Livingstone Memorial
Encyclopedia
The Livingstone Memorial built in 1902 marks the spot where missionary explorer David Livingstone
died on 1 or 4 May 1873 in Chief Chitambo's village at Ilala near the edge of the Bangweulu Swamps
in Zambia
. His heart was buried there under a mpundu (also called mvula) tree by his loyal attendants Chuma, Suza Mniasere and Vchopere, before they departed for the coast carrying his body. In their party was an educated African named Jacob Wainwright who carved the inscription "LIVINGSTONE MAY 4 1873" and the names of the attendants on the tree.
who had been sent by the British Commissioner Alfred Sharpe
to prepare the way for a permanent memorial. He made a clearing in the forest and had the carving removed and sent to the Royal Geographic Society's museum in London
.
) to do the job. The site was still marked by the clearing made by Codrington. Stroud built an obelisk around 6 m high from burnt brick plastered with smooth cement, and attached two brass plaques sent from London. (These were replaced around 1935 by spare copies, and in the 1950s by bronze replicas). Four brick and wooden posts with iron and wooden rails were set up around the base, replaced in the early 1950s by iron chains. When the top of the obelisk was damaged, after repairs a bronze cross was placed on top.
-Samfya
highway via a turn-off to the north which is 10 km northeast from the turnoff south to Kasanka National Park
. A gravel road of about 30 km reaches the memorial in woodland. Note that David Livingstone did not die "on the shores of Lake Bangweulu
", as stated in a number of publications, but 100 km southeast of the lake, near the edge of the floodplain which borders the Bangweulu Swamps. The area was not in Barotseland
as stated in other sources. Livingstone had been trying to discover the rivers flowing in and out of the swamps, but did so at the end of the rainy season when the annual flood carried his party's canoes across the floodplain to the Lulimala River. The memorial is 5 km south of the Lulimala, 10 km south of the edge of the floodplain, and 40 km from the edge of the permanent swamps.
There is a visitors book in the nearby village health centre.
President of the Republic of Zambia."
David Livingstone
David Livingstone was a Scottish Congregationalist pioneer medical missionary with the London Missionary Society and an explorer in Africa. His meeting with H. M. Stanley gave rise to the popular quotation, "Dr...
died on 1 or 4 May 1873 in Chief Chitambo's village at Ilala near the edge of the Bangweulu Swamps
Lake Bangweulu
Bangweulu — 'where the water sky meets the sky' — is one of the world's great wetland systems, comprising Lake Bangweulu, the Bangweulu Swamps and the Bangweulu Flats or floodplain...
in Zambia
Zambia
Zambia , officially the Republic of Zambia, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. The neighbouring countries are the Democratic Republic of the Congo to the north, Tanzania to the north-east, Malawi to the east, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana and Namibia to the south, and Angola to the west....
. His heart was buried there under a mpundu (also called mvula) tree by his loyal attendants Chuma, Suza Mniasere and Vchopere, before they departed for the coast carrying his body. In their party was an educated African named Jacob Wainwright who carved the inscription "LIVINGSTONE MAY 4 1873" and the names of the attendants on the tree.
The fate of the memorial tree
By 1899 Chitambo's village had dispersed to another site after the death of the chief and the tree was decaying. It was cut down by Robert CodringtonRobert Edward Codrington
Robert Edward Codrington was the colonial Administrator of the two territories ruled by the British South Africa Company which became present-day Zambia...
who had been sent by the British Commissioner Alfred Sharpe
Alfred Sharpe
Sir Alfred Sharpe was a professional hunter who became a British colonial administrator and Commissioner of the British Central Africa Protectorate from 1896 until 1910...
to prepare the way for a permanent memorial. He made a clearing in the forest and had the carving removed and sent to the Royal Geographic Society's museum in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
.
Construction of the Memorial
The memorial was constructed in 1902 by Owen Stroud and some African artisans who travelled from Fort Jameson (now ChipataChipata
Chipata, population 98,416, is the capital of the Eastern Province of Zambia. The two languages spoken are Nyanja and English, though you might find some Indian languages, as there is a large number of Zambian Indians located in the town...
) to do the job. The site was still marked by the clearing made by Codrington. Stroud built an obelisk around 6 m high from burnt brick plastered with smooth cement, and attached two brass plaques sent from London. (These were replaced around 1935 by spare copies, and in the 1950s by bronze replicas). Four brick and wooden posts with iron and wooden rails were set up around the base, replaced in the early 1950s by iron chains. When the top of the obelisk was damaged, after repairs a bronze cross was placed on top.
Location
The Memorial is reached from the tarred SerenjeSerenje
Serenje is a district in Zambia. There is also the town of Serenje lying just off the Great North Road and TAZARA Railway. The British, during the time that Northern Rhodesia was a British protectorate, designated Serenje as a BOMA . To this day, the locals refer to Serenje Town as the BOMA....
-Samfya
Samfya
Samfya is a town located in the Zambian province of Luapula. It is the center of Samfya District. The town is located on the south-western shore of Lake Bangweulu, on the longest stretch of well-defined shore of that lake...
highway via a turn-off to the north which is 10 km northeast from the turnoff south to Kasanka National Park
Kasanka National Park
Kasanka National Park is a park located in the Serenje District of Zambia’s Northern Province. At roughly 390km2, Kasanka is one of Zambia’s smallest national parks. Kasanka’s situation is interesting as it is the first of Zambia’s national parks to be privately managed...
. A gravel road of about 30 km reaches the memorial in woodland. Note that David Livingstone did not die "on the shores of Lake Bangweulu
Lake Bangweulu
Bangweulu — 'where the water sky meets the sky' — is one of the world's great wetland systems, comprising Lake Bangweulu, the Bangweulu Swamps and the Bangweulu Flats or floodplain...
", as stated in a number of publications, but 100 km southeast of the lake, near the edge of the floodplain which borders the Bangweulu Swamps. The area was not in Barotseland
Barotseland
Barotseland is a region in the western part of Zambia, and is the homeland of the Lozi people or Barotse who were previously known as Luyi or Aluyi. Its heartland is the Barotse Floodplain on the upper Zambezi River, also known as Bulozi or Lyondo, but it includes the surrounding higher ground of...
as stated in other sources. Livingstone had been trying to discover the rivers flowing in and out of the swamps, but did so at the end of the rainy season when the annual flood carried his party's canoes across the floodplain to the Lulimala River. The memorial is 5 km south of the Lulimala, 10 km south of the edge of the floodplain, and 40 km from the edge of the permanent swamps.
There is a visitors book in the nearby village health centre.
Additions
There are now four bronze plaques on the monument, the most recent of which was added in 1973 and reads: "After 100 years David Livingstone's spirit and the love of God so animated his friends of all races that they gathered here in thanksgiving on 1st May 1973 led by Dr Kenneth David KaundaKenneth Kaunda
Kenneth David Kaunda, known as KK, served as the first President of Zambia, from 1964 to 1991.-Early life:Kaunda was the youngest of eight children. He was born at Lubwa Mission in Chinsali, Northern Province of Northern Rhodesia, now Zambia...
President of the Republic of Zambia."