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Rare sunshine at Matafale memorial

Patrons to this year’s Evison Matafale Memorial Show on Sunday were served with a full and all-round music menu.

Unlike the past four years when rains disrupted the fun, this year the gods smiled on the Fumulani clan as they celebrated the life of Evison Matafale, Gift Fumulani and Musamude Fumulani in sunshine.

Black Missionaries Band delivers a tribute performance

The event is traditionally known to be an all-reggae affair in respect of the trio, but this year’s show had a surprise element in form of Gibo Pearson of the Phalombe music fame.

The Idzathera Ma Penalty star curtain-raised the show. His performance was a precursor of what was in stole for the day. His set included the trending song Idzathera Ma Penalty and Yesu Samakhala Kwanu.

Evidently, patrons liked his performance. They sang along to his songs and gave him a resounding applause when he left the stage at around 4pm.

Another deviation this year was the presence of two performing stages. There was the main stage and a mini one which was mounted on a lorry, replete with a sound console manned by a DJ.

The main stage was an improvement from last year’s, but the event was not without incidents as after Gibo Pearson’s performance, some sound hitches were noticed. This forced a little break in performances to allow technicians work on the equipment.

It was not long before the business of the day resumed. Moda Fumulani, Khozie Masimbe took turns to entertain the patrons before Anthony Makondetsa took over the microphone.

During Makondetsa’s performance his song Mbumba ya Abraham, the stage had an unexpected visitor who was clad in peace coloured cap and escorted by bouncers and a police bodyguard. The patrons wondered who it was.

It was only when he was given a chance to speak that people realised it was Leader of Opposition in Parliament Kondwani Nankhumwa.

“It is good that the Black Missionaries have kept on Matafale’s mission. I promise that we will build a music college here to honour the Matafales, Fumulanis, Kachambas and others,” he said.

Thereafter, Makondetsa continued from where he left and before passing on the microphone to rapper Fredokiss, he dished out compositions such as Ndimadana NdiZopusa, Untchanawo and Dadada.

Fredokiss used the platform to reiterate calls for equal justice, making reference to the ongoing case of Mussa John who was jailed for being found in possession of Chamba.

After performances from Queen Fire and Communiq, the main act of the day Black Missionaries Band were called to duty.

They opened their set with the song Ndimati Ndigone at exactly 7:20pm, before doing Police Hunting Matafale and other compositions done by fallen reggae icon Evison Matafale.

Band leader Anjiru Fumulani thanked the fans for their support: “You are always with us and we do not take that for granted.”

This year marks 21 years since Matafale died and Black Missionaries have been conducting the festival every year.

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