Pakhonde Ethno Music Festival touts growth
Pakhonde Ethno Music Festival enters its third year with a renewed drive to promote cultural conservation, organisers of the event have said.
The third edition of the festival is set to take place on May 25 and 26 at its traditional venue at Chingalire Cultural Village in Nsalu, Lilongwe, under the theme ‘Preserving Africa’. This year’s event is free of charge.
In an interview yesterday, Pakhonde Ethno Music Festival director Gayigheyi Mathews Mfune said they are encouraged with the growth the festival has achieved since its inception in 2022 and they want to build on that momentum to expand the event’s reach.
“At first not many people knew us. But we had a good response from the artists and the communities around Chingalire. We have transitioned from having one stage in the first year to have two and also enjoying the presence of a number of international artists,” he said.
Mfune said what sets the festival apart is the quality of the delivery and performances, the selection of artists, the security and above all, the cultural and environmental sustainability pillars it is premise on.
He said: “Culture can play a role in destroying the environment. The same culture can also help in preserving it. We want to use culture and all the eco-systems to our advantage by increasing productivity, knowing the environment is our biggest resource.”
Mfune said they are also using the platform to encourage young people to embrace and enjoy traditional music because that is where our identity as a people is; hence, their emphasis on promoting ethno music using the platform.
“This is the type of music which is done using traditional instruments such as kaligo and bangwe and music which is based on Malawian traditions and rhythms such as vimbuza. If we have to create our own music, then we need to go back to our culture,” he said.
The organisers said to ensure that this year’s festival retains a youthful appeal, they have taken on board youthful music prodigy Eli Njuchi who will be one of the headliners at the event.
Mfune said: “He does not do traditional music. But this may as well be his chance to appreciate the traditional beats. The youths who will come just to see him, will also get a chance to experience that traditional touch.”
Apart from Eli Njuchi, other acts billed to perform at this year’s event include the Mozambican outfit Ghost Not Band, Skeffa Chimoto and the multinational Ethno Malawi Music Camp. Traditional dances such as mganda, chisamba and ingoma will also spice up the event.
In a separate interview, ethno musician Waliko Makhala said the uniqueness of the Pakhonde Ethno Music Festival should provide a challenge to local musicians to tap into the space rather than being obsessed with foreign genres.
“The good part about the festival is that it is specific as it targets traditional music. It is very unique as it attracts traditional artists from other countries. This facilitates a cultural exchange. We need a lot of platforms which offer such traditional experiences,” he said.
