RANT 1- 11/05/2025, 1:12 am-2:37am
Context:
It all started when I had the very normal, very justified realisation that the British really showed up to Malawi, looked around, and named it Nyasaland. And that name? Nyasa—in Chichewa (Malawi’s local language)—literally means dirty. Be serious.
That’s not even some abstract, “oh maybe they meant ‘muddy water’ or something poetic” interpretation. No. It just means dirty/ugly/gross/nasty. So essentially, these colonisers disembarked from their probably scurvy-riddled, rat-infested ships, entered what was objectively a stunning, sun-soaked landscape—literal Eden energy—and said, “Mmm. Yeah. Let’s name this place Dirtyland.” IN THE LOCAL LANGUAGE.
That was my villain origin moment.
Because the sheer audacity of that unnecessary low blow is so out of pocket. The locals didn’t name it that. The original name—Maravi—came from the image of flames, as in the fiery reflections of the sunrise and sunset on Lake Malawi. That’s stunning. That’s a name given by people deeply in tune with nature, culture, and metaphor. Meanwhile the British, who at the time let’s face it had the hygiene levels of a Victorian coal chute, said, “Nope. This place is gross actually. And we’re going to say it in your own language so you know we said it with our whole chests.”
And that, was the moment my midnight spiral took hold and was in fact the moment I decided Chat and I were gonna do a whole thought piece about this tomfoolery.
Because then I remembered: the indigenous people who they found there adopted the name mzungu to describe their colonisers. When I asked Chat were that word even derived from i learned that it simply came from the Swahili word ‘zunguka’— meaning ‘to wander’. That’s it. That’s all. Just “wanderer.” Point blank period no tea no shade. Not “invader,” not “devil,” not “disease-bringer.” Just a relatively neutral, slightly confused descriptor. Like “theres a white person spinning in circles I guess?” And to this day, Africans still call Europeans that. With grace and celebration, even.
So let me get this straight: Malawians saw them drifting across the lake, and call them wanderers, MEANWHILE they land, take in the view, and say “Ugh. This place is FILTHY. What’s the word for that here?” Maaaddd.
The irony? They’re the ones that never stopped wandering. Europe, especially Britain, has been on an endless historical zunguka-loop of “find, invade, extract, bounce, repeat” like a coloniser playlist on shuffle.
And centuries later, Africans are still paying the price. They left broken economies, looted culture, and trauma that spans generations, and now they have the audacity to dress it all up as foreign aid? Girl, maybe we can rebrand it as … “global reparations™”???
So yeah. This wasn’t just about a name. It was about the audacity baked into every part of the colonial process. From the way they spoke about the land to how they branded it with their own projections, to the centuries of zunguka-ing they haven’t quite wrapped up yet. And once you see it, you can’t unsee it
Thought piece:
“The Lingering Effects of Colonialism: A Call for Reparations and Accountability”
When we look at the remnants of colonialism today, it’s hard to avoid the fact that it hasn’t really ended—it’s just evolved. For the colonisers, the process of domination, theft, and exploitation was never just about territorial expansion; it was about power. As colonisers zungukaed around the world, they left behind a legacy of suffering, trauma, and exploitation. The idea of foreign aid, often touted as the solution to global inequalities, only reinforces the colonial mindset by framing the colonisers as saviours—ignoring the fact that they’re the reason so many countries remain poor to this day.
In this world, colonialism has yet to truly be acknowledged and repaired. The tools they used to “help” were never meant to uplift—they were designed to perpetuate dominance. The colonisers, with their sense of entitlement and superiority, redefined the world to serve their needs. The language they used to describe these lands and people often reflected this arrogance. Words like Nyasaland, the colonial name for Malawi, were meant to belittle and strip the land of its inherent value, reducing it to a mere geographical marker rather than a home with deep cultural roots. The choice of “Nyasaland,” based on a term they deemed “disgusting,” is a perfect example of the colonial habit of stripping meaning and pride from the indigenous populations, replacing it with their own twisted interpretations of what was worth calling “home.”
The Colonial Legacy: Zungukaing Without Purpose
Colonialism was, at its core, a perpetual game of invasion and oppression. As European powers expanded across Africa, Asia, and the Americas, they moved without purpose, without respect for the cultures they encountered, and certainly without any thought for the people they impacted. These explorers didn’t come with the intention of understanding the lands they stumbled upon—they came to control and dominate.
The zungukaing we’ve discussed here is a metaphor for the colonial behavior of Europeans. This notion of “wandering” or “moving around aimlessly” fits perfectly with the actions of colonisers who, after setting foot on new lands, often behaved as though they were entitled to whatever they found. They moved from one place to another, plundering, claiming, and destabilising as they went. What was once the natural order for indigenous populations was torn apart by foreign hands, and to this day, the consequences of this reckless, aimless wandering are still felt.
The question must be asked: why keep moving? Wasn’t it enough to invade one land and leave it in chaos? No, the European powers sought more—fueled by greed, fear of missing out, and an inability to recognise the humanity of others. And this zungukaing, even now, continues to impact global politics and economics, creating a world where these countries are still held up as models of progress, even though the reality is their success came at the expense of everyone else.
The Injustice of “Foreign Aid”
The concept of “foreign aid” was born out of this colonial legacy. It may seem harmless on the surface—after all, it’s portrayed as a solution to poverty and inequality. But, let’s be real. Foreign aid is a term that hides the centuries-long debt colonial powers owe to their former colonies. It’s not aid; it’s a small and often insufficient repayment for the horrors they inflicted on these countries. Countries that were once rich in resources and cultural heritage were stripped of these by colonialists, who then proceeded to create artificial boundaries, weak economies, and social systems that could only serve the colonial powers’ interests.
Yet, somehow, the narrative still persists that these former colonisers are “helping” with their handouts. It’s a classic example of the saviour complex, where the oppressors continue to act as if they’re the benevolent ones. But in reality, they never fixed the damage—they simply started another chapter in a cycle of dependency. The truth is, foreign aid is just a patchwork solution that lets wealthy nations avoid facing the full scope of their historical wrongdoings. It’s about time we replaced “foreign aid” with something more honest: a global reparations project.
The Global Reparations Project
It’s beyond time for the world to acknowledge what colonialism truly cost, and to pay back the debts owed to the countries they systematically exploited. Instead of framing reparations as “charity” or “help,” we must call it what it is: reparations—a long-overdue payment for centuries of suffering, stolen wealth, and broken lives. What this reparations project would look like, practically, is nations paying back their colonial debts through financial compensation, infrastructure development, support for social healing, and the return of cultural heritage stolen during colonialism.
We need a shift in the global narrative. No longer should we speak of colonialism in the passive past tense, where the wrongdoers are excused for their actions. It’s time to stop calling reparations “aid” or “help.” Colonial nations must accept responsibility for their actions, provide reparations, and then step back. The zungukaing needs to stop; the perpetual wandering and dominance over the world must end.
Reclaiming Power
The nations that were colonised were not merely victims; they were full of life, culture, and innovation before the colonisers came in with their guns and false pretenses. The people who lived in these places didn’t need saving—they were thriving on their own terms. The idea that colonisation was “for their own good” is a blatant lie designed to justify the theft and destruction that followed. Reclaiming our power means recognising this truth, rejecting the colonial narrative, and demanding what is owed to us.
The concept of foreign aid only serves to perpetuate the myth of the colonisers as saviours. But what the world needs is not more “aid”—it needs justice. Colonialism’s impacts are far from over, and the world must work to undo the damage. It’s time for reparations, not because it’s a kind act, but because it’s a necessary one. Colonialism’s victims deserve to have their history acknowledged and their futures supported—not through charity, but through true justice and accountability.
Conclusion
The legacy of colonialism continues to plague our world today, not only through the economic and social systems it created but also through the very language and attitudes it left behind. The idea that colonial powers are still in a position to “help” through foreign aid is nothing but a perpetuation of their historical wrongs. Instead of charity, what we need is reparations—a global project to right the wrongs of the past and ensure a fairer future for all.
The time for endless zungukaing and saviour complexes is over. It’s time for colonisers to pay what they owe, step back, and allow the world to heal on its own terms. Only then will we begin to see a truly equal, just, and reparative global community.
Sources:
• “The Effects of Colonialism on Africa” by Akinyele Olowu, University of Ibadan
• “The Economics of Colonialism” by Niall Ferguson, Harvard University Press
• “The Colonial System and its Legacy” by Walter Rodney, How Europe Underdeveloped Africa
• “Reparations for Slavery and Colonialism: Why They Matter and How They Can Be Achieved” by The Global Reparations Project, United Nations
