Chill

‘We have a huge task to mobilise resources’

 

Through Museums of Malawi, government recently received a $39 032 (about K28 million) from the United States Embassy to safeguard endangered traditional performing arts among the Sena, Yao and Chewa communities. HOWARD MLOZI (HM) speaks to Minister of Civic Education, Culture and Community Development Patricia Kaliati (PK) on commitment to safeguarding the country’s endangered arts.

Kaliati: Government is committed to promoting the country’s culture
Kaliati: Government is committed to promoting the country’s culture

HM: Congratulations on your appointment. What are your immediate plans to uplifting the country’s culture?

PK: Thank you very much. I feel honoured to be entrusted with the appointment. There are major projects that are currently on paper and going on in the Department of Culture and I have already perused the files. Some of the initiatives include the arts and heritage council, renovations of structures such as Blantyre Cultural Centre [BCC] and the current project of preserving endangered performing arts.

We have also a huge task to mobilise resources from other partners because government alone cannot achieve all the projects. And the coming in of the US Embassy is a boost to our ministry. In fact, we are looking forward to more partners to support our cause.

 

HM: What is in the Preservation of Endangered Performing Arts project?

PK:  This is a project worth $39 032 from the American government given to the Museums of Malawi under the Ambassador’s Fund for Cultural Preservation. The grant will be used to safeguard the endangered performing arts such as songs, music and theatre among the Sena, Yao and Chewa communities.

 

HM: What are the benefit of the project?

PK: Music, songs and theatre are an important aspect of Malawian culture. The occasions on which songs, music and theatre are performed are just as varied. They are performed at such gatherings as weddings, funerals, rituals and initiations—all kinds of entertainment as well as social functions. Certain forms of music teach our boys and girls the importance of morality, thereby, effectively assisting us in bringing back value systems to the youth in this era of HIV and Aids. These are traditions that need to be documented and strengthened in the communities.

The living tradition is for our future as well. So, that generations can enjoy the heritage passed on to them from us. This project will make it possible for us to document this dying culture so that it is passed on to future generations. Mind you, a country without culture is like a tree without roots. In Malawi, we are very fortunate because our country is very rich in cultural heritage. The promotion and preservation of traditional performing arts and culture should be our main objective. If this culture is well harnessed, it can contribute positively to the development of the country through cultural tourism. Therefore, the importance of this project cannot be over-emphasised as it aims at collecting, documenting and archiving the various forms of performing arts that are on the verge of extinction.

 

HM: How do you assess your commitment to promote cultural programmes?

PK: Government is fully committed to promoting the country’s culture. Malawi ratified the Unesco’s [United Nations Children’s Fund] 2003 Convention for the safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage (ICH) in March 2010. This convention is aimed at safeguarding cultural expression and manifestations such as oral tradition, performing arts, rituals, social practices, festive events, knowledge about nature and traditional craftsmanship such as what is often referred to “living heritage”.

By ratifying this convention, Malawi undertook to take steps/measures to safeguard Malawi’s ICH; ensure widest possible participation of our communities, groups and individuals in safeguarding their ICH and report about implementation of the convention at the national level every five years. To-date, Malawi has produced quite a lot on ICH from different communities across the country. n

 

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