A simple question: “Looking back in the mirror, can you share a moment when the arts and heritage sector in Malawi was thriving?”
It was a straightforward question from Mathews Mfune, who is Music Crossroads Malawi Director but was, this time, speaking as one of the two consultants on the Development of Regulations for the Malawi National Arts and Heritage Promotion Fund at a meeting that took place in Blantyre Monday.
In an ideal world, the first thing a question would draw out is an answer or set of answers. After all, the Cambridge Dictionary defines a question as “a sentence or phrase used to find out information”.
Not at the Blantyre meeting, though, as the first thing the question evoked was not answers but raw emotions.
One by one, some of the arts, culture and heritage sector players delved deep into a seemingly sweet past that can now only be lived through memories.
Inevitably, though, the second part came; namely time for answers.
The past
Visual artist Gilbert Mpakule relived an era when the visual arts sector was a well-oiled machine.
“I am referring to the time we had the Cultural Support Scheme. At the time, Visual Arts Association of Malawi was one of the arts associations that were given funds to implement activities. Those were good moments for artists.” Mpakule pointed out.
If only he could turn back the hands of time.
He is not the only one who has fond memories of the days that are past.
For evidence, one just has to hear from ethno musician Waliko Makhala, who is also the curator of Sounds of Malawi.
To him, when one talks about a glorious or almost-glorious past in the arts industry, his thoughts are quickly drawn to the issue the government’s contribution to the arts, heritage and cultural sector through the establishment of national troupes and bands.
“For instance, in those days, the government facilitated the establishment of a national dance troupe, namely Kwacha Dance Troupe. [State broadcaster] MBC [Malawi Broadcasting Corporation] also facilitated the formation of MBC Band in 1967,” he said, indicating that policymakers took proactive steps to promote culture in those days.
The Collins Dictionary defines a cultural troupe as a group of actors, singers or dancers who work together and often travel around together, performing in different places.
In the case of Kwacha Dance Troupe, it was established in November 1987 with the aim of reviving, performing and presenting traditional dances that are performed in Malawi. The troupe comprised men and women drawn from all the districts of Malawi.
In terms of objectives, it aspired to revive, promote and preserve Malawi’s traditional dances and performing arts to ensure their sustainability; promote general awareness, respect and appreciation of Malawi’s traditional dances and music; act as a symbol of national unity by bringing together people from all parts of Malawi to perform traditional dances from the various ethnic groups of Malawi.
Other objectives were to perform at public and national events; take part in traditional cultural exchange programmes, competitions and festivals, thereby appreciating other people’s cultural traditions while dispersing the seeds of Malawi’s culture abroad.
That is why the troupe is an integral part of Malawi’s culture-rich past.
As for Book Publishers Association of Malawi President Alfred Msadala, one relic that quickly sprouts out of his mind is that of the publication of general books and textbooks that were premised on culture.
“Between 1965 and 1970, the government actively promoted the publication of heritage books, the likes of Maliro ndi Miyambo ya Achewa, among others. For closer to 30 or 40 years, people were appreciating culture. These [books] were promoting our culture and heritage.
“Today, this is no longer the case. It is now private publishers who are promoting the publication of cultural and heritage books. It is like culture and heritage have been privatised,” Msadala said.
Today, members of generation Z may be surprised to learn that there once was Onani Angoni textbook, now buried in the rubble of time.
“Oh, what a past!” chipped in Musicians Union of Malawi General Secretary Tonny Chitimatima.
He added that, in the past, there was political will on the issue of arts, culture and heritage promotion.
“In those days, activities started right at primary school level. I remember that we had cultural activities in primary school, where we had activities such as beni, pelete and Ingoma dances. We had subjects such as art, craft and woodwork, among others.
“As for the music industry, we had OG Issa and others who used to buy music from artists and sell it. Musicians used to generate the much needed income that way. Those are the good, old days,” Chitimatima said.
As for MacArthur Matukuta, who is Solomonic Peacocks Theatre Director, he remembers time when due attention was paid to the arts, culture and heritage sector because there was a ministry dedicated to that task.
“I am talking about the Ministry of Education, Sports and Culture. There was a correlation among those things,” he said.
For Theatre Association of Malawi former president and filmmaker Ezaius Mkandawire, his piercing memory is that of days when arts had space both in the physical realm and people’s hearts.
“We had many spaces in those days, notably Kamuzu Institute for Sports in Kawale, Lilongwe; French Cultural Centre in Blantyre. We even had cinema in Lilongwe. That is no longer the case.
“Today, there are no spaces available,” Mkandawire said.
Anyway, the past is dead— along with its thrills.
Only the memories remain.
Arts, culture, heritage reawakening
Wait a minute. It seems like the moment of arts, culture and heritage resuscitation has come.
For instance, calls for the establishment of a Cultural Fund that would help address some of the challenges that arts sector players face have been growing.
In 2022, in a communiqué, delegates to the National Conference on Arts and Culture, which was held under the theme ‘Leveraging Arts, Culture and Heritage for Sustainable Development’, said there was a need to for the government to play a key role in establishing partnerships with development partners and responding to calls for concepts as well as the provision of training on resource mobilisation and financial management.
The call—which was endorsed by different members of creative civil society organisations, rights holder associations, heritage associations, private sector players, the academia and officials from government ministries, departments and agencies—showed that there was unity of purpose in the arts, culture and heritage sector.
Of course, the issue of the National Heritage and Arts Council (Nahec) resurfaced, along with issues such as the need to establish more museums, art galleries and heritage centres in a bid to support the marketing of arts and cultural industries’ products.
No wonder that, at the time, Head of the Culture Unit at Unesco Regional Office for Southern Africa, Francisco Gomez Duran, pointed out that the cultural and creative industries had become essential for inclusive economic growth, reducing inequalities and achieving the goals set out in the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals agenda.
“As highlighted in the Unesco Global report, [titled] ‘Re/shaping Cultural Policies for Creativity: Addressing Culture as A Public Good’, culture and creativity are one of the youngest and fastest growing economic sectors in the world, accounting for 3.1 percent of global gross domestic product and 6.2 percent of all employment,” Duran said.
And, from the look of things, efforts to address problems that arts, culture and heritage sector players face in the country are gaining momentum.
Yesterday, stakeholders gathered in Blantyre to respond to the Department of Arts’ call. The department has secured technical support from Unesco-Aschberg for ‘Development of Regulations for the National Arts and Heritage Promotion Fund.
The regulations will include objectives, disbursement modalities and setting up of structures and processes to ensure that the fund assists operators within the arts and culture sector as envisioned in the National Cultural Policy (2015). The Department of Arts is implementing the project in collaboration with the National Commission for Unesco.
Those in attendance included representatives of Book Publishers Association of Malawi, Musicians Union of Malawi, Blantyre Arts Festival, the University of Malawi, Visual Artists Association of Malawi, Photojournalists Association of Malawi, National Theatre Association of Malawi, Malawi Writers Union, Poetry Association of Malawi, Fashion Association, Film Association of Malawi, Department of Museums and Monuments.
Others were from Solomonic Peacocks Theatre, the Catholic University of Malawi, Jacaranda Cultural Centre, Blantyre Cultural Centre, the Censorship Board and Khulubvi Heritage Trust, among others.
According to Director of Arts Humphrey Mpondaminga, input from stakeholders is necessary.
“The consultation meeting is aimed at engaging arts and culture stakeholders in the Southern Region in order to understand their expectations as well as solicit their general input on the development of the regulations,” he indicated.
Mpondaminga said there is light at the end of the tunnel as progress is being made on efforts to take the Nahec Bill to Parliament.
“We have intensified efforts. In January this year, we had a meeting on the same. Tomorrow [today] we have a meeting in Lilongwe on Nahec Bill, which is at the Ministry of Justice at the moment. It is the bill that provides for the establishment of a fund.
“What we want is for people to shift from casual approach to an approach where the arts will be taken as an enterprise so that the country can be in a position to market and sell art, culture and heritage products,” he said.
Mpondaminga said the plan is to have the Nahec Bill presented to Parliament during the July to August meeting this year.
Ayeta Anne Wangusa, who is originally from Uganda but has settled in Tanzania, is the Unesco consultant for the 2005 Convention.
Yesterday, she smelt the scent of positive change in the air.
“Embracing culture should be central to governments and, in Malawi, we hope that culture can contribute to the [economic] value chain. I think Malawi is making progress on promoting culture, which must be used to build our identity as Africans,” she said.
She is one of the two consultants on the Development of Regulations for the Malawi National Arts and Heritage Promotion Fund. The other one is Mfune.
The hope, therefore, is that, when the Nahec Bill is presented to Parliament next or the other month, lawmakers will be receptive— marking a new era for Malawi’s arts, culture and heritage sector.
It is a moment of reawakening that has been long coming.
