Page 36 - 2020 SoMJ Vol 73 No 2_Neat
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John Chilembwe and Juma Chimwere 27
A: Oh yes, I could really. Like John Chilembwe. The people
who ran away from Chilembwe, they used to come to my
village. When they found my mother, they hid themselves and
my mother used to cook pumpkins and go to give them to the
place they were hiding. …
Q: And you would take the pumpkins to them?
A: To them, yes.
Q: Did you talk to them at all?
A: Oh yes!
Q: What did they say to you?
A: They used to tell me that Chilembwe has caused us to be in
trouble.
Q: Were they happy with Chilembwe?
A: No, they were not happy.
Q: Did they remember if soldiers were coming to them?
A: Oh yes, they escaped from soldiers. These were some
soldiers chasing some of their friends—killing—
Q: Soldiers killing the people?
A: Yes, they were shooting at them. …
Q: Did they tell you how many soldiers?
A: Yes, there were ‘round about a company. …
Q: Did these people tell you if anyone else besides these soldiers
came to fight?
A: No, no one else. …
Q: Did the soldiers all come together, or each soldier go out as
individual people?
A: No, they pretended to fight. If you have been at Chiradzulu,
there is a river and the soldiers came out from the boat you
know. The soldiers were on that small hill there and
Chilembwe’s people extended themselves on the river. While
the people coming to invade the people, the soldiers coming in,
these people retreated to their ferry [boat?], back [away from]
them, you see. And when they found out they were defeated
[tape unclear at this point] … There was one who was shot and
then killed on the spot because he received [an] arrest [warrant];
that was David Kaduya.
Q: When did you learn about this—how soldiers fought—did
