Biographies

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Biographies

Vous ne le crooirez pas, mais cette oeuvre est de moi

Biographies

Ces textes ont été rassemblés par le frère de Ackim, sur notre demande. il a fait le tour de nos connaissances et écrit ces récits. Ces textes sont immensément tristes.

Black Phiri

Black Phiri was born on December 26th 1941 at Chirnpele Village in the Eastern Province of Zambia, Chief Malaguya's area. His father, Mr. Daniel Phiri, is a Ngoni while his wife is a Chewa. Black who did not go to school, stayed with his parents until he started working.

He is the fifth born in a family of seven children. Their first born is Akeyala Phiri, followed by Zitandala, Sanikonda, Tisiyane, Black, Aliness born in 1943 and their last one, Thayo, born in 1947

In March 1963 when Black was twelve, he started working at Mr. Grun's Farm. His monthly salary was K5. He stayed until June 1966 when he left for Mazabuka and started to work at the house of a college teacher with a monthly salary of K15.00 but he had to go home in 1968 when he received a letter that his mother died in Fort Jameson (Chipata). Her name was Yangiwe Phiri.

Black stayed there until 1971 when he went to Choma and started working at Mochipapa Agriculture Limited. His monthly salary was now K28.00. In april 1973 he stopped and went to Kitwe where his sister was married to Mr. Sinoya Banda and started working there as a superviser in Kafue lndustry Plantation. He was paid K28.00, in 1975 it was increased to K80.00 and in 1978 to K 150.00.

In August he stopped working there and he came to Chilanga at Mt Makulu to his brother-in law, Mr. Smart Syndican Tembo who married his sister. Here he started charcoal burning.

Mr Phiri is married with 6 children

Mr. Phiri got married on june 6th 1966 when he was in Mazabuka. In 1974 their first baby girl was born on february 15th when they were in Kitwe, on march 4th they had their second baby girl, their third child was born on 16th July 1979, their fourth baby boy was born on March 4th 1981, their fifth in 1986 and their sixth on june 22nd 1988.

On the 9th of June, Black started to work at Mr. Stalbrand's as a part-time watchman. He was working two days a week and was paid K20.00 a week. In 1987 he was changed and now was a gardener getting K320.00 per month. The same year in November his was increased and was being paid K360.00. Early 1989 he was now getting K400.00, Until today he is working at Mr. and Mrs. Stalbrand as a gardener.

Joseph Chipuka.

Joseph Chipuka is a 66 years old man who lives in Chilangwa Township, in Lusaka. He was born In 1923 in Magunge township, Chief Chinembiri's area in Zimbabwe. Magunge is a small township which is located in the West of Karoi District. His father was Mr. Chipuka Nyamatusi, he died in 1934 at the age of 67. There are nine in Mr. Joseph's family. The first born Chinorwa was born in 1890, then a girl Simbar in 1920, Joseph in 1923, Njobvu in 1926, Chenai, a girl, in 1928, Changamire in 1931, Tarisai in 1934, Zwandiwe in 1936, the last one Zwachema In 1939.

Joseph did not go to any school at all. In 1933, Joseph and other boys were asked to work in Chief Chinembiri's sorghum field. They were not paid money, but after working for 3 days, each worker was given a pound of meat by the Chief.

In 1937, the Chief died and his son Chauya Chinembiri became the new Chief. His people called Magocha were killing animals as meat for the Chief Chauya Chinembiri who was not a good Chief because he forced people to work at a voluntary service. People were not happy with this and some had to shift from his area to other areas to survive.

Chauya Chinembiri was a chief of the Karanga tribes. When this chief realised that his people were shifting from his community to another, he organised his fighters to go and attack all his neighbouring chiefs because they were stealing his people, His fighters went and started attacking other communities, killing people and burning their huts. This caused a war.

At this time, Joseph, his mother and his brothers ran away at night fearing that they might be killed. They did not know where they were going and it was at night. They came Northwards at Nyakasanga and crossed the Zambezi river. Now they were in Northern Rhodesia. They settled at Mbedele in Gwembe. lt was in 1938. In 1941, Joseph started working at a farm of Mr. Brown. He was a British man. It was a farm of Tobacco. He was paid 35 shillings a month in 1946. The money was increased to 80 shillings a month and in 1950 the money was again increased to 90 shillings.

In 1950 he married his first wife who belonged to the Luvale tribe. In 1951 he divorced her and he went to marry a Sonii woman called Lonika. In this year he was found asleep in the Tobacco field by Tomson Brown. On this day Joseph thought that T. Brown had gone to town, but he was there. He was even spying him with his binocular. Mr. Joseph was beaten very much by Mr. Brown. He then stopped the job.

In 1953 they had their first baby boy and called him William. In this year he again started working at an Indian man. lt was at a farm again. He was paid 80 shillings. He worked for two years and he stopped. In 1956 they had their second boy and called him Isaac. In 1958 they had another baby boy and called him Mhandika. In 1961 another baby was born who passed away at one year four months. In 1963, another baby girl was born. They called her Maggie. In 1965 another baby was born her name is Enessy.

In this year Mr. Joseph left Nyakasanga and came to Chilanga club. He was a cook and was paid K15.00, in 1966 his salary was increased to K25.00 and in 1967 was increased to K40.00 per month. In this year Emmanuel Chipuka was born and in 1969 a baby girl called Loda.

In 1970 Mr. Joseph stopped working In Chilanga club because he became sick for about three months, that was the end of the job. From this year, he became a charcoal burner.

In 1977 they had a child born, her name is Jelita, Then followed Love in 1974, then Martha in 1976, then Sheila in 1979 and Chenai in 1981. Mr. Joseph was a Charcoal burner from 1970 to 1984. In this year he started working in Mt. Makulu as a watchman, From 1984 until 1989, he has been working as a watchman, His monthly salary is K485.95n. Mr Joseph Chipuka is 60 years old with 12 children.

Alice Phiri was born in 1964 at Kamkulekule village in Chief Katumba's area In Katete District. Her father Mr. Paul Phiri and his wife Tiane Phiri belong to the Chewa tribe of Zambia.

They are five in Alice's family. Their first born is Ruth Phiri, then Alice Phiri. Ruth was born in 1960 and Alice in 1964. In 1965 her mother was divorced and Alice did not know the reason why. In 1966 her mother was married to a man by the name of Nyirenda. In 1968 she had a baby girl Alice Nyirenda, then in 1970 another baby boy, Julius Nyirenda and again in 1974 another baby called Enock Nyirenda.

Alice cannot remember when she came to Chilanga township but she started schooling at Mt. Makulu primary school in 1973. She was at school for six years. In 1979 when she was in grade six she stopped because of lack of sponsorship. She was kept by her mother and she started working at Salim farm, She was paid 4,7 per week. She worked for two months and stopped.

And then in February she started working at Mrs. Phiri, one of the teachers at Mt. Makulu primary school. She was a house servant whose work was to wash plates, pots, sweeping and cooking and she was paid K45.00 per month.. and then stopped because when Mrs. Phiri comes from work she usually gets angry because Alice was not working according to what she wanted her to do.

After she stopped at Mrs. Phiri she started working at the University the same work, Here she worked for two years and stopped in 1982.

She stopped because she was pregnant. She was married to Lameck Sakala, a young man who was working at Ronald Watts in Mt Makulu. They called their son John, he was born 3rd November 1982. Lameck's salary was K80 a month.

In 1985 on the 30th of January, Alice had a baby girl, Eunice, who passed away on September 28th. Then the family left for Chipata. There, in 1986 she had another baby boy who was born on the 15th of October. She called him Fred Sakala.

Two weeks after Fred was born, her husband Lameck divorced her : the reason was that Lameck's parents did not want Alice because she belonged to another tribe. They did not want their son to marry a Chewa, they wanted Lameck to marry a Ngoni girl because he was a Ngoni. Alice was divorced and she went to stay with her two sons at her mother Mrs. Tisiyane Phiri. Alice Phiri has two sons. After staying for a long time with her mother, in 1988 she started working at Mr. and Mrs Stalbrand in Mt Makulu. She was paid K30.00 per week. After working for a few months her salary was increased. Now she is paid K5O.00 per week. She is very pleased with them because she is given everything she requires. She is given households like salt, relish and also clothes. She is very thankful because Mr. and Mrs Stalbrand have been helping her on so many things. Her first born John has been seriously attacked by cerebral malaria. She is very pleased because If it was not for them who cared by supplementing different kinds of Medicines, healthy food and taking him to private Clinics for treatment, John could have died.

She is very thankful to Mr. and Mrs Stalbrand that they are helping her in so many ways that she could not indicate them.

Ernest Chipuka.

I am a citizen of Zambia of 19 years of age. I was born In the Southern part of Zambia in 1970 at chief Chiaba's area in Chisikila village. Until I was 6 years old, I was staying with my Mum and Dad, Mr. and Mrs Njobvu Chipuka.

At this age, I was told that they came from Zimbabwe, a neighbouring country in the Southern. 1 tried to ask them why we are here in Zambia instead. What made them leave their origin country. A reply from father was that it was a « Tribal war » which led them to settle here in Zambia. They told me more about their life. How they were being treated slavery by the British.

When I was 7 years old, I was sent to stay with my Aunt. She had no husband at the time and it took about two weeks before asking her why she had no husband. And when I asked her, she replied that her husband had passed away 3 months ago and she said she was not going to be married again.

In 1978, my brother, the first born out of four brothers, Mr. Kennius Chipuka, took me from my Aunt saying I was going to start schooling.

Mr. Kennius, who got married in 1976, registered me at Chisikila Primary School. In the same year he came to collect me because they had their first baby and I had to help his wife to take care of the baby. I asked him what about school and he said, I have to stop because it's him who registered me , and see it doesn't matter and I have to leave. I came to Chilanga with him.

One year passed, Father came with another message that he comes to get me, that I am going to be playing with my two young sisters at home. I went back home with father in 1979. After 3 years, I thought that I should go to school again. One day, I went straight to the school and I talked to the teachers. They advised me to come with parents next day for registration. So I restarted school in 1982 at Chisikila School, which consisted of 4 grades.

1985, I finished the last grade at this former school, and in 1986 I got transferred from Chisikila to Mt Makulu Primary School in Chilanga. Here I was lucky that my life became easier for education because starting from this year until today I am being sponsored by an European man. And if it was not this, I don't know how my life was to be Iike.. Mr and Mrs Stalbrand having been taking care of me in any need, I have seen a very big difference comparing to other white men. He does not only help me but every family belonging to his servants. Starting from 1986. No money had come from my brothers or my pocket to buy my requirements, clothes, money-pleasure all school requirements are for free.

But what a disappointing thing happened! I failed my Grade 7 leaving examination. Then they felt pity on me and they took me to a private school in Lusaka in grade 8. In my exam, 1 got 643 out of 960. I had registered for the second session by the District Education Officer. Lucky enough I was selected. On 15th June, I moved from a private school to a Government school here in Chilanga.

Ackim Chipuka.

Ackim Chipuka was born in 1962 at Mufulira village in chief Chiabo's area in Lusaka Rural District. Ackim who belongs to the Karanga tribe of Zimbabwe is the second born in his family. The first born is Mr. Kennius Chipuka followed by Ackim, Levison, Dickson, Ernest and two young girls, namely Losiya and Tambudzai. His father, Mr. Njobvu Chipuka and his wife Mrs Loniya Chipuka lived in Zimbabwe before coming to Zambia. The reason why they are here is the tribal war which led them to migrate to Zambia. They settled In Kafue Valley in Chirundu where there is a boarder with Zimbabwe.

In 1970, Ackim started schooling at Chisikila primary school in a nearby small village and ended at grade four. In 1974 he finished at this school. There was another school about 47 Kilometres where the school went from grade one to grade seven but it was too difficult for him because at this time in Chiba's area there were no roads where pupils could catch their transport. So this was a problem which people faced at chief Chiaba's area, There were small schools like Chisikila, Gota-Gota and Mugurameno primary schools. So people of Chiba had nowhere to go on with education after finishing grade four. At this time Mr Chipuka was working In a company called J. Whales, building a road.

After leaving school in 1973, he stayed with his parents doing nothing and in 1976, he started working at an African farm in Listu village. His work consisted in changing water pipes into the canals and making canals at Mr.James Kwangwari. He worked for four months and he was changed. This time his work was to sell bananas. lt was bananafarm. Ackim worked for one year at Mr. James Kwangwari's farm. His monthly salary was K7.00.

1977 he left the job and came to Chilanga. He was employed at a European man called Clabres. He was working in a company called Mutala Jetting construction. He was an ltalian, He worked for one year and his monthly salary was K8.00. Ackim left the Job at Mr. Clabres in 1978 because he left for his country. He again started at Dr. Sinsa in Mt. Makulu. He worked for three months and he stopped. He started to work at Mr. Patson Banda an African and this was in 1980. Here his work was of bringing the mixed sand and cement to the bricklayers. They were building the house of Peter Busyano in Makeni near George Garzerrv, Peter Busyano was an Italian, When the house finished the job was finished, His father stopped working when the company finished building the road. He is now taking a subsistence farming at Chiaba chief area. ln the same year 1980 he started working at Mr. Siketa Wina the former MCC. His monthly salary was KI 6.00. He wanted to leave the job because of the little money; it was increased to K7.00 per month, He was a gardener. After working for three months people knew the secret that Ackim was receiving more money than them because they were working the same job getting K16.00 at the end of the month while Ackim was getting 27,00, Sikota Wina was saying that Ackim was a good gardener and very hard working man.

And what happens is that people now started bothering Ackim and what followed is that he stopped, And Sikota Wina and his wife were not happy when Ackim stopped working at their house. He stopped working at Sikota Wina in 1981 working at Mr, Poly in Mt, Makulu. He stayed for three months and his boss went to his country. He was a Frenchman. He again started working at Mr, Ter Horst, Here he worked six months and Mr. Ter Horst too left for his country. In 1983 Ackim was the first garden man at Mr. Stalbrand. In the same year he got married, He married Mary Hamgoma belonging to a Tonga tribe. ln 1985 on June 26th they had their first born girl, her name is Lute. And again in 1987 they had another baby boy, His name is Kennedy. In this year Ackim started suffering from a certain disease. He was not able to do his work. Mr. and Mrs Stalbrand tried here and there for the private Doctors. Though having stopped working in 1987 his was able to get help from Mr and Mrs Stalbrand. He is sponsoring Ernest his young brother, his cousin Evans Mahenzi Mugali who is doing his last grade at Luangwa secondary school. How helpful they are. They demand everything they need and they are given. Sometimes they are asked to bring all Ackim's family and all his servants' family to spend a day at their house. Mr. and Mrs Stalbrand are the only Europeans whom I have seen who are kindful indeed.