Each year, new fellows arrive while others depart but Zambian students have built a tradition over several years that brings continuity alongside the changes.

Back in 2009, Brother Stephen Phiri came to Ireland with a traditional wooden cooking stick, used in Zambia to make "nshima", a thick porridge served during lunch or dinner. Instead of the stick leaving Ireland with him, it remains to this day, a symbol of continuity passed on each year to a new incoming fellow.  »The Link spoke to some of those who’ve carried forward the tradition...

Lincoln Mungaila, the most recent alumni to pass on the cooking stick, explains: "The purpose for passing it on to the next student is meant to signify our Zambian spirit of living as one family. Every time I used the stick in the kitchen, I could feel more responsible about upholding the Zambian culture and also learning more from others."

Sibeso Kahanda from the 2012-13 group, gives another perspective: "There were times when the pressure of what was required of me in school could be hectic and consequently stress me. In those moments, I doubted my ability to make it through. So having the cooking stick became a symbol of hope and continuity for me. It gave me the impetus to push on because I wanted to be able to hand it over to the next person after completing my course successfully. Also, being able to prepare traditional food in a faraway country helped me feel close to home during those few times when I was homesick,"

George Chileya, from the 2011-12 group,  was one of three Zambian fellows living in Goldsmith Hall at Trinity College Dublin. He says: "In the Zambian sense, if a visitor is not served with nshima, any other meal will not be appreciated. We used the stick always and very much. I felt honoured to have used it. When handing it on it symbolised my graduation and exit from Ireland."