Reading Time: 3 minutesIn 2004, the Blantyre Joint Choir orchestrated an extraordinary event that left audiences spellbound—the “Sing Malawian Gospel Concert.” This one-of-a-kind performance seamlessly wove the rich tapestry of Malawian traditional dances into the choir’s powerful gospel music, creating a vibrant fusion of rhythm, faith, and culture. As we delved into perfecting the mganda dance, it quickly […]

Reading Time: 3 minutesLast week, I stepped into a dazzlingly stocked shop owned by a foreigner. The shelves brimmed with an astonishing array of items, from humble plastic cups to cutting-edge electronic marvels. After browsing through the treasure trove for what felt like an eternity, I finally snagged a few repair tools. The prices were a pleasant surprise—almost

Reading Time: 3 minutesOne sunny Saturday morning, as I navigated the bustling heart of Blantyre’s city center, my journey came to an unexpected crawl. The streets of the business district were choked with a sluggish procession of vehicles, inching forward like a lazy river. The culprit? A wedding. A jubilant couple, fresh from exchanging vows, had decided to

Reading Time: 3 minutesWhen guava season arrives, my office premises become an irresistible magnet for uninvited visitors. Two guava trees, standing proudly outside, bear luscious fruit that beckons like a siren’s call. Groups of giggling girls and boisterous boys take turns swarming the trees, plucking the ripest guavas with eager hands. They sink their teeth into the succulent

Reading Time: 3 minutesIn just a few days, we will bid farewell to 2024 and step boldly into the uncharted territory of 2025. Old calendars will be cast aside, making way for fresh ones filled with untold possibilities. Churches across the land will gather their faithful for vibrant crossover celebrations, turning the final hours of the year into

Reading Time: 3 minutesFor many, the very mention of Christmas evokes a sense of celebration—a time to indulge and revel. Often, it’s synonymous with lavish spending on things that promise joy and gratification. Yet, happiness and pleasure take on countless meanings depending on who you ask. In my youth, however, the pinnacle of festive delight was delightfully simple:

Reading Time: 3 minutesA school history teacher recently shared an intriguing encounter in the “My Turn” column: a curious pupil bluntly asked why they should bother learning about people who were long gone. To this student, history seemed like a dusty archive of tales about the deceased—irrelevant to the vibrant realities of the living. It was a stark

Reading Time: 3 minutesFor two grueling months, long, snaking queues at filling stations have been a tormenting spectacle, an unrelenting reminder of the fuel crisis gripping the nation. Amid the chaos of jostling vehicles, a curious semblance of order emerges at some stations—cars huddled on one side, motorbikes clustered on the other. I once stumbled upon an endless

Reading Time: 3 minutesDuring the colonial era, the British administrators reigned over us with an air of superiority, keeping themselves perched high above the ordinary people they ruled. Their dominance created a glaring divide, a chasm that reminded us daily of our subjugation. Our disdain for colonialism ran deep, fueled by a burning desire to reclaim our agency

Reading Time: 3 minutesDuring my stint at Blantyre Print and Packaging in the vibrant 1980s, Lever Brothers—now known as Unilever—was our star client. Their bustling factory in Limbe kept us on our toes as we churned out a cascade of their colorful packaging: Surf and Vim cartons, Lifebuoy and Sunlight wrappers, and an array of other wrappers for