Motherland

Natasha Chisabingo

nchis001@gold.ac.uk

Everyone can relate to the feeling of not quite fitting in, not really knowing your place

I recently experienced this on a trip back to Zambia, the home of my mother and grandmother. I was born and grew up almost entirely here in the United Kingdom and as a result of that to my fellow Zambians I was seen to be ‘not quite’ fully Zambian.

It made me think to myself, having been so immersed in British culture, were it not for my skin colour would I still boldly embrace my Zambian heritage?

I began this project looking at the topic of identity, however through many conversations I had with my mother I realised that alongside my own story of dual nationality, was a potentially bigger story looking at the generation of Zambians who migrated here in the first place. Questions such as why they did this and what it meant for them living within the diaspora came to the forefront. And so, the piece has become more of a general look, into first and second generation Zambian immigrants, and how we all relate to this country that is and always will be our Motherland.