I just got back from a gig by a young Malawian musician called George Kalukusha. Born into the World's poorest country, George then suffered further misfortune when his family relocated to Milton Keynes, probably England's ugliest town. I jest of course: Malawi isn't actually the World's poorest country.
I've always enjoyed 'African' music, though most of the African artists that make it in the West are either from the Tuareg tradition (like Ali Farka Toure, or more recently Songhoy Blues) or are bringing R&B and hip-hop from Nigeria and South Africa. In other words, there are rich, untapped seams of African music that we just don't get to hear in the West.
Music is a massive part of Malawian life. People here love to sing, and they love to dance. Malawi has a rich musical past and a thriving current scene. It's annual music festival - Lake of Stars - attracts musicians from across the region, and across the globe. I can't claim to have delved too deeply into Malawi's musical heritage, but I've picked up a few favourites during my time here; for their completely insane music videos if nothing else...
Lawrence Mbenjere - Sin'dziwa
Wambala Mkandawire - Nkhondo Mkhondo
Thocco Katimba - Mwasintha Nyengo Zanga
Neil and the New Vibration - Used to Be (album available for free here)
If you're interested in finding out more about Malawian music, there are a couple of great articles on the 'Music Time in Africa' blog, part of the Voice of America network. The first (from 2008) looks back at Malawi's musical past, while the second (from 2014) focuses on its current crop of promising musicians, including George. The 'Music from Malawi' site is another great resource, containing a directory of Malawian artists, new and old, and an archive of downloadable songs. Check out Robert Fumulani's 'Patricia', which is something really special.
Finally, returning to George, whose soulful music understandably reflects the deprivation and suffering that only those who've been to Milton Keynes can really understand. George is a great guy, with a fantastic voice, who's planning a UK tour in the not too distant future. His tracks are available on iTunes, Spotify and bandcamp, and you can follow his comings and goings on his Facebook page.
Holiday snaps
I just returned from a great two week jaunt round Malawi (and a bit of Zambia) with some of my nearest and dearest who made the trip over from the UK. We went to South Luangwa National Park, over the border in Zambia; travelled north up the lakeshore, on some of the worst roads I've ever driven on, to stay at some incredibly remote and beautiful lodges; and finished off our trip with a visit to the Nyika National Park in Northern Malawi, where we watched Roan, Zebra and Eland roam across the plains.
Here are some of the things we did along the way...
Saw some great wildlife.
Spent a long time looking at maps, and then discovering that the maps weren't accurate.
Enjoyed the beautiful scenery.
Played a lot of board games, mostly by candlelight.
Went fishing.
Caught fish.
Ate a lot of eggs.
Fixed things.
Avoided running over any goats.
Watched some beautiful sunrises (and sunsets).
And generally had a lovely time.
All photos taken by Szilvi Varadi, with the exception of the second last, which was taken by me.
Reaper Man
The rains have stopped and the country is on the move: digging; picking; cutting; shelling. In a country where 85% of the labour force are farmers, harvest time is a major event.
I've just got back from Nepear's village, where I was making some token gesture to this year's haul. Back in December, as the rains began, Nepear planted maize, cotton and groundnuts. Maize is Malawi's staple food crop; once harvested, it is ground into flour and - all being well - will feed a farmer and his family until the following year. The cotton is for selling and the groundnuts will be split - half eaten, half sold.
Everything is done by hand, so even a clumsy, sun-burnt Mzungo can make a useful contribution. Farmers who can afford it (including Nepear) hire 'piece workers' to help with the effort. Piece workers might not have land of their own, or need the extra income to provide for their families.
With the cotton still growing, and the groundnuts already dug up and drying in the sun, our job for the weekend was to harvest the maize. The first step in the process is to cut the maize stalks down and pile them up around the field. This had already been done, so our job for the day was to work our way through the piles, pulling the ears from the stalks and stripping them of their husks (see diagram below for terminology). By the end of the day, we had several large mounds of picked and stripped maize ears, ready for transportation back to the village. Our transport - a hired ox-cart - was loaded up, and we made our way back across the fields as the sun set.
My evening shower was a bucket of cold water - if you want it hot, it's heated on the fire. Dinner was cooked, by the light of the full moon, on a three-stone fire; rice for me, with two eggs, tomato and onion relish. With no electricity and not much to do, I went to bed at 7.30pm. I woke the next morning at 5am, possibly as a result of the sun streaming through the empty window frame above me; possibly as a result of the cocks crowing outside; possibly as a result of the unyielding bamboo mat I was sleeping on.
Before we came home, we decided to treat ourselves with a trip to the Lake - not far from Nepear's village - where Robert and Patience had a great time eating ice cream and playing in the waves. It was a great weekend, but now I'm back with my home comforts - lights, hot water, the internet - which most Malawians live permanently without.
I've just got back from Nepear's village, where I was making some token gesture to this year's haul. Back in December, as the rains began, Nepear planted maize, cotton and groundnuts. Maize is Malawi's staple food crop; once harvested, it is ground into flour and - all being well - will feed a farmer and his family until the following year. The cotton is for selling and the groundnuts will be split - half eaten, half sold.
Everything is done by hand, so even a clumsy, sun-burnt Mzungo can make a useful contribution. Farmers who can afford it (including Nepear) hire 'piece workers' to help with the effort. Piece workers might not have land of their own, or need the extra income to provide for their families.
With the cotton still growing, and the groundnuts already dug up and drying in the sun, our job for the weekend was to harvest the maize. The first step in the process is to cut the maize stalks down and pile them up around the field. This had already been done, so our job for the day was to work our way through the piles, pulling the ears from the stalks and stripping them of their husks (see diagram below for terminology). By the end of the day, we had several large mounds of picked and stripped maize ears, ready for transportation back to the village. Our transport - a hired ox-cart - was loaded up, and we made our way back across the fields as the sun set.
My evening shower was a bucket of cold water - if you want it hot, it's heated on the fire. Dinner was cooked, by the light of the full moon, on a three-stone fire; rice for me, with two eggs, tomato and onion relish. With no electricity and not much to do, I went to bed at 7.30pm. I woke the next morning at 5am, possibly as a result of the sun streaming through the empty window frame above me; possibly as a result of the cocks crowing outside; possibly as a result of the unyielding bamboo mat I was sleeping on.
Before we came home, we decided to treat ourselves with a trip to the Lake - not far from Nepear's village - where Robert and Patience had a great time eating ice cream and playing in the waves. It was a great weekend, but now I'm back with my home comforts - lights, hot water, the internet - which most Malawians live permanently without.
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| Nep, harvesting in his Mighty Wanderers beanie |
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| Drawing by Nicholas Polato - http://archive.gramene.org/species/zea/maize_illustrations.html |
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| The Ox Cart |
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| The morning after the night before |
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| Nkhwali family at the Lake |
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| Robert (right) and Patience enjoying the waves |
All little piggies go to market in the end
Last Sunday was market day for Strawberry Farm. We took our goods to the monthly Lilongwe "farmers' market" and set up our stall selling piglets, eggs, aubergines, lemon grass, lemons, sweet potato vines, popcorn, soya beans, and mustard greens - all organic! The farmers' market isn't used to actual farm produce, so the piglets caused quite a stir. With a total of three piglets sold, the takings for the day were £100, all of which will go to help Nepear in one way or another.
Tomorrow I'm off to do some real farming; travelling to Nepear's village to help him bring in the harvest...
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| Our wares |
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| Del boy at work |
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| Our promo materials |
Down South
Last weekend, I exercised my inner colonial and travelled to Zomba - former capital of British Central Africa and home to a British High Commission-owned cottage, replete with pictures of Her Majesty.
Zomba town sits at the foot of Zomba Plateau, a massive lump of rock, 2000m high, which, once scaled, affords stunning views across the Shire Valley. But perhaps the highlight of the weekend was rescuing Angela the tortoise. Angela - a Bell's Hinge-Backed Tortoise - had been caught by some locals who were carrying her and another tortoise around in a sack. It's difficult to say exactly what they were planning to do with her - probably sell her, either for food, as a pet, or for her decorative shell; or else just take her home for dinner. I bought her for the equivalent of £4.50, and, on my return to Lilongwe, handed her to the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, who do great work protecting Malawi's wildlife and habitats. They're giving her a health check, and all being well, they'll release her back into the wild where she belongs.
Tomorrow's an exciting day for 'the farm' - we've got our first farmers' market, where we'll be selling fruit, veg, and piglets! News and pictures to follow...
In the meantime, below are some pictures of the views from Zomba Plateau, and of Angela the tortoise!
Zomba town sits at the foot of Zomba Plateau, a massive lump of rock, 2000m high, which, once scaled, affords stunning views across the Shire Valley. But perhaps the highlight of the weekend was rescuing Angela the tortoise. Angela - a Bell's Hinge-Backed Tortoise - had been caught by some locals who were carrying her and another tortoise around in a sack. It's difficult to say exactly what they were planning to do with her - probably sell her, either for food, as a pet, or for her decorative shell; or else just take her home for dinner. I bought her for the equivalent of £4.50, and, on my return to Lilongwe, handed her to the Lilongwe Wildlife Trust, who do great work protecting Malawi's wildlife and habitats. They're giving her a health check, and all being well, they'll release her back into the wild where she belongs.
Tomorrow's an exciting day for 'the farm' - we've got our first farmers' market, where we'll be selling fruit, veg, and piglets! News and pictures to follow...
In the meantime, below are some pictures of the views from Zomba Plateau, and of Angela the tortoise!
Up North
Just returned from an Easter weekend road trip with some friends to Malawi's Northern Region. Fourteen hours of driving, forty litres of black market petrol, and innumerable bottles of Kuche Kuche got us to Mushroom Farm - a hippy eco-lodge perched on the side of a hillside; Manchewe Falls; the old Livingstonia Mission; and back down the Lakeshore road, stopping at Chitimba, Nkhata Bay, Makuzi Beach, and Kandi Beach.
Here are some snaps:
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| The route |
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| Dave A looking relaxed on the Kandewe Basket Bridge |
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| Haggling over the price off black market petrol after a logistical failure |
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| The view from Mushroom Farm |
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| Taken from the caves behind Manchewe Waterfall - Malawi's highest |
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| Edwardian buildings at the Livingstonia Mission |
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| Makuzi Beach |
Ten Stiff-Legged Souls
It's been a while. For which I excuse myself on the grounds that I have been busy playing father figure and role model to ten small piglets. Yes, in a surprise turn of events, on 26 February, Strawberry gave birth.
Just a few days after purchasing the three piglets from Paddy's village - bought to make up for Strawberry's apparent lack of fertility - Strawberry began showing the first signs (swollen teats; swollen vulva) that she might have some buns in the oven after all. Assuming that the pregnancy was the fruit of Roy's labours, we penciled in the due date for early April (three months, three weeks, three days after fertilisation). How wrong we were.
I got the call from Nepear at 11.30 on a Thursday morning, and ran out of the office shouting that my pig was giving birth. I got home in time to see the last four pop out. I've heard the suidae birth process compared to 'shelling peas', which is a fair description. Preceded by a grunt from the mother, each piglet slides out the rear end, staggers to its feet, and spends a few seconds getting its bearings before stumbling around to the nearest teat, which it happily suckles for several hours.
There were twelve in all, though one - a big pink female and the last to come out - was still-born and another was too weak to feed and didn't survive the night. Both were buried in the garden. The ten that remain - five boars, and five sows - are feisty and inquisitive. And terribly cute. Eight are almost entirely black, and two are pink (mzungu pigs, as Nepear calls them). Those that I can distinguish have names - Hamlet (the small pink one); Maisie (the big pink one); Jackson (the one with the funny nose).
When they're a month old, we'll castrate four of the boars, leaving the strongest intact to use as breeding stock. Castration helps reduce the risk of the dreaded 'boar taint', and castrated boars fatten faster than their intact brothers. At eight weeks old, all the piglets will be weaned and separated from Strawberry, for at least as long as it takes for her milk to dry up. She'll then be ready for mating again.
Once they've been weaned, we might sell a few of the piglets due to space limitations. By six months, those that we've kept will be ready for slaughter. We'll probably keep one or two of the nicest looking sows for breeding stock. The rest will be sold or eaten. Such is the cold, heartless logic of the universe.
Of course, the identity of the father remains a mystery. Judging by the dates - and pigs are very punctual - Strawberry must have been pregnant when we bought her. The cheeky swine.
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| Week one - sleeping |
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| 'Hamlet' on my knee |
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| Happy face |
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| Patience and the pigs |