lusakajoe55/Flickr
The Freedom Statue in downtown Lusaka, Zambia symbolizes the country's liberation from British colonial rule.
On September 8, Buckingham Palace announced the death of Queen Elizabeth II, Britain’s longest reigning monarch. While some mourned her passing on social media a growing chorus expressed disdain, citing Britain’s long and dark colonial history.
For people living in former British colonies, her death also triggered a mix of reactions. While leaders paid tribute to the queen, some residents recounted the devastation brought on by the empire. Reconciling respect for the death of the monarch and accountability for her empire’s past wrongdoings was a common point of contention—a testament to Britain’s complicated relationship with its colonies.
At its height in the 1920s, the British Empire was the largest in history. It covered 13.7 million square miles, 24 percent of the planet’s total land area, and ruled more than 413 million people, a shocking 23 percent of the world’s total population at the time. Today, there are only twenty-two countries that have never been invaded by Britain.
I was born and raised in Zambia, a former British colony. For me, the death of Queen Elizabeth II presented a moment to reflect on a complex and painful political history that is deeply personal.
Formerly a British protectorate called Northern Rhodesia, Zambia gained independence from Britain after a twenty-year campaign in October 1964. The initial goals of this campaign were to prevent the formation of the Central African Federation—a political unit which would have been dominated by Southern Rhodesia and benefitted the white minority in the south—and to end racial discrimination against the Black majority by the white population in Northern Rhodesia. However, the federation was formed in August 1953 with a Governor General as the Queen’s representative. The campaign continued and toward the end of the 1950s its goals expanded to include the formation of an independent state free from British colonial rule. The federation was dissolved in December 1963.
Growing up, my grandparents would tell me stories about life during colonialism. The racial and political injustices they experienced included racial discrimination, corporal punishment, and laws that limited movement to certain areas. Under colonial rule, towns were kept racially separate, and Black students were not allowed to attend the same schools as white students. In many instances, Black people were not allowed to enter supermarkets to buy groceries. Instead, they would buy their groceries in the backyard of the store, out of a small, barred window.
During a call with my family, most of whom still live in Zambia, the topic of the death of Queen Elizabeth came up. My siblings, who like me were born decades after decolonization, expressed that they did not particularly feel any sentiment for the Queen. They felt no connection to her and only remember her as a colonial figure that played an integral role in Zambia’s history.
My mother, who was born a few years after the end of colonial rule in Zambia, expressed sadness over the news and gave her condolences—a reaction that I have observed as characteristic of older generations and one that my grandparents, who had a similar fondness for the royal family, would have had.
After the death of the Queen was announced, Hakainde Hichilema, the current president of Zambia, released a statement paying his respects to her. Flags were held at half staff and the funeral procession will be broadcast on national television.
Many young Zambians expressed sympathy over the death of the monarch online. But others in Zambia and across the former British colonies are also very aware of what the monarchy represented and were unafraid to be critical.
Speaking to The Independent, Jah Mickey Bowe, vice chair of the House of Rastafari in the Bahamas said, “We don’t see how the celebration of our oppressors helps us any; the royal family should apologize for slavery and bring reparations to all of the Commonwealth countries.”
Although mixed reactions may be confusing for onlookers, they reflect the different ways in which Queen Elizabeth II was perceived.
Although these mixed reactions may be confusing for onlookers, they reflect the different ways in which Queen Elizabeth II was perceived. “It’s her dual status as the face of colonialism, but also a symbol of decolonization that defines how she is perceived in many former British African colonies,” Moses Ochonu, a professor of African studies at Vanderbilt University, told NPR.
For many African countries, colonialism and decolonization are fairly recent events.
“The thing that I think Western people need to genuinely try to absorb and realize is that colonialism is history in the West,” Sipho Hlongwane, a writer based in Johannesburg told The Washington Post. “It is a thing of the past, in the West. But in our countries, colonialism is now.”
Today, many African countries are still dealing with the long term effects of colonialism that have left the continent damaged economically, politically, and culturally.
Britain’s legacy of colonialism raises important questions about the unfinished business of colonialism and what the future holds for former British colonies. With the accession of Charles III as king, talk of countries leaving the British Commonwealth has reignited. Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Vincent, and the Grenadines are among the countries currently seeking to become independent republics.
Times like these demand not only that we look critically at the uncomfortable truth of colonialism but also that the decades of atrocities and injustices must be addressed. We cannot ignore the wounds they leave behind.