times and what it was like to be a young adult. For a while, to me, it all felt like our heritage had been somewhat lost through the years. It was disheartening because Zambia hasn’t even existed that long. But our roots have.
Not sure when exactly this started or what really pulled the trigger but the revival of our culture and heritage is amazing to say the least. It’s been a long time coming and I bet our ancestors are filled with pride and standing with us through every step of that way. Personally, when I was rebranding, I had more passion, love, and pride in my work. There’s an undeniable amount of strength and honor in knowing that you lost yourself along the way but you’ve learned a lot and you’re picking yourself back up and growing. It’s not about falling but picking yourself back up, dusting off the dirt, and moving forward with your head held high.
As a creative outside Zambia, I can’t help but look at the journey and be filled with pride. Maybe for some reason that I cannot comprehend, I missed all this goodness but boy has we grown. Our elders may give us speeches on everything wrong with our tie and generation but you cannot deny the growth and place we’re in now. We’ve dared to see a difference, make a change and we’re breaking norms that in this day and age, just don’t cut it anymore.
For the first time, we’re looking back to our past and carrying that with us for a better now and better future. Not in a ‘we were slaves, they’re superior to us’ but in a ‘we were enslaved but fought and rose above that’ kind of way. Not so long ago being westernized so all the rage. Beauty was up to western standards, so was business, how the government ran, and just our lifestyle in general.
Uh…. not anymore. That time is over and this is the rebirth of authentic Zambia. The Zambian creatives are really taking this personal and saying ‘these are my roots, this is my story and you’re going to listen goddamn it. Respect culture. Yes, yes, and yes again. We are here for it. Our ancestors and unborn children and great-grandchildren are too.
Zambian bloggers, vloggers, and photographers are telling their stories and showcasing what it is to be Zambian. Artists of all genres are breaking norms and saying I don’t have to be a doctor or engineer for the sake of it because I am destined to create and design. Filmmakers, poets, and musicians are telling a different story and changing the perspectives of the masses. In the last couple of years, the number of people that have created platforms to bring these creatives together and showcase their talents cannot be thanked enough. Without the rest of the nation warming up to these new ideas, to the notions that our natural hair and skin color is beautiful as is, that our talents need to be seen and our stories heard. Without the rest of the nation, we wouldn’t be where we are now.
If you ask me why I take pride in being Zambian my response to you is ‘the land my ancestors worked is powerful and divine. Its natural beauty is magnificent and anyone that bears witness to it is lucky. The way our music tells our stories and brings us all together, forgetting whatever sorrows or differences we may have but being one is magical. Our determination and unity to do what we set our minds to is truly inspiring and for this, I take pride in Mother Zambia.’
So to you my fellow Zambian I ask, what are you doing to make Zambia proud?
