Anne-Sharlene Murapa

Johannesburg, South Africa

Never Too Much for Anything

I have lost count of the number of times that I have read up on the history of my people (the Shona and Ndebele of Zimbabwe), to further understand what my supposed culture could possibly be. As a daughter of a Shona man and a Ndebele woman with strong Sotho roots, it can be quite hard to figure out who exactly one is.

Growing up and living across three countries didn’t make it any easier, yet the beauty of the oral tradition that is passed down from generation to generation, irrespective of how much it gets downplayed in today’s world of fact-checking and referencing, is what has brought me closer to myself.

My journey to uncovering my identity has been learning that the world is mine to explore, as my ancestors once did, and to create a culture that speaks best to me. This is a reality I wish for every immigrant who feels like they can never be anything enough to resemble the place they call home.