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Reverend '''Paul Bwembya Mushindo''' (born 1896) was a [[Zambia]]n minister of the church, teacher, writer and politician. He translated the Bible from English to [[Bemba language]], a task that took him 53 years.
{{Featured article}}
{{Infobox person
| name          = Paul Bwembya Mushindo
| image        = Paul Mushindo with family.jpg
| image_size =
| alt          =
| caption      = Paul Mushindo (second from left) with his family.
| birth_name    =
| birth_date    =  1896
| birth_place  = [[Chinsali District]], [[Zambia]]
| death_date    =
| death_place  =
| death_cause  =
| spouse        = Theresa Mwila Mushindo (d. 1999)
| children      = 2
| relatives          = [[Patrick Mumba]] (son)
| other_names  =
| occupation    = Church minister, teacher, author, [[:Category:Zambian politicians|politician]]
| years_active  =
| known_for    = Translating the Bible into [[Bemba language|Bemba]]
| notable_works =
}}
 
Reverend '''Paul Bwembya Mushindo''' (born 1896) was a [[Zambia]]n minister of the church, teacher, writer and [[:Category:Zambian politicians|politician]]. He translated the Bible from English to [[Bemba language]].


==Early life and education==
==Early life and education==
Rev Mushindo was born in 1896. Both his mother and father were members of the Bemba royal family. His father Mr Mushindo was a first nephew of [[Chiti Kafula]], one of the important members of the Bemba royal household. His mother, Kapolyo Mwaba was the daughter of [[Chief Mwaba Kabundi]] of the [[Ngulube clan]] in the Bemba district of [[Nkulungwe]].
Rev Mushindo was born in 1896 in [[Chinsali District]]. Both his mother and father were members of the Bemba royal family. His father Mr Mushindo was a first nephew of [[Chiti Kafula]], one of the important members of the Bemba royal household. His mother, Kapolyo Mwaba was the daughter of [[Chief Mwaba Kabundi]] of the [[Ngulube clan]] in the Bemba district of [[Nkulungwe]].


Like many Zambians who went to school in his time, Rev Mushindo graduated as a teacher and taught at the Church of Scotland school at [[Lubwa Mission]] near [[Chinsali]] Boma and at [[Shiwa Ng’andu]] where he met Sir [[Stewart Gore-Browne]], a colonial settler who genuinely and steadfastly supported African advancement and emancipation.
Like many Zambians who went to school in his time, Rev Mushindo graduated as a teacher and taught at the Church of Scotland school at [[Lubwa Mission]] near [[Chinsali]] Boma and at [[Shiwa Ng’andu]] where he met Sir [[Stewart Gore-Browne]], a colonial settler who genuinely and steadfastly supported African advancement and emancipation.
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==Church ministry==
==Church ministry==
He was instrumental in the formation of the [[United Church of Zambia]]. He was ordained Minister of the Church of Scotland in 1947.
In 1947, Rev Mushindo was ordained Minister of the Church of Scotland and was instrumental in the formation of the [[United Church of Zambia]] (UCZ). He later retired as Minister of the Church of Scotland in 1965 but volunteered to continue evangelising in order to help the growth of the [[United Church of Zambia|UCZ]].


In 1971, at the accession ceremony for [[Chitimukulu Bwembya]], Rev Mushindo became the first Christian minister to be asked to speak at the traditional rites. It was a great expression of the respect that the Bembas had for his knowledge of their traditions and history as it was also a confirmation of his aristocratic ancestry.
In 1971, at the accession ceremony for [[Chitimukulu Bwembya]], Rev Mushindo became the first Christian minister to be asked to speak at the traditional rites. It was a great expression of the respect that the [[Bemba people|Bembas]] had for his knowledge of their traditions and history as it was also a confirmation of his aristocratic ancestry.
 
==Translation of the Bible==
When he was headmaster at [[Lubwa Mission|Lubwa]], he worked at the school from 07:00hr to 12:30 and then after an hour’s rest he would spend the rest of the afternoon from 13:30hr to 17:30hr on the huge task of translating the Bible from English to [[Bemba language]], a task that took 53 years to complete. The translation of the Bible led by Reverend Robert McMinn started in 1913 at [[Mpandala]] and was only completed in 1966 at [[Lubwa Mission|Lubwa]].
 
==Bare feet==
All that time, Rev Mushindo walked and cycled barefoot. Nobody remembers the exact date when he stopped wearing of shoes, but the incident which led him to stop wearing shoes is well remembered and collaborated by many who lived with Rev Mushindo.


Rev Mushindo retired as Minister of the Church of Scotland in 1965 but volunteered to continue evangelising in order to help the growth of the [[United Church of Zambia]].
One day, it happened that while at Mpandala working on the translation of the Bible in the 1940s, a hawker passed through Rev Mushindo’s office selling some merchandise, which included a pair of shoe. Rev Mushindo bought without knowing that the shoes were stolen from somewhere. A few days later, the hawker was arrested and he revealed that he had sold the shoes to the Reverend. The hawker was taken to Mpandala where Rev Mushindo was found wearing them. After hearing the story and the confession of the hawker, Rev Mushindo took off the shoes and handed them back to the owner and, vowed never to wear shoes again. He stuck to this decision until his dying day. He never forgot the incident, which he even made as his main theme in many of his sermons.


==Translation of the Bible==
He always warned people against stealing saying in Bemba: ''"Nga waiba ilaya lika kulaya umweo, Nga waiba akaputula kakakuputula umweo, Nga waiba insapato shikakusapulula umweo."'' (If you steal a shirt it will steal your spirit, if you steal a short, it will break your spirit, and if you steal shoes, they will desecrate your spirit).
When he was headmaster at [[Lubwa Mission|Lubwa]], he worked at the school from 07:00hr to 12:30 and then after an hour’s rest. He would spend from 13:30hr to 17:30hr on the huge task of translating the Bible from English to [[Bemba language]], a task that took 53 years to complete. The translation of the Bible led by Reverend Robert McMinn started in 1913 at [[Mpandala]] and was only completed in 1966 at [[Lubwa Mission|Lubwa]].


==Political career==
==Political career==
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In 1950, he joined [[Donald Siwale]], the chairperson of the [[African Welfare Societies]], in advocating African rule in [[Northern Rhodesia]] and spoke on many other subjects that affected the livelihood of the people of his area. For example in 1948, he called on the government to establish a secondary school in Northern Province and campaigned for better prices for African foods and for an increase in the size of land allocated to peasant farmers.
In 1950, he joined [[Donald Siwale]], the chairperson of the [[African Welfare Societies]], in advocating African rule in [[Northern Rhodesia]] and spoke on many other subjects that affected the livelihood of the people of his area. For example in 1948, he called on the government to establish a secondary school in Northern Province and campaigned for better prices for African foods and for an increase in the size of land allocated to peasant farmers.


==Bare feet==  
==Books==
All that time, Rev Mushindo walked and cycled barefoot. Nobody remembers the exact date when he stopped wearing of shoes, but the incident which led him to stop wearing shoes is well remembered and collaborated by many who lived with Rev Mushindo.
It is incredible that Rev Mushindo had time to write books despite his heavy days.  


One day, it happened that while at Mpandala working on the translation of the Bible in the 1940s, a hawker passed through Rev Mushindo’s office selling some merchandise which included a pair of shoe. Rev Mushindo bought without knowing that it was stolen somewhere. A few days later, the hawker was arrested and he revealed that he had sold the shoes to the Reverend. The hawker was taken to Mpandala where Rev Mushindo was found wearing the shoes. After hearing the story and the confession of the hawker, Rev Mushindo took off the shoes and handed them back to the owner and, vowed never to wear shoes again. He stuck to this decision until his dying day. He never forgot the incident, which he even made as his main theme in many of his sermons.
He wrote three Bemba titles:
*''[[Imilumbe Nenshimi]]'' (Riddles and Folktales) - 2 editions published between 1957 and 1960 in Bemba
*''[[Amapinda Mulyashi]]'' (Proverbs in Conversations)
*''[[Ulubuto Mumfifi]]'' (Light in Darkness) - 1 edition published in 1970 in Bemba
and two English titles:
*''[[A Short History of the Bemba]]'' - 7 editions published between 1976 and 1977 in 3 languages
*''[[The Life of A Zambian Evangelist: the Reminiscences of Reverend Paul Bwembya Mushindo]]'' - 1 edition published in 1973 in English


He always warned people against stealing saying in Bemba: ''"Nga waiba ilaya lika kulaya umweo, Nga waiba akaputula kakakuputula umweo, Nga waiba insapato shikakusapulula umweo."'' (If you steal a shirt it will steal your spirit, if you steal a short, it will break your spirit, and if you steal shoes, they will desecrate your spirit).
Historian Andrew D Roberts describes Rev Mushindo’s A Short History of the Bemba as a ‘very important source for Bemba history up to the death of [[Chitimukulu Chitapankwa]] in 1883.’
 
==Books==
It is incredible that Rev Mushindo had time to write books despite his heavy days. He wrote three Bemba titles, ''[[Imilumbe Nenshimi]]'' (Riddles and Folktales), ''[[Amapinda Mulyashi]]'' (Proverbs in Conversations) and ''[[Ulubuto Mumfifi]]'' (Light in Darkness) and two English titles, ''[[A Short History of the Bemba]]'' and the ''[[Life of A Zambian Evangelist: the Reminiscences of Reverend Paul Bwembya Mushindo]]''. Historian Andrew D Roberts describes Rev Mushindo’s A Short History of the Bemba as a ‘very important source for Bemba history up to the death of [[Chitimukulu Chitapankwa]] in 1883.’


Another writer Audrey I Richards describes the book as “the fullest version of Bemba traditions to be written by a Mubemba and the people of Zambia will be grateful to Mushindo for writing down these traditions before the old men and women who could remember the past had died one by one, taking their memories with them.”
Another writer Audrey I Richards describes the book as “the fullest version of Bemba traditions to be written by a Mubemba and the people of Zambia will be grateful to Mushindo for writing down these traditions before the old men and women who could remember the past had died one by one, taking their memories with them.”
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==Honours==
==Honours==
In 1947, Rev. Mushindo was honoured by King George of England for his contribution to society.
[[File:Paul_Mushindo_University.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Paul Mushindo University in Lubwa Mission of Chinsali District]]
In 1947, Rev. Mushindo was honoured by King George of England for his contribution to society. A university, [[Paul Mushindo University]], was constructed at [[Lubwa Mission]] of [[Chinsali District]] in his honour.<ref>[http://www.daily-mail.co.zm/paul-mushindo-university-to-complete-soon/ Paul Mushindo University to complete soon], 25 April 2017, [[Zambia Daily Mail]]</ref>


==Personal life==
==Personal life==
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“The work of the people that came before us should inspire us, especially young people, to play our role and leave Zambia a better country for our children and all future generations,” Dr. Mumba says.
“The work of the people that came before us should inspire us, especially young people, to play our role and leave Zambia a better country for our children and all future generations,” Dr. Mumba says.
President Sata is not the first President of Zambia to recognise the great works of the Rev Mushindo but President Chiluba recognised the Reverend by buying a house for Ms Mushindo in 1998.
President Sata is not the first President of [[Zambia]] to recognise the great works of the Rev Mushindo but President [[Frederick Chiluba]] recognised the Reverend by buying a house for Mrs Mushindo in 1998.
Ms Mushindo had cataracts and developed temporary blindness.  One evening in 1998, at the family house at Lubwa Mission, she fell and broke her hip bone.
 
She was, through the kind arrangement of Dr Jonathan Munkombwe flown from Chinsali to Lusaka by the Zambia Flying Doctor Service.
===Theresa Mwila Mushindo===
When President Chiluba was informed about the accident, he arranged for her to undergo a hip bone replacement operation at the Italian hospital in Lusaka.
Mrs Mushindo had cataracts and developed temporary blindness.  One evening in 1998, at the family house at [[Lubwa Mission]], she fell and broke her hip bone. She was, through the kind arrangement of Dr [[Jonathan Munkombwe]], flown from [[Chinsali]] to [[Lusaka]] by the [[Zambia Flying Doctor Service]].
Then after the operation, she was transferred to Maina Soko Military Hospital where a Dr Banda operated on her eyes and her sight was restored.
 
Ms Mushindo spent many months recuperating in Lusaka and her nephew’s house.
When President Chiluba was informed about the accident, he arranged for her to undergo a hip bone replacement operation at the Italian Hospital in Lusaka.
President Chiluba visited Ms Mushindo and during the visit, he learnt that the old lady would not be able to use a pit latrine at her Lubwa house because of the artificial hip bone.
 
It was against this background that Dr Chiluba decided to buy a house for her in Chinsali Boma at a cost of K6 million.  Ms Mushindo died in dignity in that house in 1999.
After the operation, she was transferred to [[Maina Soko Military Hospital]] where a Dr Banda operated on her eyes and her sight was restored. She spent many months recuperating in Lusaka and her nephew’s house.
 
President Chiluba visited her and during the visit, he learnt that the old lady would not be able to use a pit latrine at her Lubwa house because of the artificial hip bone. It was against this background that Dr Chiluba decided to buy a house for her in [[Chinsali]] Boma at a cost of ZMK 6 million (ZMW 6,000).  She died in dignity in that house in 1999.
 
==See also==
*[[History of Christianity in Zambia]]
*[[Paul Mushindo University]]
*[[Paul Bwembya Mushindo Congregation]]


==References==
==References==
{{Reflist}}
<references/>
*[http://www.times.co.zm/?p=26475 PAUL MUSHINDO’S GREAT LEGACY DESERVES PROPER RECOGNITION] [[Times of Zambia]], 8 July 2014
*Main reference: [http://www.times.co.zm/?p=26475 PAUL MUSHINDO’S GREAT LEGACY DESERVES PROPER RECOGNITION] [[Times of Zambia]], 8 July 2014 - by Expendito Chipalo
 
[[Category:People of Zambia]]
[[Category:People from Chinsali]]
[[Category:Zambian politicians]]
[[Category:Zambian authors]]
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