On the Zimbabwean border of Victoria Falls, the statue of David Livingstone gazes towards the Devil’s Cataract, situated on the western bank of the falls. This prominent location commemorates Livingstone’s historic visit to the falls in 1851. It was during this expedition that Livingstone, the famous Scottish explorer and missionary, beheld the majestic beauty of the falls for the first time. Inspired by their grandeur, he decided to name them after Queen Victoria, his reigning monarch at the time.
The inscription on the statue serves as a testament to Livingstone’s awe-inspiring encounter with the falls and his role in bringing the natural wonder to the world’s attention. The statue stands as a symbol of Livingstone’s pioneering spirit and his contributions to the exploration and documentation of Africa’s landscapes and cultures.
The first attempt was made in 2001 by Zimbabwe’s liberation war experts, who regarded the artwork as a sore reminder of the British colonial era. The second attempt was made by the Zambian administration in 2004. The government required the statue moved to the other side (Zambia) of the falls during their 150th-anniversary celebrations of David Livingstone’s discovery of the falls. Both attempts to remove the statue were unsuccessful.
David Livingstone’s explorations and the history of Victoria Falls
David Livingstone indeed holds a significant place in the history of Victoria Falls and the surrounding region. As one of the first Europeans to witness the awe-inspiring spectacle of the falls, he played a pivotal role in introducing the area to the Western world. Livingstone’s exploration and documentation of the falls, which he called “Mosi-oa-Tunya” in the Kololo language, brought attention to its grandeur and beauty.
Livingstone’s visit to Livingstone Island, where he first beheld Victoria Falls, marked a turning point in the region’s history. The island now bears his name in honor of his historic encounter. The naming of the falls after Queen Victoria further cemented their place in global consciousness.
Livingstone’s writings sparked widespread interest in the region, leading to the influx of missionaries, merchants, and later tourists. Cecil Rhodes’s ambitious vision of a railway line from Cape Town to Cairo, realized in part with the construction of the Victoria Falls Bridge, facilitated access to the falls and contributed to the growth of settlements like Livingstone and Victoria Falls.
The construction of the Victoria Falls Bridge, rather than leading to the demolition of the Victoria Falls Hotel as initially planned, underscored the increasing popularity of the area as a tourist destination. With improved transportation, the journey to Victoria Falls became more accessible, attracting visitors from around the world and spurring the development of infrastructure to accommodate them.
The town of Livingstone
The establishment of the first European colony at the Old Drift along the Zambezi River marked the early efforts of European settlers to colonize the region surrounding Victoria Falls. However, the harsh conditions, including prevalent malaria and fever, posed significant challenges to the settlers’ survival and wellbeing. The settlers, attracted by the promise of wealth and adventure in the lands north of the Zambezi, faced high mortality rates due to disease and encounters with wildlife, particularly lions.
The completion of the Victoria Falls Bridge brought about changes for the settlers in the Old Drift area. The construction of the bridge likely facilitated transportation and access to the region, but it also led to the relocation of the settlers to a new town located further inland, away from the falls. This new settlement offered fewer mosquitoes and presumably better living conditions in terms of health.
However, the settlers were discontented with the relocation, primarily because they believed that the new town’s distance from the falls would negatively impact tourism revenue. Victoria Falls was a major attraction, and the settlers feared that moving away from it would deter tourists and harm their economic prospects. This tension between practical considerations for health and economic interests highlights the complexities of colonial settlement and development in the region during that period.
20th Century
The relocation of the headquarters of the British South African Company to Livingstone marked a significant turning point in the town’s development and expansion. With the influx of administrative offices and personnel, Livingstone experienced rapid growth and the establishment of essential infrastructure.
By 1910, Livingstone boasted a range of amenities and facilities, including a post office, courthouse, hotels, government buildings, an Anglican church, residences for civil servants, and a hospital under construction. The installation of a water pumping machine provided residents with access to clean drinking water, while the Zambezi River’s Hydro Electric Power Station became the primary source of electricity, replacing earlier reliance on generators.
Today, Livingstone remains a vibrant hub of activity, blending elements of both traditional Zambian culture and modern development. The colonial-era buildings, characterized by their grand entrances, white facades, and wooden verandas, serve as reminders of the town’s rich history and colonial heritage. Despite modernization and urbanization, Livingstone retains its old-world charm, attracting visitors from around the world to explore its cultural, historical, and natural attractions.
Victoria Falls Now
The Victoria Falls cascade, located in southern Africa on the Zambezi River, is home to a number of endemic plant and animal species that are unique to this part of the planet. It is one of the world’s greatest waterfalls and can be found on the boundary between the countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe. The breadth of this waterfall is 1,708 meters (5,604 ft).
There is a lengthy record of African awareness of the place, as described by archeological sites as well as oral history. David Livingstone, a Scottish missionary, was the one to discover the falls in 1855. He gave them the English colonial name of Victoria Falls after Queen Victoria. Despite the fact that the falls had been known to certain European geographers before the 19th century.
Since the mid of the 20th century, the location has emerged as an increasingly vital component of the tourist industry. National parks and other tourist infrastructure may be found in the same location in both Zambia and Zimbabwe. According to studies conducted in the latter part of the 2010s. The effects of climate change on precipitation variability are anticipated to alter the nature of the autumn season.
FAQs
1. Who is the statue at Victoria Falls?
A: On the Zimbabwean side of the Victoria Falls is a statue of David Livingstone. Two efforts have been made in recent years to have the statue of David Livingstone taken down; nevertheless, it has been successful each times.
2. Is Livingstone in Zambia or Zimbabwe?
A: The most popular tourist destination in all of Zambia may be found in the Southern Province in the city of Livingstone. The falls may be seen from both Zimbabwe and Zambia, since they are located right on the border. Visit Victoria Falls for details on the Zimbabwean side of the waterfall, as well as a side-by-side comparison of the two.
3. What did Dr David Livingstone discover?
A: Famous for becoming the first European to discover Victoria Falls, David Livingstone was also an abolitionist and surgeon from Scotland who had originally planned to travel to China as a missionary. It wasn’t until the first Opium War started out in September 1839 that Livingstone shifted his attention to Africa.
4. Is Dr Livingstone’s heart buried somewhere else?
A: Livingstone died at Chitambo, Zambia, on May 1, 1873, not at Livingstonia, Malawi. His expedition teammates embalmed his corpse and buried his heart beside a tree with a small tribute.
5. What language is spoken in Livingstone Zambia?
A: Zambia uses English. Bemba, Nyanja, Tonga, Luvale, Lunda, Kaonde, and Lozi are the main languages. Livingstone near Zimbabwe speaks Tonga, although Lusaka speaks Nyanja and Bemba.
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