Summertime

Four weeks later, and the piglets aren't quite as cute as they used to be, which is probably nature's way of signalling their transition from Instagram fodder to potential sandwich filler. The end of September in Lilongwe sees temperatures soar, and the heat won't start to ease until the start of the rains in late November. To make up for it, the Jacaranda trees flower, covering the city in lilac blossom. With just one year left in Malawi, this will be the last time I witness it - a sad thought.

Spending time in a nylon tent at this time of year is unconscionable, but that's just what I did for two nights at the annual Lake of Stars music festival last weekend. I made it work by retreating to the nearest swimming pool at regular intervals. The week prior, two friends from the UK visited, and we spent a lovely weekend at Kumbali Lake Retreat in Senga Bay, where one of them snapped a great shot of a fish eagle (below).

Things are going grand on the farm. Nepear has been busy planting and I'm expecting a bumper crop in time for the next farmers' market at the end of October. We let four of our pigs out for a wander around the garden this morning, which they very much enjoyed - earthing up a number of hitherto undiscovered root vegetables. We've launched a consultancy service for Nepear, called Homegrown Gardens, which provides bespoke garden design services and training to other gardeners on compost making, organic pest control, and animal husbandry, amongst other things. So far, so good.

The boys - Paddy included - have all gone back to school. For Robert, this is his first year at primary school. We found him a nice little school not far from my house, called Dreams Private School, where he seems to be settling in well. Patience is in his final year of pre-school and hasn't got into any trouble yet, and Paddy has just started what will hopefully be his final year of secondary school at a good private school, again not far from my house.

The leg is healing. I'm walking around on it, but it'll be a while before I'm allowed to get back to the rugby.

I'm off on holiday to Zanzibar first thing tomorrow morning, for a week of relaxation with the missus. So expect photo's of turquoise lagoons, piles of spices, and sunburn in the next edition.

Looking down my street at the Jacaranda trees

Maisie's pig day out

Robert (right) and Patience on their first day back at school

The leg - crack still visible running up the bottom of the bone on the right

Fish eagle at Senga Bay

The boys relaxing in the garden this morning

Cute pictures of piglets (suitable for vegetarians)

Today marks one year since I moved to Lilongwe. I could write about the deteriorating macroeconomic situation in the country; the challenge of creating inclusive growth and transitioning away from subsistence agriculture; the opportunities and risks posed by Malawi's 'demographic dividend'; the state of democracy in the country; or my predictions for the year ahead.

Maybe some other time. Instead, I give you pictures of five-day old piglets, which I took this morning in the garden. Enjoy - I'm off for a swim!

Bunkbed

Mum, keeping a watchful eye

Piglet dreams

Robert and piglet

The Circle of Life (not suitable for vegetarians)

The beautiful thing about life, is that eventually it ends.

After seven months of eating, digging holes, and running away from me, it was time for one of our pigs (note: not Strawberry) to meet the great pig in the sky. I took her to the local abattoir because I don't have the equipment at home to humanely kill a pig. There, they electrocuted her to render her unconscious, before cutting the blood vessels close to her heart and bleeding her to death. She was then dehaired and hung for a day, before being cut into the requisite bits. The abattoir was clean and well-run; the staff professional and friendly. I've no doubt she lived and died in the best possible manner.

Hanging

The constituent parts

Porks chops, cooked in white wine with rosemary and homegrown red onions

Omnomnom

Legless

Since I last wrote (over six weeks ago...), I've managed to break my left leg by falling over in a field in Teddington, England, and spent a lovely weekend being pushed around Paris in a wheelchair by a very patient girlfriend; Nepear has passed his Permaculture Design Certificate and is now hawking his knowledge around the affluent suburbs of Lilongwe; Strawberry has given birth to five very thirsty piglets; my Aunt has been out to visit; and Mighty Be Forward Wanderers have reclaimed the Carlsberg Cup title from their age-old rivals, Big Bullets.

Here are some pictorial highlights:

Notre Dame

Nep and Family at the Lake

Carlsberg Cup Semi-Final

Cape Maclear

New Babies

My new baby. A Yamaha DT175.
Age: 13 years
Fuel: Petrol

Paddy's sister's new baby. Collins.
Age: 2 months
Fuel: milk

Chongoni Rock Art and Other News

On Sunday, I travelled with some friends to the Chongoni Rock Art Area, a UNESCO World Heritage Site about 50km South-West of Lilongwe. The Area stretches across 126 square kilometres and incorporates 127 rock faces and shelters that represent an ancient painting tradition stretching back at least 2000 years. The rock art of Chongoni is divided into two schools. The older school, comprising mostly geometric shapes and patterns painted with red oxide pigments, is attributed to the Akafula hunter-gathers - pygmies who inhabited Malawi for at least 2000 years before the arrival of the Bantu-speaking peoples around 500 years ago. The more modern school - known as 'the late whites' - is associated with the Bantu-speaking Chewa people that inhabit Malawi today. Painted using clay, the late whites typically depict animals - both mythic and real. They are believed to be symbols linked to initiation and rainmaking rituals which are still practised today. Credit to the Bradt guide to Malawi for the information!

The 'late whites'

Detail

Bug

View from the hills around Chongoni

News from the farm

We attended our second Lilongwe Farmers' Market on Saturday morning, where we sold bottles of homemade lemonade, chickens, home-grown and freshly cooked popcorn, and a few vegetables. The homemade lemonade was a roaring success, so we'll be doing that again (my freezer is currently full of lemons). Strawberry is most certainly pregnant again, so we're expecting piglets at the end of August - well done to Roy for all his hard work. And finally, Nepear will shortly be starting an apprenticeship at the Kusamala Institute of Agriculture & Ecology. Kusamala is an educational organisation, located on the outskirts of Lilongwe, which seeks to promote sustainable agricultural practices in Malawi. This is great news for Nepear, who will be working at the centre three days a week and undertaking field trips to their outreach projects a few times a month. Hopefully this will give Nepear the contacts he needs to get back to doing agricultural outreach work. When he's not at the centre, Nepear will still be running Strawberry Farm.

Our pitch

Patience selling lemonade

Other news

Paddy's sister gave birth a month ago, so Paddy has a new nephew called 'Collins', whom I had the chance to meet the other day. The Diplomats Football Club played its second fixture in its series against the institutions of Malawi. This time it was the Parliamentarians who, despite struggling to fit into their football shirts, held us to a 1-1 draw with the help of a friendly linesman. Both Paddy and Nepear made up the numbers, with Paddy setting up our one and only goal.

Diplomats FC, featuring me (back row, third from right), Nepear (back row, fourth from right), and Paddy (front row, second from right)

Malawi Music

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.