By Immaculate Regina Sikanyika
The question of identity sooner or later surfaces when one stays away from their home country to appreciate other societies and how different they are from what one thought was a universal understanding of home.
Needless to say home remains an extraordinary sphere of ease, reconnection and comfort, as one’s home country is their origin and identity.
Yet identity is not static because it is shaped, challenged and deepened by experience, especially through movement across places and cultures.
For many Zambians living away from their countries, revisiting the nature of their lands through reading, watching, or engaging with their culture and traditions awakens lived experiences of their identity and roots.
However, there is a limit to how much can be understood from a distance because true appreciation of other places often demands physical presence.
It demands stepping into spaces, hearing languages spoken in their natural rhythm, tasting food prepared in its authentic context, and witnessing traditions as they unfold among the people who live them.
Traveling helps one understand, appreciate and respect different cultures and traditions by opening up fresh views of reality, teaching patience, tolerance and humility.
It is never merely about exploring new worlds, but about returning with new perspectives and a deeper understanding of both others and oneself.
In many ways, travel dismantles assumptions and replaces them with lived knowledge.
This truth is not only relevant for those in the diaspora. Even within Zambia, there are many who have never stepped beyond their immediate surroundings.
A person born and raised in one province may hold limited or even inaccurate perceptions about people from another region simply because they have never experienced their way of life firsthand.
Without movement and interaction, stereotypes can easily take root. Ignorance then becomes not a matter of lack of intelligence, but lack of exposure.
A Zambian who has never travelled beyond their home province may not fully appreciate the richness of the country’s cultural diversity.
They may not understand the significance of different languages, customs or traditional practices that define other communities.
Yet Zambia boasting 73 ethnic groupings is a tapestry of cultures, each contributing to a shared national identity. Traveling within the country allows citizens to see this diversity not as something distant, but as something they are inherently part of.
For those in the diaspora, the need is even greater. While they may adapt to and even deeply appreciate foreign cultures, there is a risk of losing touch with their own roots.
Over time, identity can become fragmented, shaped more by external influences than by one’s origin. Reconnecting with Zambia is therefore not just an emotional exercise, but an essential journey of self-understanding.
Traveling back home allows diasporans to rediscover the essence of who they are since it grounds them in realities that cannot be replicated abroad.
It reminds them of the values, traditions and social bonds that shaped their early lives or those of their ancestors. More importantly, it helps them appreciate the diversity within Zambia itself, something that cannot be fully grasped from afar.
In sentiments of lost touch, traveling bridges the gap between the diaspora and its roots by rekindling emotions of belonging and fosters a renewed sense of pride.
Whether through physical visits or intentional virtual engagement, reconnecting with one’s country of origin through language, food, customs, traditional ceremonies and historical sites offers a powerful homecoming experience.
One of the most fascinating ways to reconnect with roots is through traditional celebrations especially that Zambia hosts more than 90 annual traditional ceremonies, celebrating heritage through dance, music, and rituals.
Key ceremonies like Ncwala and Kuomboka are famous, with most events celebrating harvest seasons, ancestral traditions, or historical milestones of their communities.
Traditional ceremonies also serve as powerful educational platforms by offering insight into the values, histories and social structures of different communities.
To immerse oneself in these experiences is to rediscover not only the country, but also oneself since travel, whether across continents or within national borders, expands the mind and deepens understanding.
It challenges ignorance and nurtures empathy. In doing so, it allows individuals to reclaim their identity in a more profound and meaningful way.
