For many people in Rumphi and Mzuzu in northern Malawi, the sight of a 10-year-old boy dancing vimbuza is not a strange one. Walyenge Mkandawire is usually on assignment at public functions supported by his father and mothers.
Wherever his father, Kazuwa Mkandawire, goes to dance, Walyenge is always there. And he gathers more attraction, being a youth.
The standard five boy at Chanyoli primary school will do the vimbuzadance like he was born doing it.
His father believes there is an opportunity in teaching the son the dance as he might take over from him when he is old.
“Walyenge is learning and this [vimbuza dancing] will not disturb him at all. He goes to school,” said the father.
But Civil Society Coalition for Basic Education executive director Benedicto Kondowe has dismissed Kazuwa Mkandawire’s argument that the boy is not affected by vimbuza dance.
“This child is subjected to delinquent behaviour which does not augur well with education,” said Kondowe, adding that vimbuza dance might confuse the boy.
The origin of Kazuwa Mkandawire’s dancing was in 1975 when he became sick and, after getting several medications, he could not get well. It was discovered that he had vimbuza and started dancing. Thevimbuza left him.
“However, people started coming to me and said that the dance was cultural. I then started dancing in celebrations,” he said.
According to Unesco, Vimbuza is a healing dance popular among the Tumbuka people living in northern Malawi. It is an important manifestation of the institution of ng’oma, a healing complex found throughout Bantu-speaking Africa. Ng’oma (meaning “drums of affliction”) carries considerable historical depth and, despite various attempts over the years to suppress it, continues to be a functional part of indigenous healthcare systems.
Most patients are women who suffer from various forms of mental illness. They are treated for some weeks or months by renowned healers who run a temphiri, a village house where patients are accommodated. After the concrete diagnosis has been made, patients undergo a specific healing ritual. To this purpose, women and children of the village where the temphiri is located form a circle around the patient who is slowly getting into trance and sing particular songs in which helping spirits are called.
The only men taking part are those who beat spirit-specific drum rhythms accompanying the songs and, in some cases, the male healer.
Asked how much he charges to perform at functions, Mkandawire said he does not charge because people have different budgets.
Mkandawire has 15 children. He has three wives who accompany and sing for him. One of them even beats drums.
