MUNTU: Zed Series - Towani Clarke, Kutowa Designs and Kuthuta Yoga

This interview was conducted in July 2011.  I am ashamed it has taken me this long to post.  Luckily the information is timeless in its inspiration. Enjoy!

Towani Clarke, July 2011 wearing her own skirt design and bangles from Kutowa

Nationality/ies:  Mother: Zambian, Father: English

Age:  As young as I look
Countries you have lived and studied in: Zambia, South Africa
African countries you have visited: Malawi, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Madagascar, Mauritius, Nigeria
Education: BSc Agricultural Science University of Zambia, UNZA, MBA University of Cape Town, UCT
Profession(s): Fashion Designer and Yoga Instructor
Personal Interests: Fashion, Yoga, SGI Buddhism, Reading, Swimming
Social Media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blog, Website): Facebook: Kutowa Designs page, KuthutaYoga group

10 Questions

Muntu means person in the tongue of Mwana Ba Afrika’s mothers before her.  As an acronym it stands for: 

I picked these words to build off of the notion of Ubuntu.

Marvellous

Understated

Natural

Together

United

Describe yourself in 3 words, list 4 things you that make you happy and write a sentence that describes Africa in 10 words.

Kutowa Designs: Tipenda Pamodzi Collection 2011 

3: Sassy, creative, afro-chick.

4: Seeing a clear blue sky and the sun when I wake up in the morning. Buddhist chanting meditation.  Curling up on the couch with a cup of tea and a good book.  Hugs from my kids.

10: Land of sun, merry people, whatever the tough circumstances. Tenacious.

Recommend 3 websites, blogs and/ or books, 4 movies and/ or series and 10 songs and/ or music videos.

3:  Style.com, yogajournal.com, sgi.org

4: Vampire Diaries.

I am more of a book worm so I will recommend 3 books here:

Women who run with the wolves by Clarissa Pinkola Estes

This is a book that is all about claiming the power of womanhood and relating how a woman in her natural state is instinctive, intuitive and strong.  It talks about knowing who you are and being in love with the person you find. If you are not ashamed of what you find, you will not want to hide who that is. A quote that encapsulates the essence of the book is: “It’s not by accident that the pristine wilderness of our planet disappears as the understanding of our own inner wild nature fades.”

You can hear you life by Louise Hay

Take any basic health problem and it will tell you the probable cause.  It gives you the underlying mental outlook to every illness and helps you to see how to change yourself mentally to help you heal physically.

Eastern Body, Western Mind by Anodea Judith

The Chakra system is now making sense with my  yoga and it  has also helped with my understanding of psychology and Buddhism.

Purple Hibiscus by  Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

Just a beautiful piece of fiction and the fact that it is written by an African woman makes it even better.

Africa Child by Camara Lay

It talks about a way of life before colonialism, before our beliefs were disposed of by Christian ones.   The book is so powerfully beautiful, especially the way Lay talks about  traditional animist beliefs through his father, a blacksmith who has a relationship with a snake and his mother’s totem, the crocodile, which signifies that she is the only woman who can be assured safety when drawing water from the river. It opened a whole new way to look at being for me,  and illuminated an Africaness that has been lost which then highlighted how we have forgotten our roots unlike the Indians and the Chinese.  Afrinassaince, one of my Kutowa lines is inspired by this forgotteness as a way of reviving tradition by coupling it with the modernity that comes with being part of a global consciousness.  Other people are starting to research on our traditions too but we still need to reclaim them. Our culture is oral and dying with the old. This book echoes how we need to write things down.

10: Okay, so I recommended a few more books so to keep with your structure I’ll only suggest 8 songs.

1.     1. Lazy Day -  Bruno Mars

2.   2. By Your Side - Sade
It can be sung to a friend, a child, or by a child to a mother, a sister...Any way you look at it the lyrics still apply. It reminds me of my girlfriends, especially Coretta, because to me it is all about sisterhood as women, standing by each other.

3.   3. Desert Rose - Sting
I love its mystical and spiritual sound – it moves you into another zone, it makes you feel like you floating in the desert with a cute Arab dude.

4.   4. Kiss From a Rose - Seal

5.   5. Breaking Down - Randy Crawford
It’s about a woman about to have a breakdown and about a man coming to save the day. It cracks me up!  It’s silly how we are always looking for solutions outside ourselves as women with that knight in shining armour. Sometimes we just have to get on with our lives and stop waiting.

6.   6. Jailer- Asa

7.   7. Frozen- Madonna
This song has a deep psychology:  if you are not open to yourself and your feelings you can shut down and be frozen and miss out on a lot of joys in life.

8.   8. Set Fire to the Rain - Adele

What have you or do you contribute to Zambia’s development economically, politically and or socially?

Kutowa Designs: Tipenda Pamodzi Collection 2011

In the previous book of my life I worked in the agricultural sector working and managing a farm.

Economically, I am now providing employment through Kutowa for the tailors I use and the people who work on the dresses, the fabric I buy and the people who make the jewellery. 

Socially I feel my contribution is facilitating pride through wearing something that is African, that is Zambian.  Usually to impress we say our clothes were purchased overseas, now it can be about identifying with Zambia: it’s African, it’s chitenge (African print) but it’s chic, it’s hot and most importantly it’s me.  I am helping people identify with their culture in a modern and new way and not thinking about traditional wear as something that their aunt would wear at a kitchen party (bridal shower).

Then with yoga I am contributing to helping people to be more aware of the importance of looking after themselves physically, mentally and spiritually.  A lot of Zambian women walk tensely, hunched up in the shoulders.  The disconnect between the body and the mind is causing them to be exhausted at the end of the day.  So I am helping them get fit: they are standing and sitting straighter, and are more connected to their bodies and emotions.

What do you think is special about being an African woman?

For me it’s strength, because as an African woman you have to do so much all at once, even as a child.  As the first born in my family, I looked after myself and because my mother was very busy, I was in charge of the younger ones: brothers, sisters, cousins, nieces, nephews. You are already nurturing, bathing, cooking and feeding. You learn to multitask, to be responsible and how to work together with other women as a team.  This is why Zed women and African women excel as these are management skills - learning to juggle things and work with people is something we have been doing since we were kids.  I use more of my skills from childhood than from my degrees!  This is also why unfortunately our men can’t function, even in the workplace, without female help.

The afro – it’s unique and when I am having a bad hair day I can wear a chiduku (head scarf) and still look absolutely glamorous without combing my hair.  You look regal. Natural hair is cool too!

What do we as African women need to improve and how?

Stop trying to do everything on your own. Help other people take responsibility as it will help them grow.  It’s not a uniquely African problem but heightened in Africa with the boy child, with the brother, with your husband. When is another woman running after another woman unless she is an elder?  It’s high time we start sharing the responsibility with the men in the house so we can both have time to relax.  It is sad that in liberation we have work and housework and are double burdened.  It’s not too late for those who are open-minded to start talking and start with our children, especially with the boys, as it will help develop their character, help them to take care of themselves and be responsible people.

We need to accept our womaness and  our Africanness are both associated with a lot of negativities and weakness. Every coin has two sides. To be evolved is to start to see the full picture so that we understand how to change these perceptions.

What do you think is special about the African man?

He’s good looking, come on! Look at Seal: mmmm damn, he’s a good looking brother, he’s a good looking brother!  They can be good and loving fathers.

What does the African man need to improve and how?

Kutowa Designs: Tipenda Pamodzi Collection 2011 

Support your women and show your love. We know you feel it but demonstrate more often. It doesn’t mean you’re not a man and that you will be taken advantage of. A worrying trend towards absentee fathers due to people having children young and breaking up or not being in the same country is sweeping Zambia and the continent. These men are not interested in their children and make no effort to see and be with them because the concentration is currently on the man being the provider.   It’s not just about providing money, it’s about providing emotionally and physically too. But even that support is being denied to single mothers even when the man has money. It could be an epidemic soon if steps are not taken to halt this trend.

What role do the African Diaspora and the global community have to play in the continent’s development and identity?

There is huge potential because as global as we are, not everyone is going to travel to Africa. It’s still not the destination continent, it’s Europe or North America or Asia.  Maybe they’ll come to Kenya or South.  The Diaspora need to be ambassadors, they can change views about the continent and the global community need to get to know Africans out there and come visit. Africans also need to stop forgetting themselves through assimilation, though people are starting to appreciate their Africaness first.

We need the Diaspora to keep giving back and to do more of it, whether it’s for your nephew’s school fees or your mother’s medicine as we don’t have a Social Security net.  The recent wave and trend is people in the Diaspora investing in Africa by buying property and acquiring shares in businesses. Foreign investment through the Diaspora is a way forward. Why are we always looking outside for solutions instead of within?

People coming back after getting the exposure they need, and using the wealth of experience and money from the opportunities they had on the continent is happening more and more.  They are infusing a different ethos of doing things, seeing the gaps in the market and plugging them.  That’s the way foreigners have been picking up the opportunities in the past.

Are you satisfied with the way Zambia and Africa are portrayed in the media to the world?  Explain your reasoning.  

Kutowa Designs: Tipenda Pamodzi Collection 2011

Of course not!   This is old hash but it’s the nature of news - which is an extension of predominant human nature - to focus on the bad and negative. So long as that is prevalent, this will be the case. As human beings we need to reflect on this and even more so as Africans.  When people come and visit they cannot understand why things are better from what they have seen in the media.  The problem with western ideology is the overly simplified Judeo-Christian view like former President Bush had where you are either with us, or against us. That dichotomy, good/ bad, rich/ poor, black/ white causes such confusion. What about Obama and Tiger Woods? How do they fit into society when you create such limited categories? 

Here in Africa we are more flexible and not so obsessed with trying to pigeonhole people.  Yes, we have a lot of poverty and sickness but there is a whole lot more to the situation. We need to challenge these world views to say you know what, it’s not just black and white: there is the rainbow and every combination of each of its colours.  And that’s what I love about Africa – we are a lot about colour from the brightness of the sun, the dryness of the dry season and desert, the green of the emerald season. We fluctuate. We are brightness and contradiction - one colour against another and contrast exists.  In the either/ or situation you just see one side and you don’t open your eyes to all the variation.  We also need to see those variations in certain areas as we also are prone to seeing ourselves the way the West does in critical areas.  The key is how do we see ourselves as Africans? We are still recovering – hair, skin colour, beliefs, and spirituality - we still feel inferior. We have allowed some of this brainwashing. We need to see the full picture in our media as well. The good, as well as the bad. All the facets of Africa need to be shown for the true picture to be seen.

3 Places and/ or Things That Make Zambia Special:

4 Experiences Towani has Learnt From

For more videos go to my YouTube Channel and  you can find more MUNTU interviews on the blog.

ORANGE POWER: Chipolopolo Continue Their Bloody Rampage and Les Elephants Stampede Their Way To The Final

Proudly Zambian :)

WOWWEEEEEEEE!!! Last night was an excellent footie extravaganza!  The AFCON semis did not dissappoint! The Chipololo have continued to show why Zambia is a football nation and what passion we have for the game by continuing to shoot to kill and have made us proud.  I have been watching AFCON 2012 from the group stage of course and will recap everything in a round-up post after the Final. For now, I just want to bask in the Chipolopolo's valiant and successful bid to reach the AFCON Final since 1994, which was a year after the tragic loss of our most promising national team off the coast of Gabon in a plane accident.  How fitting it is that almost 20 years after that tragedy, we are honouring the players by reaching the Final in the manner we have.

Semi 1: Chipolopolo vs the Black Stars (Zambia vs Ghana)

We started off with all cylinders firing and confirmed Gyan's fears that we were going to be a force to be reckoned with.  That lasted for all of 5 minutes when Ghana made their first surge which sent our defenders into a state of panic and by the 7th minute Gyan was awarded a penalty and Zambia had their first yellow card.  However, no one could have predicted that Gyan would fumble and make the most uncommitted and timid penalty attempts and that Mweene would make a great save to keep Zambia's hopes alive! Was he intimidated? I don't think so.  I think Gyan is rusty from playing in the Middle East.  Pathetic attempt in the semifinal of an AFCON championship! However, this did have a positive effect on the rest of the Black Stars who changed gears and ramped up the pressure, and for the rest of the first half Ghana assaulted the Zambian goal by continually flustering defenders and if it wasn't for Mweene's goalkeeping poise, grace and determination we would have been down 3/4-0 by half time! While Ghana constantly questioned us, we sporadically showed what we were capable at the other end.



At this point I was in conniptions as it is no secret that Ghana is my favourite African team and I was already distraught that my national team had to play them! My rickety ticker was letting me know that I am too old for this sort of match. I was starting to think that Renard had spent too much time picking out which blue jeans and white shirt he was to wear out of all of the blue jeans and white shirts he dons on the sidelines at matches and even more likely that he spent too much time in the mirror individually placing each strand of hair in its proper place! However Renard proved that you can be metrosexual and a master football tactician by bringing in his secret weapon: Mayuka the Bazuka who was substituted in for the second half.  He showed Ghana that when you have an opportunity to score you not only take it but you make sure the ball hits the net with a beautiful goal within 20 minutes of being on the pitch. My theory is that Renard wanted to keep Mayuka fresh in case we were down by halftime so he could salvage our hopes if need be.



About 10 minutes to go we started to get a bit cocky with fancy dribbles and things and though I love me some football flair, the game was not won yet. Up 1-0 is not enough to be complacent, especially with the calibre of  team such as Ghana, who kept pummelling and probing in our half till the bitter end.  Thank God for Renard who continued shouting like a banshee although I didn't hear  him tell the boys to hang on for "2 minooootes" like he did in the group stages, which got him a mancrush from one of the BBC commentators who unfortunately did not cover this game as I have enjoyed him expressing his love for Renard's antics and accent.

Man of the match without shadow of  a doubt was Mweene: if he hadn't protected our goal so valiantly throughout the game and particularly during the first half's constant barrage from the Black Stars, by the time Mayuka scored, his goal would have been meaningless.  Absolutely awesome possum!  Fantastic goalkeeping display!

Honourable mentions: Of course to win you have to score and Mayuka showed how you shoot stars out of the sky. Absolute clutch performance! Jordan Ayew was the source of most of Ghana's chances.  His work on the wings to feed the ball into the box were absolutely brilliant.  Both these young lads show great promise and I look forward to seeing them play in the future.

I can't believe I'm saying Gyan was the worst player.  I am really not happy with him at all.  May he go back to Sunderland and play football at a higher level as playing in the Middle East has rusted his football brain.  His penalty attempt was so lacklustre and his performance lacked precision and true direction, commitment and dare I say passion?! His miss at the 2010 World Cup quarters was forgiveable as it was just an unfortunate game for Ghana altogether but there was just no excuse last night. His performance was just as bad as Senegal's overall performance in the group stages.  A complete waste of talent!

Semi 2: Les Elephants vs Les Aigles (Cote D'Ivoire vs Mali)

Cote D'Ivoire have been focused, humble and determined the whole of AFCON and it is clear that they are remedying the underperformance that has plagued them in the last 10 years.  They have trampled their competition, scoring 8 goals and conceding none.  And they continued to keep a clean sheet by never giving the Eagles the chance to soar in true Elephant style by keeping them firmly on the ground, stamping on them and finally burying them by winning the match. It was incredibly physical but with Cote D'Ivoire firmly in control.  Nothing happened unless they allowed it to. They stampeded their way to the Final in style :)

Man of the match was definitely Gervinho who finally has found his form with his first goal of the tournament, and what better a time to find it!  His run from beyond the half-way line, leaving Malian after Malian in the dust and finishing off his efforts with a beautiful strike culminated in grabbing the lead in the dying minutes of the first half and ultimately secured Cote D'Ivoire's progression to the Final on Sunday. His coverage of the pitch, his ball skills and his striking precision created one of the most sublime moments of AFCON 2012 for sure!



Honourable mentions: Cote D'Ivoire defenders protected their goalkeeper and Barry had little to do the whole game and no goals were conceded once again.  The Toure brothers were impactful in the back, midfield and in the box through the middle and Gosso did the same on the wings.  Kalou was impactful in the box trying to make things happen despite being clearly hampered by his hamstring injury. It is no secret that I  do not like Drogba and his style of play which involves divo (if you don't know that's male for diva) antics among other things which I have expressed before, but he has shown a maturity on the football pitch during AFCON and particularly in this game in which he was not his best but he tried to make and impact in the box and elsewhere on the field and at times when he fell and would have normally appealed for a penalty or free kick he picked himself up, dusted himself off and just got on with it.  I wonder if his game was affected by the fact his wife is Malian? Talk about awkward!

Worst player was clearly Seydou Keita.  He has been a brat all tournament and continued his petulant streak  by arguing with the ref and finding dubious ways to get fouls and cards against his opponents.  I love Barca, they are my fav team in Europe and a lot of that has to do with their professionalism and clean playing style.  These dirty tactics clearly come from Keita himself when left to his own devices.  He should be ashamed he did nothing on that football pitch but show that he has a rotten personality.

Now although my favourite animal is the elephant and I am vehemently against poaching, come Sunday I expect Zambia to use copper bullets to shoot some elephants and take ivory as trophies, I want them to storm the beach and capture the coast! At the beginning of the tournament I expected Zambia to carry me to the quarters and for my favourite African teams Ghana and/ or Ivory Coast to take over and keep me invested in the Final.  Zambia have shown that indeed "this is our time" as our Skipper, Christopher Katongo decreed before the semis. I am very proud of my national team's passion, determination and execution and expect another bloodbath of a footie match.

Now to make sure we win we have to play like we did against Senegal in the group stages and more importantly we have to win the toss to wear orange jerseys.  As the scientific findings from the semis show, teams in orange won, those in white lost. If Les Elephants lose the toss they wear white, upping their chances to lose and giving us even more of a chance to win when coupled with the power of us wearing the orange jersey.  For those skeptics who will bring up the Dutch wearing orange and losing in the 2010 World Cup Final I will kindly inform them that the Dutch only had one element in common with the teams that won the AFCON semis and that is the orange jersey, but those who hail from Holland are not from the motherland.  Being African brings the juju element in so Zambian sangomas do your thing: we want the ORANGE coz we know what to do with it and that's WIN ;}

CHIPOLOPOLO, NAFUTI! NAFUTI! (AGAIN! AGAIN!)

Top 10 Posts Of 2011

I have been gone a loooooong time. I needed to take time to sort me out and now I am back. Naturally, I am starting off this year of blogging by picking my Top 10 posts of 2011.  I had already picked 5 mid year which means only half the work I thought I had, so for that I pat myself on the back he he he he.

As I did last year, they are in order of favouriteness, with the first being my favouritest of course:

1.   Innocent Mugabe
2.   Afropolitan African Delicacy
3.   Zed Fusion: An Afropolitan's Foray Into Cooking
4.   Zed I'm Here To Stay!
5.   Inaugural MUNTU: Kabungo Precious Mumbi 10 Questions
6.   Only Human (And That Is Enough)
7.   (Re)Branding Afrika
8.   Women's Tennis Shows That Women Are Beautiful And Relevant Beyond 30 :)
9.   An Open Letter To Zambian Taxi Drivers
10. The Global Fund - A Victim Of Its Own Transparency?

I would also recommend reading my posts from January and February that covered the beginnings of the Arab Spring and Sudan's Referendum.

A new year, a new start.  Yes, yes this is February but it's not when you begin, it's what you do once you've started he he he...

We will say NOTHING about my crap Photoshop skills...

An Open Letter To Zambian Taxi Drivers

To all Taxi Drivers in Zed, particular those in Lusaka, and a specific calling out of those who operate from Arcades Shopping Mall,

Re: PERSISTENTLY BECKONING ME TO GET INTO YOUR TAXI 


Can you please refrain from harassing me when you see me walking towards the car park at any establishment, assuming that because I am a woman, I do not have a car, and are in need of your services.  I say this because, through my unscientific method of observation whenever I am out, it has been impossible not to notice that you specifically target those of the female persuasion. When I shake my head, verbally decline your services, or simply continue walking in the direction of my car, do not become even more vociferous in your pursuit of my Kwacha, of which I have very little in the first place!  When I need a taxi, I will acknowledge your offer and begin the process of divulging destination information and price inquiry.  The fact that I have to fish for my keys in my bag and shake them at you to finally get you to cease your hollering is unacceptable.  I should not have to decline several times.  It is irritating and quite simply harassment.  If you would like me to use your services in the future when required, I suggest you stop your annoying behavior with immediate effect.

Thank you,

MBA ;}

East African Drought Crisis

The United Nations and World Food Programme have declared that over 11 million people in Somalia, Kenya and Ethiopia are in dire need of food assistance and that this should be the globe's top humanitarian priority.  This is the worst drought to hit the Horn of Africa in 60 years. The most pressing area is Somalia due to the unrest in the region and the reluctance of al-Shabab Islamists to acknowledge the gravity of the situation and allow aid through to those in need.  This however should not deter us and we should do whatever we can to help.

You can read more about the crisis here and below are links to organisations that have information on the crisis and how you can help:

World Food Programme 10 ways you can help
UNICEF
Build Africa
Oxfam

Inaugural MUNTU: Kabungo Precious Mumbi-Habeenzu - 10 Questions

This is the last part of the first MUNTU and Zed series from Kabungo Precious Mumbi-Habeenzu.  In keeping with my 3-4-10 series, here is the interview with her where I asked her 10 Questions about Zambia, Africa, the media and how she feels we are seen and should be seen, as well as her thoughts on being and African woman and on the African man.

Nationality/ies: Zambian

Age: 28
Countries you have lived and studied in: Zambia, Namibia
African countries you have visited: South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, Chad, Botswana
Education: BA Media Studies and Sociology, University of Namibia (UNAM)
Profession(s):  Communications Specialist
Personal Interests: Writing, Gardening, Family, Singing, Video production, Inspirational books, Cuisine, Fashion, Cuisine, Basketball,
Social Media platforms (Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, Blog, Website):  LinkedIn, I’m too lazy and too afraid of getting addicted to join anything else

10 questions

Muntu means person in the tongue of Mwana Ba Afrika’s mothers before her.  As an acronym it stands for: 

Mind-blowing

That is what Africa and Zambia in particular are. Also black women have this nice natural look and what I believe to be the best colour in the world, which makes them stand out and this is mind-blowing to experience.

Umbrella

African trees provide shade from the sometimes intense and scorching sun and the continent itself has this warm welcoming feel that overpowers everything.  Umbrellas can also be multicoloured and I feel this symbolises the different personalities that you find in Zed where we have a down-to-earth, cultured nature and an unparallelled friendliness that is unique to Africa.

Nature/ Natural

Keeping it natural symbolises African natural beauty both in the landscape and as a people.  We have such natural beauty in abundance. I love anything to do with nature.

Tolerance

Every human being should have that space in themselves to be tolerant.  Our different personalities should blend as it is hard, but necessary to grow and live with others. 

Untapped

I am referring here to untapped beauty in all its form: what stands out on the inside can’t be judged from the outside the first time.  It’s about getting to know people and not judge them automatically from appearances. Leave space for the untapped beauty beyond.  This applies to the way Zambia and Africa are viewed from the outside too.

Describe yourself in 3 words, list 4 things you that make you happy and describe Africa in 10 words.

3: Kind. Ambitious. Intelligent.

4: My daughter and husband.  Family. Waking up every day as it is a blessing to see another morning and be alive. Good Health.

10: Cultured. Tasty Food. Colourful. Natural. Beauty. Industrious. Warmth. Wisdom. Wild.

Recommend 3 websites, blogs and/ or books, 4 movies and/ or series and 10 songs and/ or music videos.

3: Mwana Ba Afrika

Of course! Sending the love right back to my niece.

It’s Your Time by Joel Austin

This inspirational book opened my eyes to a lot of thing and helped my through difficult circumstances.  It changed my way of thinking. I no longer complain about about things not going my way - it’s about thinking about and making the change. This book gets you to take leadership of your life.

Fight Hunger, Walk the World 

I found this website while working for the World Food Programme, WFP, without realising it was linked to WFP. I was looking for a platform to do a fashion show  to benefit starving children and it help shape the event and opened my eyes to what is going on in Zambia, rather than looking further out.  It is a great site to find information to make comparisons between Africa and the rest of the world and learn from other situations. Young people should have that interest and know what they can do differently because it could be any one of us who needs help  and/ or who can provide solutions in the future.

4: Blue Lagoon

This was the first interesting movie I watched and also the first with nudity. I had a huge crush on the guy.  It taught me a lot about coming of age. I watched it when I was 11 and afterwards I started noticing the changes in my body. 

McGyver 

I had a crush on him too. It was always on TV as a child in the 80s.

Shades of Sin (Brazil)

I love a bit of intrigue!

Kabanana

We have to support local talent and productions.

10: As you will see by this list I L-O-V-E Dancehall!

1.      Queen Of The Pack by Patra

Always had her hairstyle as a teenager

2.       Make My Day by Buju Banton

3.       All On Me by Sean Paul

4.       Love Triangle by Diana King

5.       It’s About Time by Boom Shaka

6.       Shibobo by TKZee

7.       House, Money, Car by Nalu

8.       Ngafikilisha by JK

9.       Here and Now by Luther Vandross

10.   Street Thing by Aaliyah

What have you or do you contribute to Zambia’s development economically, politically and or socially?

When you win Miss Zambia there is no set program that you have to follow, as in many other countries around the world - you have to find your own feet. I started on a number of projects and made sure that they were different from what is usually is expected such as the usual suspects HIV/ AIDS and poverty. I really wanted to challenge myself to think outside the box and use my position to highlight aspects of Zambia that needed looking at that were being sidelined.  This led me to the Road Safety.  This issue was particularly important to me as a dear friend was one of seven fatalities in a bus accident that caused 40 casualties.   I was sponsored by the FIA Foundation based in London to attend first UN Assembly on Road Safety in Geneva and was also endorsed by the Ministry of Health to represent Zambia. I was privileged to work with other ambassadors for a month about what can work in our respective countries in terms of Road Safety advocacy.  I then returned to work with RTSA to design and implement youth educational programs.  Teaching should start in childhood, at nursery, so kids grow up with an awareness of how dangerous the road is. What I achieved in 2006-7 is still ongoing and has been passed on to subsequent Miss Zambias.

I also initially did a lot of orphanage work but lost interest as the situation in Zambia is quite exaggerated. At first glance it looked like they needed sponsorship and I worked tirelessly to get them the financial support that was seemingly needed.  I developed a close relationship with the children and the people running the institutions and it became evident that many of the organisations use the children to get financial support for selfish purposes which shouldn’t happen and I wasn’t going to enable that.  An instance of this was when I checked up on foodstuffs I had donated the day before and found that the staff had shared it amongst themselves and the kids were starving at breakfast because none of the food was there for them!  However there were orphanages that were truly run from the heart, such as Cheshire Home in Chawama, which really stood out. It is run by Nuns and they have a board who are committed and involved.

Now apart from my salary being heavily taxed, I continue to work in development. My last job was at UNICEF. In August I start with Chemonics , USAID, based at the Ministry of Education as the Communications Manager. It is a new project aimed at establishing community schools and helping government schools in curriculum improvement, especially in the rural areas, and advocating for girl-child education.  We need to stop prioritising male education only so as to have females work around the house till they are married.  We have made progress but there is still a huge gap.  Schools are also empty at certain times of the year especially during the planting and harvest seasons. Telling children they have rights and not be afraid to speak up and say that school is important among other things is what I want other children to enjoy, just as I will ensure for my daughter.  I am still active in Road Safety as I think that the government can save a lot of money to spend on other issues if things are improved.

What do you think is special about being an African woman?

African women are blessed to be able multi-task!! We are able to do more than 10 things at the same time and we do all of that well and with no complaints. Secondly, there are no restrictions in terms of how your body is - we are not criticized for having curves and we can be all sizes which from what I have seen, other women around the world are not afforded. We have well toned bodies so it always surprises me when the media says otherwise. Come to Zambia or somewhere in Africa and see how beautiful we are.  Also our culture is still there despite modernity. We still retain our practices and respect them and this sets us apart.

What do we, as African women, need to improve and how?

We need to come out our shells a little more - think outside the box and not always conform to what is expected and what we see others doing.  African women are becoming more and more ambitious and want to further their education, and in most cases are highly educated yet the HIV and AIDS  is still very high in women as compared to men. What is it that we are doing wrong? Mindset on Ccondom use still has to change too -  WOMEN NEED TO LEARN TO NEGOTIATE FOR SAFER SEX REGARDLESS OF WHETHER THEY ARE MARRIED OR SINGLE! In short we need to live for us as women.  Recently I’ve seen  women becoming more economically self-reliant and I’d like to see that continue. Building a future for ourselves and our children by jointly making decisions with our husbands is so important. Let’s continue changing, we may be homemakers but we can also take charge and venture outside, earn our own money, work for ourselves. We still lack that confidence. We can do what men can do.

What do you think is special about the African man?

Well, like my husband, they are extra romantic, highly intelligent sensitive beings with a lot of respect for their women (whether mothers or spouses). They can me understanding, extra-supportive of decisions women make, well-natured and always thinking of the future and the welfare of the family.  The African man loves good food and is very conservative. I used to be a huge spender - I would spend my last ngwee and be stuck the next day. He thinks about why he was spending first and helped me plan for things, he helped me grow.

What does the African man need to improve and how?

African men need to begin to accept the new African woman - her confidence, decision making capabilities, her multi-tasking and her equality in work. They need to get out of the mindset that they have the upper-hand and have mutual understanding. They need to participate in making joint decisions and not hold back because they are worried about what other people will say - it is not a sign of weakness. Gone are the days where the woman is running around like a headless chicken. My husband helped with the diapers. Gender education and equality is essential for this country and the continent’s future. Finally, African men should also learn to stick to one sexual partner.

What role do the African Diaspora and the global community have to play in the continent’s development and identity?

Our culture is our identity as a continent, but as the world has evolved, so should our cultural beliefs and practices - we need to adjust to fit into the current environment culturally. We can learn from the world and other countries.  The disasters that have been happening are not so common here and we should be thankful that we do not have severe floods and earthquakes and have always been a peaceful nation. The well developed countries can help us to figure out how to reach that stage, especially the most recent nations that have bypassed us.  We need to ask how we can be less dependent from the lessons learnt by others.

Are you satisfied with the way Zambia and Africa are portrayed in the media to the world?  

Zambia: No, not at all. When you are out there and you watch something it’s ALWAYS something negative. Poverty-stricken, HIV/ AIDS, typical Africa.  Yes these are huge problems, but there is more to us than that. Why don’t we make the news with our successful development programs, our economic improvement, our beauty, what we have to offer?!  You have to personally recommend places and for people to know and visit. We also have a huge role to play and need to brand ourselves better and find better communication tools to advertise and promote ourselves.  Everyone has something to hide, why do we always have to show everything? There is good to oppose the bad. I also don’t like how certain Zambians talk ill of our country. We should be patriotic despite the bad. How can we develop if we dwell on our bad experiences? If it’s not correct, voice it and then change it.  Yes there are limitations in our media but we are free enough to speak out, we won’t be shot at, we do enjoy that privilege as I am right now.

Africa: Totally not happy. People overseas only ever know about South Africa when we have 54 countries on the continent with the recent edition of South Sudan!  We are seen as this disease haven - come here to die is how we are portrayed. I have worked with a lot of international donors and there is so much talk of precautions to the point that people bring along things like toilet paper! It’s like we have nothing but a huge uncivilised jungle to live in! Again it comes down to how we market ourselves. We are all Africans and should help each other.  People are always surprised how warm and generous we are and how they can find what they need. Corruption, HIV and AIDs and poverty are also problems faced by other countries.  We have our own problems and solutions and we need to reassess how we portray and tackle them on the global stage.  We can also be a learning hub, we need to highlight this. We are like the stereotypical female being dominated by the male continents. We are more than what we are conceived to be. We have some of the greatest philosophers  - we can be great teachers too.

For videos on the 4 things Kabungo has learnt from your experiences as a student in Namibia, Miss Zambia,  mother and wife, and a professional in Zambia, as well as the 3 places and or things that make Zambia special you can find them on the blog here and on the MwanaBaAfrika YouTube Channel.

New video! Kabungo Precious Mumbi-Habeenzu's MUNTU Zed Series 3-4

The MUNTU and Zed Series has officially popped its cherry! I thought I would start off MUNTU nestled in Africa’s womb, Zambia aka Zed. This birthing has required me to indulge in nepotism, a truly African move, by cajoling my Aunt to be my first interviewee.  Luckily she has forgiven me for almost drowning us both in a pool as kids as I coaxed her to venture to the deep end with me.  I haven’t lost my touch he he he he ;}.  She hasn’t forgotten though and reminds me of this whenever she has the chance. A fellow biophiliac and partner-in-crime, I am honoured and proud to present to you the beautiful, passionate and talented Miss Zambia 2005, mother, wife, advocate and proudly Zambian, Black and African, Mrs Kabungo Mumbi-Habeenzu.

3 places and/ or things that make Zambia special:

4 experiences that Kabungo has learnt from:

For the rest of this interview, please read Kabungo's 10 Questions here.

Lots Of New Things To Look Forward To!

I have been unusually busy the last two weeks and I absolutely love it!  Working when I want 7 days a week is now an addiction.  It is important in life, as well as a blessing, to be able to pursue your passions on a professional basis.  Still working on the monetary side of things, but that is coming :).

I have started contributing to other blogs: My first post on The African Muse I have already shared and in the coming weeks I will be featured on Unchain Africa Press.  Also trying to get my hustle on here in Zambia promoting Zed creativity and have lots of things on the stove that need to come to a boil.

After making 3 Video Musings of an Afropolitan Woman, I must confess I am quite sick of myself.  MIghTy African recently ruminated over how indulgent one can be on one's blog about success and sharing your life with others and I said that it is important to share your joy and your triumphs just as you highlight other peoples.  But it is paramount to be mindful and to reign oneself in before narcissism takes over.  I named this blog Mwana Ba Afrika so that I could showcase other Mwana's (which can also colloquially and affectionately mean friend) across the continent. So that is what I intend to do for a while.

I have since deleted videos from YouTube and edited all the posts featuring Video Musings of an Afropolitan Woman after much rumination and though my friends protested as they enjoyed them greatly.  I realised that it took way too much energy to talk and be me in front of the camera, it is much easier for me to write to convey my nonsense and splashes of profound insight and brilliance (we can agree to disagree on that he he he).  I don't have the desire to be in front of the camera really.  I think that my posts in and of themselves more than adequately reflect my personality.  If you haven't realised by now that I am an intelligent, slightly unhinged and wacky afropolitan woman I can't help you ;}.

I am launching 3 new series that will fit in to my umbrella-ella-ella-e-e-e 3-4-10 series:
                                                                                                                 
LEMBA: meaning write, which will focus on writers, authors and bloggers.                                        
                                                                                                                 
MUNTU: which means person/ human/ there is no word for black person where I am from so it is also used to indicate a person of this land which by default refers to the majority who are black. This series will focus on inspiring individuals who are invested in their country's and Africa's growth and have country and African pride.  The first group will of course be from Zambia as part of the Zed Series.

These are the only videos that now feature on my YouTube Channel.  You can check out all the interviews I have done so far.

MA BIZ: an ode to Ba Nyirenda, RIP, who worked for my family for 23 years and would always say when you asked him to do something ni ma biz, ma biz meaning I am busy and also is a play on words and can be translated to be a mix of vernacular and English slang to mean the business. This series will focus on businesses doing great things on the continent.

I will be kicking off the MUNTU Zed series in the coming days with the lovely Miss Zambia 2005, Kabungo Precious Mumbi-Habeenzu, photographed above.  Very excited as she has a lot of insightful things to say and was delightful to video.

Please connect with my on Facebook (for regular MBA updates) and YouTube (information for both platforms on top right-hand side of the page) and also read the blog on your mobile at http://mwanabaafrika.blogspot.com/?m=1

Zed Fusion: An Afropolitan's Foray Into Cooking

This post was originally posted on The African Muse.

tute. kalembula. kandolo. umumbu. intungulu. mbalala. amataba. chinkombwe.

some of these fruits of the earth have english names; some do not. they are the foods that nourished my ancestors. the foods that provide essential and irreplaceable sustenance for my body. and they feed my afropolitan spirit, too--allowing me to blend zambian cuisine with flavours from my favorite global haunts into something new.

i come from the land of the great zambezi river that flows into the victoria falls, shaping the zambian diet into one predominated by fish, or insabi, combined with nshima--a staple food made from maize and cassava flour--and an abundance of vegetables. these foods are healthy, tasty, varied. yet when most people think about african creativity, they rarely mention the most basic of arts: cooking.

my mother's recent trip to the village brought riches from the earth--fresh produce, that inspired me to experiment in the kitchen, marrying traditional ingredients with global flavours.  it also reawakened the amateur photographer in me.

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avocado, intungulu, umumbu and coriander salad

half a large avocado

2 intungulu roughly quartered (can substitute texture and flavour with lemon flesh and ground black pepper)

chopped coriander (or cilantro)

                                                       4 chopped umumbu (or jicama)

                                                       ripped iceberg lettuce

                                                       vinaigrette/ lemon dressing                                                                                                        

traditionally cooked beans, local variant of chinese cabbage, sweetcorn and carrot soup

a half pot of cooked kidney beans
6 diced carrots
two handfuls of sweetcorn
1 zambian chinese cabbage (or half a traditional chinese cabbage; 2-3 bok choy; or a small green or red cabbage)
chopped spring onion
chopped tomato
salt, ground black pepper, dried herbs (sage, thyme, basil, oregano, marjoram)

soak small kidney beans overnight and cook for about an hour. fry onion and tomato in a pan and season. add chicken or vegetable stock, onion and tomato to pot and simmer till sauce thickens. fry off carrots till caramelised, add onion, tomato, sweet corn and pre-cooked beans. season and simmer to desired thickness.

thai kariba bream (tilapia) and chinkombwe

1 whole tilapia, scored

2 tsp sesame oil

tabasco

lemon juice

fish sauce

salt, ground pepper, coriander (cilantro), dried sweet basil, crushed garlic and ginger

chopped handful of chinkombwe (okra)

onion

tomato

salt, ground black pepper

dress fish with ingredients on each side (1tsp of oil per side) and its belly and wrap in foil. bake in pre-heated 180°C (350°F) oven for 45 minutes.

fry okra until crispy. add onion and tomato and season.

intungulu juice

a basketful of intungulu
lime juice
dark brown sugar
water

peel intungulu and place seeded flesh in a blender or food processor. add lime juice to desired tartness, and brown sugar until a little sweeter than you would like. add water to thin juice and balance the sugar. sieve and add seeds and pulp or leave clear. (if you don't have the fruit, use lemon juice to add a similar flavour and add ground black pepper as a substitute for the seeds.)

this juice may remind you of your youth playing with brown water trapped in a pothole, making a home for tadpoles during the rainy season, but i promise you it's tasty.

Check out The African Muse for more great posts by other bloggers.