Organisers of the annual Pakhonde Festival, Music Crossroads Malawi, have announced that this year’s edition will run free-of-charge with an aim of opening up to the community to be part of fun.
Held at Chingalire Cultural Centre in Lilongwe, which is managed by veteran musician Ben Mankhamba, who is also a traditional leader, the festival has seen people paying to make entry to the three-day event but now it will be free-of-charge.
“We are dedicating it to the people and, so, it will be free-of-charge. People will be able to watch their favourite artists live and we will be doing it at an open space,” Music Crossroads Malawi Director Mathews Mfune said Tuesday.
He said they have made headway on preparations for the third edition of the festival, to run from May 25 to May 27.
“We will release the line-up of artists soon. Last year, we had a good line-up and we expect the same this year,” Mfune said.
Some of the artists that have graced the festival over the past two editions include Lusubilo Band, Skeffa Chimoto and Real Sounds Band, the late Atoht Manje, Lulu and Maggie Kadrum.
Mfune underscored the importance of the festival, saying “it is there to promote and preserve the country’s culture”.
Meanwhile, Mfune has also indicated that the Ethno Malawi Music Camp will take place at the same venue from May 18 to 27 with eight countries set to participate.
“We have participants from Jordan, United States of America, Uganda, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Norway, Brazil and Malawi. The participants come together and share ideas on the playing of traditional instruments and then, after the camp, they showcase what they share during the Pakhonde Festival,” he said.
Mfune then called upon artists in the country to take an interest in the event,
“This is a good platform for them to interact with international musicians, who are into traditional music, even if they are not participants, they can come and watch how others are doing and learn,” he said.
Mfune said since Ethno Malawi Music camp came into effect, it has this far helped to put Malawian music on the world map.
“Ethno Malawi is a member of the Ethno Global network of over 30 countries and one of the few in Africa. Through the network, Ethno Malawi is sending local talented musicians to attend other ethnos in Europe, Asia and within Africa and also bringing together international folk musicians to share their rich and diverse musical traditions,” he said.
