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Sunday affairs at Sunbird Ku Chawe

Climb up on some hill… Everybody needs perspective once in a while, and you’ll find it there,” Robb Sagendorph once said.

Commemorating 50 years of independence on 6 July, thousands of over 14 million Malawians gathered at Civo Stadium in the capital Lilongwe where they joined the Head of State to celebrate the golden jubilee.

A makanja entertains patrons during the Ku Chawe’s Independence Day celebrations
A makanja entertains patrons during the Ku Chawe’s Independence Day celebrations

Others chose to celebrate their own way and most of the people I know, in particular my colleagues in the entertainment circles found their ways to the lakeside, Mangochi in the East and Salima in the Central-East where a variety of celebratory activities were organized by different stakeholders.

I decided to head South-East to find my perspective and my expedition took me to Sunbird Ku Chawe, the country’s premiere mountain resort located at the Zomba Plateau.

Upon arrival, I had thought, having the first picture from my first visit last year, that the elegance at and around the hotel was only in the stunning views or the excursions to the Trout Farm, Williams Falls, Queens and Emperor’s Views or the famous Chingwe’s Hole, no, Ku Chawe has other specials!

Sitting right outside the Mulunguzi Restaurant, sipping on my coffee, I hear drumbeats down from the beautiful terraced gardens, and to my astonishment when I stroll down the steps, I see gule wamkulu—makanja, and what surprised me more was the exceptionality in this Nyau, the most high-spirited I have ever encountered.

But, wait a minute! “What in the world is makanja doing here?” This is the question I paused to Ellard Savala, the hotel manager at Ku Chawe.

“We have incorporated traditional dances, and this has become a tradition now that every Sundays we have dance troupes from the surrounding villages that come and entertain our customers here.

“Our Sundays are becoming more popular. We have created a second home for the families and the travelers,” explained Savala, probably one of the most buoyant hotel managers I have met.

In his explanation, he said Sunbird Ku Chawe had introduced a number of specials on Sundays, saying besides the traditional dances as a source of entertainment for its clientele, the hotel has a popular Sunday barbeque which is usually served in the terraced gardens from noon to 3pm every Sunday.

“Popular on the menu is the scrumptious local khwasukhwasu chicken which is loved by many and we make sure that it’s always available,” he added. “Our cuisines are never complete if you are not served with the plateau berries; the strawberries and the gooseberries, among others, which are found throughout.”

 

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