Chikondi
Hi – I’m Chikondi Tamula and I was born and raised here in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. My mom was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada and my dad was born in Blantyre, Malawi.
A few things about me: since 2021 I have been participating as a dancer in the River Clyde pageant and it has been an amazing experience for me. I’ve always had a love for dance and theatre, as I’ve also been part of Dance Umbrella’s musical theatre program. Another related opportunity I had was acting in a video for grade seven curriculum with my twin sister, focusing on Black history here on PEI. I love drawing as well and recently did a painting for the 2023 Canada Games with BIPOC USHR, representing and celebrating my experience as BIPOC youth in sports. And this past summer, I also wrote a poem about freedom for Emancipation Day and presented it at the BCSPEI Emancipation Day ceremony August 1, which can also be found in BCSPEI’s Little Big Words of Freedom Booklet.
February has always been an important month for my family and I because it is a time to recognize and celebrate Black history and culture (although it’s important to my family 365 days).
Speech for Emancipation Day - August 2022
Freedom. Freedom means a lot of things. Freedom means being free, having independence, having a voice that people will listen to. Freedom is something that everyone should have. Freedom is something that should never be taken away because it is a right, not a privilege.
Freedom is beautiful, it helps others. Taking away someone’s freedom would be inexcusable, a crime really. Freedom is life but it is also something that will never die. Freedom is, most importantly, to be able to live safely and happily on this place that we all call home.
Freedom to me looks like a really nice painting, it’s full of beautiful colours, flowers, and just life. But it has layers, texture, it is vibrant. And many people enjoy this painting, cherish it even. But there are also people who despise this painting and who try to take it away. But as much as they try to destroy it and rip it up there’s always still a piece left.