Patronela Jimu: "I would consider having dual citizenship. I feel shortchanged because I can't speak my father's language." © Angela Jimu

We are the story: Migration, Memory, Identity and Belonging is a documentary research project that explores Malawian Zimbabwean identity and belonging by exploring issues of colonial labour migration, family fragmentation and postcolonial citizenship. The project utilises Angela Jimu’s own family history and lived experiences and that of others to interrogate the notion of identity and belonging to people living in Zimbabwe, with Malawian ancestry. These stories are explored through photography, oral testimonies and personal archives.

One of the central questions is that of belonging – what does belonging mean when you have a parent who is Zimbabwean and another Malawian? Angela was born and raised in Zimbabwe to a Zimbabwean mother and a Malawian father and later lived in Malawi. Her sister on the other hand, was born in Zimbabwe, educated in Malawi and returned to Zimbabwe in 1980. Their different experiences demonstrate that identity can be shaped by a number of factors which also determine what belonging means. Her and her sister’s stories are not unique as other project participants have similar ones. The project situates all these experiences within the much larger context of history and regional mobility.

To find out more please go to the direct link.