I respect history and the important role it plays in helping us understand the world.
However, it is necessary to acknowledge that some historical narratives, especially those written from a colonial perspective, are inaccurate or misleading.
One common example is the claim found in many history books that David Livingstone discovered Lake Malawi in 1859.
David Livingstone indeed reached Lake Malawi in 1859 during his travels in Central Africa. However, describing this event as a “discovery” is incorrect. Long before Livingstone arrived, indigenous communities had lived around the lake for centuries. They used the lake for fishing, trading, bathing, and transportation.
Livingstone did not encounter an unknown lake. In fact, he relied on local people to guide him on the lake, which clearly shows that it was already well known and actively used.
Claiming that Livingstone discovered Lake Malawi creates the false impression that the land and its people did not exist before Europeans arrived. This narrative ignores African history, knowledge, and everyday life.
A discovery refers to finding something that was previously unknown to everyone. Lake Malawi was not unknown it was only unknown to Europeans.
A more accurate way to present this history is to state that David Livingstone was the first European to record and name the lake, which he called Lake Nyasa. Naming or documenting a place is not the same as discovering it.
Africans already had their own names for the lake and understood its significance long before European contact.
It is time to correct our history books.
Correcting history does not mean dismissing Livingstone’s role, but rather placing it in its proper context. He helped introduce the lake to the wider world through European records, but he did not discover it.
Presenting history truthfully shows respect for African societies and helps future generations learn a fair and accurate version of the past. History should reflect truth, not outdated colonial assumptions.
