ABOUT PUBLISHER Malawi Heritage Magazine is published by Infinity Media Group, a media firm based in Zomba. The magazine covers cultural, natural and historical issues of Malawi. It aims at promoting the conservation of Malawian cultural and natural heritage. +265(0) 995 007 974 | +256(0) 995 007 975 | +265(0) 881 507 252 [email protected] | [email protected] www.infinitymalawi.com

OUR TEAM

Editor-in-Chief : Agnes Kambala Director of Operations : Earnest Chippoh Chapotera Creative Director : Aubrey Kasunda Production Manager : Lazarus Nkolombizo Marketing Manager : Lucia Nkhoma Digital Marketing Manager : Madalitso Kachingwe ICT Specialist : Wakisa Gondwe

EDITOR’S NOTE As we continue to be committed towards promoting Malawi’s heritage, we welcome you to the first issue of the Malawi Heritage Magazine in the year 2022! The Magazine brings you both fascinating and intriguing facts about our warm heart of Africa. This publication contains a number of articles on the historical and cultural heritage about our beautiful country. As we celebrate Chilembwe day on 15th January, get to know other silent heroes in the fight against colonialism. Read more about Mulanje and Salima districts, which are magnificent historical sites in Malawi. Also learn more about Mwanamphepo, a secret agent in pregnancy and child birth. The publication also uncovers the evolution of women’s football in Malawi. We thank those who have contributed articles to this publication and we welcome suggestions on how we can improve the production of this magazine Wishing you a happy reading , and be on the lookout for upcoming issues! Agnes Kambala Editor-in-Chief.

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Dancing for the rain When it rains Literary Corner Fireside wisdom Did you know

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Tchopa Dancers

Dancing for the rains By Aubrey Kasunda People dance for various reasons though in rare cases some dance for no particular reason. Dance is mostly used for entertainment and celebrations. People dance during weddings, engagements, parties, religious services and even at funerals. Dance was the core part of our ancestors’ living. No wi-fi, no phones, no television for entertainment made dance a vital social behavior. People danced for entertainment and celebrations, but they had some occasions where dance was believed to solve community problems. For example, Lhomwe communities in southern Malawi usually performed Tchopa dance during celebrations for bumper yields, successful hunting trips and when offering sacrifices to ancestral spirits after calamities

such as droughts and disease outbreaks. If the community experienced erratic rains the Chief would organize people to perform the dance. This dance was highly respected to the extent that children were not permitted to take part. However, knowledge and skills for the dance are transmitted by bearers during practice sessions and occasional performances to the younger generations. Typically, the dance starts with drumming then singing. In most circumstances three drums are used; Namalema the biggest drum, Khwinyale the medium sized drum, mbera or masa the smallest drum. Dancers dance around the circle while crisscrossing each other around the circle. The traditional attire comprises of zibiya (palm leaves around the waist), shakers worn around ankles, head gear made from different animal skins and feathers. Some dancers carry a pack on the back which includes farming tools, animal skins, puppets and hunting materials such as spears and axes. In those days, it was believed that during performance, some individuals would be possessed by spirits and in turn they could strike their dance partners with the axes they carried. After the dance, rains would fall, and the people would continue with their everyday endeavors.

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“Saxophonist”

Acrylic on canvas

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Painted By: Innocent Fabiano (+265(0) 881 799 537)

When will it rain?

By Esther Teneth

Generally speaking, it is hell dance last year and this year. The sun scorches hard and discomforts are highly felt. It seems like summer is an empress which scares winter away. It is hard sometimes to comprehend what is really going on, but anyway the befitting assertion still remains; things are changing and the climate is changing too. In as much as the issue of climate change is the centre pole of many, yes, governments, organizations, donors and some individuals, the issue still remains less expounded to other people. For instance I have heard many people blabbing about the late coming of rains. Some say, these newly wed couples are lazy to farm. Some say, these bricklayers want to finish their deals first. Some say, the creator is angry with our sins. Some say, witches don’t want to be limited in their space travels. Some say, evil doers are trying to punish their enemies. Others say, our ancestors want us to get back to our traditions. A lot is being said, but when you reflect on all these blabbing, you will realize that they are tied to certain belief systems. Beliefs are associated with social construction, so if not taken carefully, they can mislead people. People have a tendency of attributing their misfortunes to an external source. Rarely do they wholeheartedly accept consequences of their acts. As it is now, people are explaining this current situation based on how they perceive it unlike basing on empirical evidence. Therefore, it is the responsibility of everyone to educate our fellows who are misleading their fellows to know real facts about climate change. It will rain, but we need to bear in our mind that nature cures nature, so we need to conserve our environment in all necessary ways that we can.

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ENGLISH Happy New Year

CHICHEWA Chaka Chatsopano Chopambana

CHIYAO Chaka chanyuwani Chambone

Chaka cha Chimchimo

CHITUMBUKA Chaka Chipya Chiwemi

CHITONGA Chaka Chasonu Chamampha

CHINGONDE Hoboka, kinja kipya

CHILAMBYA Ichaka Ikiza

....... with Aubrey Kasunda

CHISENA

Local translations

Get to know languages spoken in Malawi

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Poem by Peter Phiri COME TO MALAWI Come to Malawi A country in southeastern Africa A strip of land along the east African rift valley Tiny but full of love and peace Warm heart of Africa it is called Come to Malawi And hike to the peak of sapitwa The highest peak in Malawi and central Africa Yes he has a brother, Dzalanyama by name With a view of Dzalanyama natural forest Which looks like carpet hanging in the air He also has a cousin Nyika With mpatamanja gorge on it Which has a view of water splinting

Poem by Lillian Sheridan Jenda TEARS OF THE WISE OLD ONE Lost in the foreign land Caged in the western culture Rotten morals and disgracing values They proudly say, “We are civilized” I didn’t know civilization meant neglecting your own culture Yet when things go wrong, they come back home seeking guidance. What a confused generation! She came back from school Undermining everyone at home Telling them they do not need to exchange her with cows “Lobola for what?” she yelled at them in her Tumbuka accent and left I didn’t know education meant disrespecting your own elders. Everyone seems to be shaking their heads. The streets are filled with half dressed youngsters No manners, just sound speakers in their hands,

Come to Malawi And admire Bua, Dwangwa North Rukuru and Lilongwe rivers Rivers that feed the mother lake The lake with fresh water that hosts numerous species of fish With Chambo as the captain Special one found in our lake only Come and see Shire river Which receives water vomited by the mother lake Then it meanders down the south With the hippo view on it Come to Malawi And see Liwonde, Majete and Nkhotakota national parks Not forgetting Lake Malawi national park The only under water national park in Africa Come to Malawi

Pants almost falling. Parents scared of disciplining their own children. So they watch them drown in the name of freedom Miserable and frustrated they cannot even manage themselves The burden is once again on their elders. There is no unity in helping each other embrace culture. We are out here dividing each other like numbers. If we are not dicing each other, it is either we are discriminating each other Or we are killing each other. It’s impossible to get employment now You have to be connected somehow If you are not from home then dance to the heat of job hunt After all, you are a Yao. How can you share a plate with a Ngoni who proudly feasts on blood dripping meat? We can’t hold the national flag in unity; we reap it apart in isolation of our tribes.

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THE INFAMOUS CASE OF A BICYCLE By Frank Phiri Manere I wasn’t really sweating profusely although I was coming from a very tedious cycle. Without further inquiry, the weather was extremely biting cold. I was in my nice jersey. I should remember knocking off at past eight of that programmed morning. I should say that I wasn’t also really thinking much as I was cycling because I decided on that particular day that I should be in the state of understanding everybody. Yes, that’s my problem on top of so many flaws that I have. Understanding people. I personally don’t believe in tolerating everybody. I don’t believe in respecting every person’s view, simply because “why should we do that?” I mean why? In a moment I lost myself. I even forgot where I was. I felt like I was in a completely strange land. Everybody was looking strange and people were looking at me with a distrustful eye. Well, perhaps because not only was I the only well-dressed gentleman in the whole building, but also a visitor. I did not know where we were and where the hell we were going with the ceremony. No one would easily tell that it was right at the beginning of the ceremony. The Briton moved in when I had settled already. He moved aimlessly and I was wondering how on a chilly day like this one would not be wearing a weather-proof sweater. Anyway, I had to concentrate on that day’s business but the Briton was my center of attention in the space that was left unoccupied in my head. I remember that the first thing that everybody had to do as soon as they arrived was to take a humble seat and reminisce for a moment but that was far from what the Briton did. I saw him jumping as if he was trying to punish someone, and in my case that someone was me because he stood right in front of me. So I couldn’t imagine the dust that he raised in this building that had an earth-smeared floor and it seemed that some weeks had passed after the feminine task was carried out. To say that the Briton was looking hungry is an understatement, he was famished. One would mistakenly assume that My Man was a victim of diarrhea. Jumping a bit, singing, crying-likesinging kind of a thing while all his reddish eyes were intact, closed. He was clapping his fat hands as if he heard a rumor that the world was going to its very end. I didn’t know the preacher because everybody was taking the role of the leader in that church. The first person was the man, who I initially thought was the pastor. Later on, the woman joined in. The woman was speaking with ultimate authority. I wondered where she had gotten this kind of authority. She spoke with a heavy hand taking charge of everybody in the whole building. This kind of authority I once saw it when I was a

young boy. I was sick and my father took me to a traditional healer. This traditional healer told us where we came from, why we came to him and explained the real cause of my disease without asking me any question. Strangely enough the woman taking charge of the church was warning people that she had the same power. For a minute or so I forgot where I was, because the place did not really feel like a church. The place felt like I was in the midst of that mysterious healer I met during my boyhood. I once again fixated my eyes to the Briton. All of a sudden the woman signaled something I couldn’t comprehend and the Briton went straight to her and started to vomit . The man was vomiting some green stuff and immediately attracted my nausea. I felt like I should vomit too but I couldn’t because I was a mere stranger among this crowd of congregants. I was however afraid that if I vomit then I will be on the waiting line to be delivered too. Some women immediately took some soil reserved at a far corner of the church and poured on the floor where the vomit was. It seems that people in this church were prepared for such occasions. Outside the church, some showers were pouring down and the chilly weather was becoming more and more powerful. I was completely in a strange world, a world where people vomit in church for no apparent reason. The woman preacher was claiming her prowess that her god was ensuring that her power was going stronger each passing day. She said that what the man was vomiting was not mere food that he took at home, rather, he was vomiting demons. But seriously I did not see demons there. I was seeing disgusting digested green vegetables and some nsima there. ‘Welcome to the British Bulldog Pub, drink as you can and drink happily here’. There were a lot of weird things that I witnessed in this church but the one that really caught my attention was this particular one. I was still confused how one would wear such an attire to church. Is it that the one wearing the shirt doesn’t know how to read? Or they don’t care about what was written there? I was still confused how someone wearing a shirt like this, would completely understand the complex Christian church and its multifaceted undertakings, about being a born again, and about the right path to follow when it comes to spiritual matters. Of course one would say it is none of my concern but still this one was my subconscious matter. As much as I was able to resist myself from commenting on whatever was happening here, my brain couldn’t resist from processing my environment. This was surely far more than “THE INFAMOUS CASE OF A BICYCLE.”

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Fireside Wisdom..... With Aubrey Kasunda

Myths and Taboos Funeral rites in Malawi Different norms and beliefs for paying respect to departed souls exists among different races and ethnic groups in Malawi. A notable example is that in some races people are cremated while others use coffins. In Malawi, norms are set to ensure that respect is given to the deceased person fully. Below are norms that have been prevalent in Malawian cultural setting. Some of these norms are not practiced in modern times. 1. The rope or stick used to measure the deceased is buried together in the grave to avoid people using it for charms. 2. The water used to bath the corpse is disposed off carefully. It is believed that people use this water to make muitano a charm that attracts customers to shop. Just as people go in their multitudes to a funeral to give last respect, they would also flock to a business that has used muitano charm. 3. In southern part of Malawi as part of paying last respects, people could sit down on the ground during the whole funeral ceremony. If somebody takes a stone sit on, elders could come and give a chair. During the whole ceremony he could be seen on a chair and the rest on the ground bringing shame to him. This norm is not usually practiced in modern society.

Get to Know Proverbs Walira mvula walira matope (Literally meaning he who yearns for rain should expect mud) An equivalent proverb in English is Every rose has its thorn. Usually people worry about erratic rains. In the past, a sacrifice would be made in order to ask ancestors for rains. As soon as the rains start, people would begin to worry about mud. This Chichewa proverb teaches us that everything has its advantages and disadvantages.

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The first picture to be taken in Nyasaland (Malawi) was taken in January 1859, at a place called the Elephant Marsh, in Chikwawa district . The photo was taken by Sir John Kirk and Charles Livingstone (Brother to Dr. David Livingstone).

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Two high profile Malawians mysteriously died within 10 days Once upon a time Legend January in history

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Two high profile Malawians mysteriously died within 10 days. By Paliani Chinguwo Following a series of events including Catholic Bishops’ Pastoral letter of March 1992, students demonstrations, strike activities staged by workers from March to May 1992 and then the sanctions that Malawi suffered from May 1992 amidst international criticism of appalling human rights record, Dr Kamuzu Banda’s government was compelled to succumb to the demands for democratic reforms. On 18th October 1992, Dr Kamuzu Banda, announced that a referendum would be held the following year for Malawians to choose whether or not to change to multi party state. Two days after this announcement, Orton Chirwa was found mysteriously dead in his cell at Zomba Prison. With the wind of democratic change blowing over Malawi, others had considered Orton Chirwa the most senior and eminent political figure in the opposition, as the potential candidate to become the next President of Malawi after Dr Kamuzu Banda in the event of a change of government. Barely a week before the announcement of the referendum, John Ngwiri, former Secretary in the Office of President and Cabinet had also mysteriously died at Kamuzu Central Hospital on 10 October 1992. The assassination of the Mwanza four (Dick Matenje, Aaron Gadama, Twaibu Sangala and David Chiwanga) happened in May 1983 while Ngwiri was the head of civil service. According to a testimony to this writer given by one member of John Ngwiri’s family who opted for anonymity, “There were 3 ambulances that were dispatched from Lilongwe. John Ngwiri was then at his farm in Dedza where he was alarmed to hear that an ambulance showed up at his Bemvu farm in Ntcheu with instructions to collect him to receive medical care. A few days later, reports reached him

from his home village in Tsangano Ntcheu that yet another ambulance with the same instructions showed up. Finally, a third ambulance, came to his farm in Dedza where he was. He categorically refused that he did not need an urgent medical care. But the ambulance crew insisted to collect him as instructed . Next, he phoned his brother to alert him that he would be heading to Lilongwe with the ambulance. John Ngwiri was later taken to the theatre for undisclosed procedure without consent or consultations with the wife as the guardian. From the theatre, John Ngwiri’s health deteriorated… he was unable to speak and sadly he passed away right there.” The major reason why the accused in the Mwanza case (Dr Kamuzu Banda, JZU Tembo and Mama Kadzamira and three former police officers) were acquitted by High Court, was that John Ngwiri as head of civil service and Mac Kamwana as head of police were not alive to testify in court to establish beyond reasonable doubt who exactly issued the orders to assassinate the Mwanza Four. These orders were allegedly passed through John Ngwiri and then Mac Kamwana. The million Kwacha questions therefore remain: Was it mere coincidence that John Ngwiri, a probable key witness in the Mwanza case that was likely to commence upon the demise of one party state, mysteriously died a week before Dr Kamuzu Banda succumbed to the pressure and finally announced a referendum? Was it mere coincidence that Orton Chirwa who was earmarked to be the potential successor to Dr Kamuzu Banda would also mysteriously die in prison barely two days after Dr Kamuzu Banda succumbed to pressure and announced referendum?

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Once Upon a Time

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1 Flag of Nyasaland Protectorate (1907 - 1964)

Flag of Malawi (1964 - 2010)

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3 Flag of Malawi (2010 - 2012)

Flag of Malawi (2012 - Present Day)

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Charles Vincente Domingo (1875 – 1950s) The Unsung Hero Before, the John Chilembwe uprising in 1915, there were some people who were also criticizing the colonial government albeit not well recognized up to date. Charles Vincente Domingo was one of the people who were heavily opposing the white’s oppression. From 1910, Domingo, through his letters, made very strong criticisms of European missions, government and companies seeing them as the three bodies that combined to oppress Africans. As these letters did not come to the notice of the colonial authorities, he was not regarded as subversive at that time. Domingo had no known connection with the Chilembwe uprising but, in its aftermath, he came under suspicion and his correspondence was intercepted. In January 1916, after replying favorably to a letter from Booth advocating African political representation, he was required to leave Nyasaland and was sent to Chinde as a clerk but was transferred to Zomba in 1917. In 1919, he was allowed to return to Mzimba district, where he worked as a government clerkuntil 1927. He then returned to preaching and teaching in the Seventh-day Baptist church until resuming work for the government in 1934. Nothing further is known of his history, except that he occasionally communicated with the Seventh-day Baptists in America until his death sometime in the late 1950s.

Brief History of Charles Vincente Domingo 1. Charles Vincente Domingo was born around 1875 in the lower Shire River valley in Mozambique. 2. In 1881, after death his father, Domingo was adopted by the South African Presbyterian evangelist, William Koyi, who was attached to the Livingstonia mission. 3. After death of Koyi, Domingo became a household servant of Dr Robert Laws at Livingstonia, studying at his school and being baptized into the Free Church of Scotland. Through Laws’ efforts, Domingo secured the best education then available in Central Africa, including travelling with Laws to the Lovedale Missionary Institute in South Africa between 1891 and 1894. 4. In 1897 he became the first African teaching assistant at the Livingstonia mission school. 5. From 1900 to 1902 he further studied theology at the Overtoun Institute in Livingstonia 6. In 1903 he was licensed as a preacher. He served as preacher and schoolmaster. 7. In 1907, after serving five years’ probation for ordination as a minister, Domingo was sent to Loudon mission to prepare for ordination under the supervision of Donald Fraser. 8. In 1908 he demonstrated a degree of independence, and found his continued subordination to a European minister intolerable. He publicly disputed with Fraser, then left his post and travelled to the south of Nyasaland and received baptism from John Chilembwe, effectively ending any connection with United Free Church of Scotland. 9. In 1909 he was deported from Nyasaland to Mozambique 10. In 1909 after reading Charles Taze Russell’s published writings while in Mozambique, Domingo joined the Watch Tower Society. 11. In 1910, Domingo returned to Malawi and joined the independent Seventh-day Baptist church that Booth’s disciples had formed, and which Booth funded, in the north of the protectorate. 12. Between 1911 and 1915, Domingo was the pastor of a small Seventh-day Baptist congregation that grew only slowly in size. The authorities regarded the independent Seventh-day Baptist churches with disfavor but, as they did not voice opposition to the government, they were not considered a threat.

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January in History.....With Earnest Chapotera

1. January 1902: Alfred Sharpe, Nyasaland Commissioner, doubling the tax rate for indigenous laborers from three to six shillingswith the introduction of a three shilling rebate for men who could prove they had worked 30 days for Europeans. 2. January 1915: A party of armed men made their way the eight miles from Mbombwe near Chiradzulu, the headquarters of the Rev John Chilembwe’s Providence Industrial Mission, to Magomero, the headquarters of the A.L. Bruce Estates. There they killed two Europeans, including the estate manager, William Jervis Livingstone. 3. January 1919: Smallpox pandemic breakup in Nyasaland. Within a matter of weeks all hospitals in the Shire Highlands, military and civilian alike, were filled to with victims. However, there was hardly a doctor, nurse or orderly to treat them as they too had contracted the disease. It heavily affected Karonga; by April 1919, about one thousand and four hundred deaths were reported in the North Nyasa district. 4. January 1933: The Attorney General had come to the conclusion that “if the law is strictly enforced to ban the use of the medicine called Mchape, then prisons could not hold the offenders.” Authorities attempted to suppress the use of Mchape by arresting the vendors and throwing them into jail. But as the use of Mchape spread, the popular conviction that Mchape was an essentially beneficial force that would eliminate witchcraft and cure disease grew so strong among all sections of the community -the educated and non-educated alike- that the police were rendered hopeless. 5. January 1945: Levi Mumba, a veteran associationist who was recruited both to write the constitution and to bring into Congress the important northern dimension, suddenly died. 6. January 1957: Dunduzu Chisiza joined the Nyasaland African Congress (NAC), following his expulsion from Southern Rhodesia, setting up branches of Congress at Karonga, Kaporo, Florence Bay and Livingstonia. 7. January 1960: The Colonial Secretary, Iain Macleod announced through telegraph that the cabinet had approved the release of Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda from 1st February the same year. This came as a considerable shock to the governor who replied by demanding that if Banda were to be released, he should be sent in exile to Britain. 8. January 1964: ‘Governors soldiering on after independence’, Glyn Jones was approved as Malawi’s first Governor General.

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Chills Of Mulanje Mountain Salima: A District wearing many hats Seven Most Mysterious Places in Malawi

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Chills Of Mulanje Mountain By Lillian Sheridan Jenda Rumours had it that Mulanje Mountain had its own ways of welcoming its tourists. It took me a life time to come to believe that they weren’t rumours at all but facts experienced by those that have been there and successfully toured the mountain, by simply abiding to the rules. Every time my friends and family were telling me they are going to Mulanje Mountain for their vacations i would get chills under my spine, completely overwhelmed but terror overpowered me and i would never accept their invites to join them. The beauty of Mulanje would always click to my mind like that of a rose flower, to pluck the rose flower you have to put up with thorns. It made me feel like i was scared of the unknown and the joke was on me. I would gather courage for the six solid months, convincing myself that i was going to see Mulanje’s Mysterious, but come the day i would always make up a story and cancel the plans. Who knew that my fears would be conquered with a simple surprise by my college colleagues who knew for a fact that Mulanje Mountain was the last place i would want to go, especially on my birthday, but there i was standing with my eyes blinded, but the cool breeze that my skin felt made me notice i was in a different environment. The one hour drive from town, was leading me to the Magnificent Mountain. There was calmness, birds of different kinds giving each other turns to chirp and sing, i started to beg my friends to take the blinder off my eyes, i had goose pimples all over my skin and pulled the blind fold off

my eyes. They all started to scream and shout “surprise”! For a few seconds i had frozen before i gave them my back, wanting to run very far away from the mountain, but it was too late, two of my friends grabbed me and whispered into in my ears “don’t let fear consume you for nothing, today is your birthday” with my frowning face i tried to make up excuses of not being ready, but the ladies had me all figured out and handed me a bag which contained everything that i needed to hike the Mountain. Thirty minutes hiking up the Mountain, i had regained my momentum without any thoughts of anything mysterious happening, admiring some of the trees and birds i had never seen before, pointing at them and giggling. There was so much excitement in within me, until i was disturbed with a complete meal which consisted of (nsima, chicken meat and some local vegetables with a bowl of water) that appeared right in front of me, the sweet smell of the meal was so inviting, for a moment i was certain i needed that meal, there i stood, could barely alter a word. There was a sudden breeze that went pass my face and i quickly shook my head, thought to myself “mysterious Mulanje Mountain” and i passed aside the meal, proceeding with the hiking in silence.

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SALIMA

~A District Wearing Many Hats~

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There are many established military cantonments in our country. These structures and social hubs are a pillar in the social nexus of the urban salsa. Soldiers live in our neighborhoods and play bawo with us at the men’s conference. Their children are ours, and ours theirs. In short, they are people when the uniform is off, and this is how it is everywhere a barracks stands. However, there is one place where you have soldiers 24 hours in a day- a place where uniforms never come off. How do we live with them? How do they affect us? What dust do they shuffle up in their wake? A special look at Salima and its Malawi Armed Forces College (MAFCO) defined dynamic. The boys go for a run and there are kids on the roadside running and singing along. With apt knowledge of who they are playing with, trainees comments like ‘mwamaliza kale’ abound. The everyday soldiers are the ever-present yet everchanging population of soldiers-intraining. These ones are always around, confined within their cantonment but a day never goes by without seeing them. So the first and most obvious effect of their presence is the ideal notion of admiration. It is one thing for a child to say “I want to be a soldier when I grow up because of so and so’s father. He is strong and people love him.” and yet a whole other thing for him to say “...because of those boys that run by here singing. Their morale is infectious. They seem to be enjoying themselves.” The former has only a few years of influence. It depends on knowledge of the person being admired. People will always fall from the pedestals we put them on. So I am sure if I was to conduct a study on the number of youth populations that aspire to join the military (from a young age), districts with military establishments where soldiers are in big numbers would take the lot for most youth with deep interest in joining. Most importantly I believe Salima would top that list. Fathers who wake up daily and go to the market to sell trinkets, snacks and chauffeur those who seek such, are indebted to the very existence of such an

institution. The multitudes that come out to purchase stationery and cleaning materials, in the guise of two or three men, form a stable market base for certain entrepreneurs. My Father was a Kabaza rider who operated from the gate. 8 out of 10 of his passengers were ‘the boys‘ going to town or by the lakeside. This goes without saying, when the landscape was quietened by their absence and the passenger population reverted back to fishermen, times were not so homely. Now, Salima is not a little land bereft of activity. Those with actual money have taken advantage of the tourist base brought about by the lake. Its beaches are wide and go far-out into the lake. Beach resorts have sprung up like goosebumps on an arm, with customers barely knowing where one ends and where another begins in the grand scheme of fun and games. Half of the adult population is directly employed by this system as caretakers of some capacity or indirectly as business people catering to the holiday needs of the vacationers or the logistical needs of the lodges. My uncle had a curio shop which he had started off as a stand and eventually grew into an actual named enterprise. Our neighbour was a fisherman who supplied, to a few lodges, fresh Chambo fish. Other fishermen were however not tied to tourism at all. They either went out at the lake to fish or owned boats to rent out to those who did for the sole purpose of providing fish for sale to an ever-growing Malawian demand. Half of my life had nothing to do with tourists. Neither of the vacation kind nor of the running kind. To be fair, when I think about it, the boys only had a minimal effect on the economy of that town. Yet they are all that went on and on in my head. A personal account of a young man’s impressions on the world he grew up in. This might not be statistically backed up but Mark Twain did impress on us how necessary statistics were. My eyes have shown me a world that if I were Picasso, would have made a tearjerker. Salima might have a vibrant tourism based economic system bolstered by a fishing primary industry but what I can say made an impression on my childhood was the Malawi Armed Forces College and its ‘running boys’.

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Seven Most Mysterious Places in Malawi By Sangwani Chigezero Chibaka Do you wish to know the most mysterious places in Malawi? From mythical mountains and rivers to legendary pillars and trees, the variety of Malawi’s wonders never seem to stop astonishing the world. This list of Malawi’s most mysterious places to visit will surely tickle your spine. Whether you are one dare devil or just another conspiracy theorist, these supernatural tales will send you jumping at your feet. While some of these places are awesome spots to visit, many of these will leave you scared and afraid. Read on if you dare!

1. Mwala Wa Mphini Dating back to the Iron Age Mwala wa mphini is a tattooed geographical site situated along the road to Cape Maclear in Mangochi. The name literally translates to “rock marked with tribal scars” because of its numerous tribal marks. The whole rock is gorged with scars such that the natives believe it is a sanctified rock. Many also believe that it has some healing powers, local healers make healing potions from aggregates of the rock. A lot of myths circulate about the basis of the rock and its scars, but to date its origin remains a mystery.

2. Dziwe La Nkhalamba Pools An important waterway within the Mulanje Mountain. Locals claim that the Massif is haunted, it is believed that spirits manifest in various ways on the mountain. A number of people have testified to have seen ghosts in human form, swimming at the Dziwe la Nkhalamba pools (Dam of old men). It is believed that just a sight of them bathing at the pools brings you good luck.

3. Malape Pillars Hidden within the Chikala hills in Machinga, these mysterious sand formations are a true Malawian treasure. Their magnificent view will leave your jaws dropping. Geologists say that the pillars are a result of rain and sandstorm erosion. However locals are certain that the pillars are the making of supernatural powers. It is believed that they were the dwelling place of their ancestral spirits. The place was regarded as profane such that sacrifices were being offered at the entrance. Natives tell tales of people that went missing within the pillars of Malape. Legend has it that a voice of an unidentified person could be heard from within. To date, the existence of these giant sand pillars and the stories behind them remains unknown.

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4. Chilema Tree Located at Malosa in Zomba, it is the most mysterious tree in the world. At over 108 years old, this Banyan tree continues to dazzle many with its bizarre growing pattern. Actually the name Malosa (originally malodza but was tainted by the Yao people who don’t have a Z in their vocabulary) means “something superstitious”. The name of the tree itself says it all: Chilema tree translates “the disabled tree”. From a distance one would think it’s a forest: Imagine one single tree creating a jungle of about 700 square metres and expanding. The tree’s weird growing pattern has sparked national debate, with some claiming that science is responsible but many still believe that the tree’s behaviour is beyond science.

5. Khulubvi Sacred Rain Shrines Situated in Nsanje district in the lower shire valley, the Khulubvi sacred rain shrines have existed in Malawi since 1500 A.D. Their sole purpose was to offer sacrifices to Mphambe (God) in times of drought, disease and hunger. To this day the shrines still play an important spiritual role amongst the Mang’anja tribe. The natives still come to these shrines to worship the legendary rainmaker Mbona of Khulubvi who lived during the era of the Lundu kingdom hundreds of years ago. According to Mang’anja oral tradition , Mbona was a superhuman who had powers to call for rain, create wells on sand, create forests in deserts and transfigure himself into other creatures. We don’t know for sure whether all these stories about Mbona’s myths and his superpowers are true or not, one thing known is that the villagers still perform rituals at these shrines as they worship Mbona’s spirit and offer sacrifices. The shrines include Nyadzikwi memorial in group village headman Lundu area, Mwalaumodzi in the Thangadzi River, Kaloga sacred cave at Mwabvi wildlife reserve in Kanyimbi village, Nkhadzi sacred site in Ngabu, Chifunda Lundu memorial and many more. The most bizarre thing you will hear when you visit the shrines is that Mbona’s wife is still “alive”! Yes, she is alive and she acts as the link between Mbona’s spirit and his followers. Weird isn’t it?

6. Chiweta Hills Chiweta hills are located in the northern part of Rumphi district, known for its evergreen vegetation, breath-taking view and the staggering road with epic turns. The road is renowned for its sharp bends and beautiful views of the Lake Malawi with hills to the west and a gorge to the east which borders the lake. It is neither the hills nor the road that holds the mystery. It’s the cattle! The cattle’s of chiweta has a story to tell. When driving through the hills one can easily spot large herds of cattle grazing along the road unattended to. Yes the cattle has no owner, and they roam around the hills freely with no herdsman. According to Thumbiko Shumba’s book Consequences (2011) it is said that a long time ago in one of

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the villages around Chiweta, a certain old man had a lot of cattle. Then the owner of the cattle started feeling unwell. When he saw that the condition was worsening, he took his cattle and dumped them in the hills to be free range. He then cast a spell that whoever would try to steal his cattle would die. The man died shortly afterwards. Since then his cattle have been multiplying. No one dares to steal the cattle. Some say others have tried taming the cattle, but all efforts were in vain. Other versions of the story say that the owner is still alive and that he comes once a while to slaughter some of his cattle.

7. Sapitwa Peak This is the highest point on the magnificent Mulanje Mountain. Over the past decade, untold tales have been told about the Sapitwa peak. The mountain is locally known as Chilumba mlengalenga, meaning “Island in the sky”. To the natives, it is more than just a spectacular geographical location. Legend has it that the mountain is a dwelling place of ancestral spirits. The spirits reside at the peak in fact they don’t call it the Sapitwa for nothing. It’s literally translated as “a place where people do not go,” and scaling up the peak is regarded as a death wish. Stories of people to have mysteriously gone missing on the peak have been told from generation to generation. In September 2003, a Dutch tourist by the name of Linda Pronk went missing after attempting to scale up the peak. In 2009 another tourist, Gabriel Buchmann also went missing on mount Mulanje. “No one has ever reached the peak and came back alive”, the locals will assure you. There is a strong belief that the spirits control life on the mountain and that they are irritated by whosoever tries to climb the peak. All those people who have strangely gone missing were actually kidnapped by the angry spirits.

It is sad to note that these amazing sites remain hidden and unknown to many, even worse uncelebrated. Malawi has a rich cultural history. It is high time we took more serious actions in preserving our culture and traditional beliefs. Whether we like it or not this is our history, and we can take the advantage of such beautiful relics in boosting the tourism industry. Thumbs up to the department of antiquities for declaring some of these sites as national monuments!

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Mwanamphepo: A Secret Agent In Inducing Labour In Pregnancy

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Mwanamphepo: A Secret Agent In Inducing Labour In Pregnancy By Lazarus Nkolombizo

Mwanamphepo (cissus/vitaceae plants species) is a local Malawian name used to describe a group of herbal medicines that are commonly used to treat diseases which are also called Mwanamphepo. Ingredients of Mwanamphepo medicine depend on the type of Mwanamphepo as a disease. Common symptoms of Mwanamphepo include: lots of wind in the abdomen that make a lot of noise, feeling full even without eating, swollen/ distended body and/or abdomen, blocked passage during birth, and blisters or skin rash. Some Mwanamphepo is also congenital, like libale/ likango/ mauka. This edition will focus on how Mwanamphepo induces labour during pregnancy. To begin with, delay in giving birth is believed to be caused by Mwanamphepo in some traditional cultures of Malawi.

This is so because Mwanamphepo causes some complications in women when they are about to deliver. As a result, women are given Mwanamphepo when they are about to start labour. The concoctions are put in porridge when the woman is due for delivery. Research has shown that among the herbs that form Mwanamphepo (which are more than 20 herbs), there is one herb that contains a chemical which is similar to pitocin, a type of medication that doctors use in hospitals to help pregnant women in inducing labour. It contains a hormone called oxytocin that stimulates the uterine muscles to contract, hence begin the process of labor. However, Mwanamphepo is said to have contributed to the high rate of maternal deaths in Malawi. Too much concentration of Mwanamphepo may lead to uterine rupture, which may lead to death of the unborn child, the pregnant mother or both

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The evolution women’s football in Malawi.

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The Evolution of women’s football in Malawi. By Nick Kayange

In 1998, women’s football in Malawi was introduced, with the formation of Blantyre Women’s League. Later, the sporting activity was spread to other regions in the country, with eleven teams being formed in the same year. Between 1998 to 2002 women’s football became more fascinating, which led to more women participating in the field of play. Women’s football grew spontaneously, and for the first time Malawi had the national women team which participated in an international match against neighbours Zambia. The international match, which took place in Zimbabwe’s capital, Harare saw Malawi being thrashed eight goals to nil. Although the Malawi Team did not do well, they displayed courage that they could do better . Since 1998, Malawi’s football governing body, The Football Association of Malawi (FAM) has has used several strategies to improve the standards of women’s football in the country. One of these strategies was the introduction of grassroots football for girls in 24 primary schools across the country in the year 2016. The body was eyeing for Olympic games and therefore it embarked on a nation wide search for talent in girls aged between six and twelve. The

grassroots program which took place in Zomba attracted over300 young girls, and more than 40 young footballers were selected. Since then, there have been several local competitions such as the under 15 schools youth cup competitions that take place in the three cities of the country (Blantyre, Lilongwe and Mzuzu) with each city contributing 8 teams to participate. Under the sponsorship of FAM, Federation Internationale de Football (FIFA) as well Confederation of African Football (CAF),the Elite regional leagues were introduced in the 3 regions across the nation, with each region having 8 teams. Through the initiative 270 matches are played every year, with 720 players participating. This initiative has helped to build a better national team. On the international scene, the senior Malawi women’s football team has participated in several international competitions such as Council of Southern Football Associates (COSAFA) in the years of 2002,2011,2017,2018 and 2019.The team has also participated in the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2004 and 2012, and Olympics qualifiers in the same years. Since the introduction of the women’s football in the late 1998, there has been a lot of progress in the sport in the country as the number of team has grown to over 90 nationwide. These teams have produced players who play professional football oversees, such as Tabitha and Temwa Chawinga.

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Quiz 1. In the year …………….., the Nyasaland African Congress (NAC) was formed by the Africans of Nyasaland to promote local interests to the British government. 2. When did a band from Malawi receive a Grammy nomination? 3. The largest National Park in Malawi is……………………………. 4. How many species of cichlid fish are found in Lake Malawi?

Stand a chance to win a branded t-shirt of heritage magazine and other prizes. Send your answers to: +265(0) 995007974, +265(0) 888 558 734 (text or whatsapp) or [email protected]

Deadline 30th March 2022.

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