I am a Tonga from the Southern part of Zambia,
I was born in the Central part of Zambia, Kapiri Mposhi.
I grew up on the Copperbelt, Ndola where I was exposed to friends from all tribes.
the Copperbelt is predominantly bemba though its indegenous tribe is Lamba.
I went to a cosmopolitan high school which is a mixture of races.
AT 19 I left for the greater city of Lusaka.
The melting point and meeting place of dreams.
What is the essence of this.
I am a mix of my breed and my environment
In a land governed by tribal dynamics
I stand on the premise that I am not Tonga, Bemba or Lenje
I am ZAMBIAN.
Currently our selection into Cabinet, president, marriage, school
is based on our tribe.
We judge others, based on what we have heard about that tribe.
Our judgement of Tongas
our fear of Bembas
our contempt of Lozis.
Yet we forget that in the midst of all this
We forget that our flags colours are red, green, copper and black.
Our country is a melting pot
To see that one ethnic group is tribalistic is unfair
Judging from the last elections every tribe votes on tribal lines.
So whats the use of tribal distinction
Whats the point?
I was born in the Central part of Zambia, Kapiri Mposhi.
I grew up on the Copperbelt, Ndola where I was exposed to friends from all tribes.
the Copperbelt is predominantly bemba though its indegenous tribe is Lamba.
I went to a cosmopolitan high school which is a mixture of races.
AT 19 I left for the greater city of Lusaka.
The melting point and meeting place of dreams.
What is the essence of this.
I am a mix of my breed and my environment
In a land governed by tribal dynamics
I stand on the premise that I am not Tonga, Bemba or Lenje
I am ZAMBIAN.
Currently our selection into Cabinet, president, marriage, school
is based on our tribe.
We judge others, based on what we have heard about that tribe.
Our judgement of Tongas
our fear of Bembas
our contempt of Lozis.
Yet we forget that in the midst of all this
We forget that our flags colours are red, green, copper and black.
Our country is a melting pot
To see that one ethnic group is tribalistic is unfair
Judging from the last elections every tribe votes on tribal lines.
So whats the use of tribal distinction
Whats the point?
I guess there are two ways of looking at the tribal issue. Deny that it exists and that all appointments are on merit or acknowledge it and just live with it (not participate in it). Sounds cynical and pessimistic but thats the stage I have reached. I think we are incurably tribalist. For my part though, I try to look at all beings as humans and treat them the same.
ReplyDeleteBut we never learn and hate someone who behaves like I do. For example people will walk into my office and speak Tonga, while I know Tonga and tend to respond in English or any nuetral language. That pisses them and they leave accusing me foe being an embarrassment to my tribe and sucking up to Balumbu.My mother was Tumbuka, my father was Tonga. My father's relatives kept taunting my mother of her being Mulumbu.
I despair. Tribalism seems incurable. Just look at the voting patterns.