A Journey in History Zambian Children Illustrate Golden Jubilee

A Journey in History – Zambian Children Illustrate Golden Jubilee

LUSAKA, Zambia (UNICEF/By Olga Manda) - It hung with artistic colour and coordination, presenting a spectacular motif on the tiered decks of the 50,000 capacity national Heroes stadium. It was a marvel to look at. Created with 58 scrolls, this was the longest and largest canvas created in Zambia’s history, and took a team of 17 people working round the clock for nearly two days to hang it perfectly around the stadium’s two terraces.

The magnificent canvas, more than 1 kilometre long, tells a storyline of Zambia’s political history and commitment to children’s rights, and it is a creation by over 2,000 Zambian children as their contribution to the country’s Golden Jubilee commemoration. Painted under UNICEF’s Journey in History project with the Zambia’s Visual Arts Council, the canvas illustrates Zambia’s political history since gaining independence in 1964. It depicts bold imagery of politics, rights issues, sports, farming, environment, recreation, family, and education.

“There was a lot of attention to detail, we had to work with an artist to hang the canvas. The size and dimension of each scroll had to be checked and we had to hang it as one continuous painting on the wall using special matching rope to piece the scrolls together,” explained Bright Moloka, assistant project manager at Image Consultancy, the company contracted by UNICEF to hang the canvas. “We worked overnight, at no point did anyone stop to say they were tired. Our drive was to do a perfect job because this was the Golden Jubilee, a very important event. The work reflected a lot of things and it was us putting it on display.”

To unveil the canvas to the public, UNICEF invited some of its youth ambassadors to witness the momentous occasion. Twenty-two-year-old Brighton Kaoma could barely conceal his awe as he stared at the gigantic painting and said Zambia’s Golden Jubilee would be recorded with children and youth as having participated significantly.

“To unveil the Journey into History painting is really exciting for me because I was part of the group that conceived the idea, it gives me such happiness. It’s overwhelming to see it up there, I am so proud. It is good that children were allowed to participate, because in those drawings, you see hope. The children who did all that work are our future,” said Brighton, who attends the University of Zambia.

He added that the canvas was a huge achievement by the children because through visual and creative arts, they had been given their right to express themselves and had come to learn about Zambia’s history. “It is a fulfilment of the Convention on the Rights of Children,” Brighton said, his voice charged with excitement. The painting was also a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child and will be donated to the art museums around the country and to the many schools whose students painted it.

Thousands of jubilant youth, most of whom adorned attire in national colours converged at the Heroes’ Stadium to commemorate Zambia’s attainment of political freedom on 24 October. The mood was festive; the sound deafening; and the entertainment riveting as crowds applauded the remarkable mass choreography and display of national symbolism by the military and youth from all walks of Zambian life.

“It is only once that a country turns 50. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity for me to be part of the many Zambians that have come here today to celebrate our Golden Jubilee. This is history and it gives me hope to start counting down to Zambia’s centenary,” excitedly says 22-year-old Josephine Namakau Pumulo, UNICEF Zambia Unite for Climate youth facilitator. “This is how it must have felt when we finally became an independent nation all those many years ago. I’m so proud to be Zambian right now because I can look back and understand from where we have come. This here today gives me hope,” said Josephine with bubbling energy.

Henry Kasanshika, 21, an environmental health student and UNICEF Zambia youth facilitator, echoed his colleagues’ sentiments and said the biggest challenge was for everyone to understand the meaning of independence. Henry, who described the jubilee celebrations as “great stuff,” said of the canvas and the celebrations: “It’s very local, very unique and very Zambian. Today is a day that you write in a diary,” he said.

Meanwhile, 18-year-old Whitney Sitali, also attending the celebrations with fellow Unite for Climate ambassadors, described the painting as a true reflection and depth of the children’s knowledge, hopes, and understanding of the Zambian way of life, history, and culture. “This is amazing, it is so beautiful, and it shows that our culture is still alive. We should also celebrate the history that is now hanging on these terraces for everyone to enjoy,” she said.

Whitney calmly added, “This painting is not décor, this is the participation of Zambian children as they see our heritage. I am in the right place, at the right time. This is history in the making and I am part of it. I also want to do something for Zambia because there is hope for me.”

Manda is a journalist and writer who lives in Lusaka, Zambia.