Dating back to the 19th century, Zambia was ruled by a chief wielding an iron rod. The Portuguese Slavers tried to stage a hostile takeover of the Region and its slave routes but were met with the drums of war. Remarkably, the chief was a woman, by name Mwape. Mwape ruled until her death in 1910, but is in today’s history, a forgotten hero.
The Women’s History Museum of Zambia launched an animated podcast series to change the narrative in of this heroine. A Feminist, Innovator, Power Broker and War General attributes of Mwape are highlighted in an animation spanning about two minutes.
Mulenga Kapwepwe, co-founder of the museum who wrote the stories explains that the tale challenges women stereotypes. The stereotypes included that women were not capable of being leaders and contributing to society. The podcasts will be published weekly on the museum’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. The creators hope to publicize historical women across the continent.
Retelling stories of historical figures in black history have proven an outlet to reach audiences craving alternative narratives. Black Panther was a huge success in that regard as the award winning movie thrived. The graphic novel Shaka Rising: A Legend of the Warrior Prince, published last year, retold the story of the legendary Zulu king. It was a best seller for people of all ages.
Continued efforts to unearthing African stories, and creating new content around them, could revive these histories too.