It started as a small thing but, after banging heads and looking at it on a deeper scale, it has turned into something huge for the country – welcome to a hike spearheaded by musician Lawi of the ‘Phukira’ fame.
The hike starts today through to Sunday and will see Lawi take the challenge in the form of an expedition to Sapitwa – the highest peak on Mulanje Mountain—alongside fellow artists, hikers, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife Michael Usi and various other players.
The walk by Lawi begins his journey of speaking for the mountain.
Lawi is not a small fish in the musical pond in the country. He is a big fish who has over the years impressed people with his sound.
He is such an upright composer and he crafts his songs with finesse and he attributes this success to among others, having a better environment.
It is this affection for a healthier environment that is unpolluted that led him to be the voice of Mulanje Mountain, the splendor of Malawi, the Warm Heart of Africa, which today is throbbing following wicked human activities such as deforestation.
Mulanje Mountain needs love from human beings to regain its glory and it needs restoration.
With his musical talent, Lawi signed an agreement with Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust (MMCT) to help bring awareness to the people to protect Mulanje Mountain which is the biggest mountain in the country.
With various species some of which are in extinction, Lawi believes the country needs to hold hands to restore the mountain which is among others, a source of water to many households surrounding the mountain.
Lawi speaks highly of the disappearance of Mulanje Cedar, a special tree for the country.
Lawi, who is based in South Africa said there are lots of activities he is working on to protect the mountain and that the hike is just one of them.
“I am here and very excited, the hike will be historical because this has not been done before,” he said.
With albums such as Sunset in the Sky and Lawi, Lawi said he is using nothing but music as a weapon to speak for the mountain hence music will be part of the menu on the expedition.
“This is not a Lawi thing, a government thing or a ministerial thing but it is a national and global thing, it is something that is for the future generation. The future generation will appreciate for sure. What we are doing today will give them a better Malawi tomorrow,” he said.
Emmanuel Maliro, one of the members of Lawi team, said the hike is also part of lobbying for the listing of Mulanje Mountain as a heritage site.
“Mulanje Mountain is special to Malawians and holds a lot of species only found in Malawi and many of them are going into extinction hence Unesco should list it as a heritage site,” Maliro said.
Director of Museums and Monuments in the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Wildlife Lovemore Mazibuko said the government made submissions to Unesco twice for the listing of Mulanje Mountain as heritage site but did not succeed.
Mazibuko commended Lawi and the team for the work they are doing to safeguard Mulanje Mountain as well as embarking on a hike as part of awareness.
“There is a lot of destruction on the mountain and we are looking to submit again to Unesco for the listing. But having failed twice, we are looking at engaging various stakeholders to beef up our submission,” Mazibuko said.
He said for a site to be inscribed as a heritage site, there are a number of things that are considered and that most importantly they look at outstanding universal values.
Usi said he is excited and looking forward to the adventure.
“I am looking forward to the experience and I am physically fit for the hike and I have enough muscle to do it,” he said.
The minister, who has urged creatives in the country to use their talents for different causes, said the cause for the hike is noble.
“This is a development issue, we are hiking for a noble cause and this is what is giving me the fuel to go and go. We need to take care of environment and natural resources,” Usi said.
He said as he goes on this mission, he is looking at nothing but the restoration of Mulanje Mountain and that when he comes down, Malawians should unite and speak with one voice in protecting the environment.
