Mama Julia Chikamoneka: Difference between revisions

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She was often arrested for inciting other citizens, hence she sometimes faked her name to Julia Chikamoneka ICO Mutusakamikila (meaning Julia, the secret of oppressing us shall be revealed).
She was often arrested for inciting other citizens, hence she sometimes faked her name to Julia Chikamoneka ICO Mutusakamikila (meaning Julia, the secret of oppressing us shall be revealed).
Her home was used as a meeting place for other leaders of the nationalist movement who were in hiding, and was in fact where the African National Independent Party was formed. This party later morphed into the [[United National Independence Party]] (UNIP) which was later led by Zambia’s first president, [[Kenneth Kaunda]].
==Notable protests==
[[File:Mama Julia Chikamonekela led protest.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Mama Julia Chikamonekela led protest during the visit of Ian McLeod, Secretary of States for the Colonies in 1960 | The National Archives UK]]
[[File:Mama Julia Chikamonekela led protest.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Mama Julia Chikamonekela led protest during the visit of Ian McLeod, Secretary of States for the Colonies in 1960 | The National Archives UK]]
In March 1960, Mama Chikamoneka, with other women, marched to the District Commissioner’s office where they intruded and slapped him. She, Emelia and Mandalena stripped to the waist before marching to the City Airport. Mama Chikamoneka continued providing leadership to the Women Brigade until its transformation into [[Women’s League]] at [[independence in 1964]].
In March 1960, Mama Chikamoneka, with other women, marched to the District Commissioner’s office where they intruded and slapped him. She, Emelia and Mandalena stripped to the waist before marching to the City Airport. Mama Chikamoneka continued providing leadership to the Women Brigade until its transformation into [[Women’s League]] at [[independence in 1964]].


Her home was used as a meeting place for other leaders of the nationalist movement who were in hiding, and was in fact where the African National Independent Party was formed. This party later morphed into the [[United National Independence Party]] (UNIP) which was later led by Zambia’s first president, [[Kenneth Kaunda]].
Mama Chikamoneka’s most legendary act of defiance was her decision to march half naked with other activists in public to protest the abhorrent colonial regime and to call for immediate independence. This happened in 1960 when Ian McLeod, Secretary of States for the Colonies, visited [[Zambia]] (then [[Northern Rhodesia]]).  McLeod famously wept as a result of this action, and Chikamonekela called it “the most amusing incident in my life.” In her view, to show her nakedness was the highest form of anger and the only weapon she had – she wanted to highlight the suffering of the people. <ref name=stm/>


Mama Chikamoneka’s most legendary act of defiance was her decision to march half naked with other activists in public to protest the abhorrent colonial regime and to call for immediate independence. This happened in 1960 when Ian McLeod, Secretary of States for the Colonies, visited [[Zambia]] (then [[Northern Rhodesia]]).  McLeod famously wept as a result of this action, and Chikamonekela called it “the most amusing incident in my life.” In her view, to show her nakedness was the highest form of anger and the only weapon she had – she wanted to highlight the suffering of the people. <ref name=stm/>
In 1961, Chikamonekela and the league of women protested outside the Legislative Council during the visit of the Colonial Secretary, Reginald Maudling.


==Death==
==Death==
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