Sometime back, I found myself in Lusaka, Zambia. The trip there is a whole story, but the short version is this: our flight got insanely delayed ✈, we were dumped at Harare airport for hours ⏳, I bought an $8 sandwich because I was dying of hunger, and when we finally got to Lusaka, we couldn’t get local SIM cards because the network was down 😶💨.
On the bright side, we may have trauma-bonded with the other passengers on the flight who were headed to the same event as I was – Mozfest. (P.S: if you haven’t heard of it, check it out. It is by far the best conference I have ever attended in my entire life – and no, I’m not exaggerating.) Honestly, the flight delay turned out to be a great way for an introvert like me to break the ice ❄️ before the event. I’d like to think I came out of that ordeal with new, amazing friends! I’ll have to do a whole other blog post for that particular adventure.
Lol, look at me, wandering away from my original story… the presidential handkerchief. 😅
If you’re confused, worry not, you’re on the right track. See, after Mozfest, I decided to stay in Lusaka for a couple of extra days. I mean, why visit a new place and see nothing but the conference venue? Lucky for me, I made a Zambian friend at Mozfest who gallantly volunteered to be my tour guide. Imagine that! 🥳 I got to visit this café with the most amazing iced coffee ever – something like a blob of frozen coconut milk in a latte. I know I’m probably not making much sense, but trust me, it was fantastic.
Now, the presidential handkerchief – stay with me. As part of my guided tour, I was taken to the Lusaka National Museum, and boy, do the Zambians love their first president. There was a whole exhibition commemorating Zambia’s 60 years of independence from the British. 🇲🇿 You might know him for the famous Kaunda suit that’s so popular among African men of a certain age bracket. But as I learned from that exhibition, Kenneth Kaunda was also famous for his handkerchief! Yes, you read that right. 🚫
I was so fascinated by the handkerchief that I had to know why it was so important it warranted its own exhibition. Apparently, Kaunda was rarely seen without a white handkerchief – it became his visual trademark. So technically, the white handkerchief was to Kaunda what the flywhisk was to Jomo Kenyatta, and what the rungu was to Moi. The symbolism there is just hilarious if you’re familiar with Kenya’s history. 😂
But back to the handkerchief. It became an iconic symbol of his leadership and Zambia’s liberation struggle. ✌️ He would often use it to wipe his brow while delivering passionate speeches. Picture it: a statesman, dabbing at the sweat of liberation, rousing a nation with a hanky in hand. Somehow, it worked! The handkerchief became not just an accessory but a metaphor for resilience, humility, and the human side of a leader during tumultuous times.
So, there you have it: the presidential handkerchief. A piece of cloth that held the weight of a nation’s hopes and dreams, mopping up the sweat of independence. Who knew laundry day could be so revolutionary? 🤔
And hey, if you’re ever in Lusaka, don’t forget to visit the museum. You’ll leave with a renewed appreciation for history… and maybe an odd urge to carry around a handkerchief. You know, just in case you need to dab away the sweat of your own liberation – or an $8 sandwich-induced meltdown. 🙄✨
And that’s a wrap for now – until the next doodle, stay curious!
Yours truly, the Doodling Lawyer 💡 🖊️