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MWEZI WAWALA INTERNATIONAL ARTS AND THEATRE FESTIVAL - MALAWI 31st
AUGUST to 2nd SEPTEMBER 2012
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Introduction
Mwezi Wawala is a Chichewa phrase meaning ‘the moon is out and shining’ and so let us play
and enjoy! Traditionally in Malawi, it is under the moonlight where people sing, dance or sit
around a fire to hear stories usually from the elders passing on tradition and culture through
narratives, song and dance. The Mwezi Wawala International Arts and Theatre Festival is the
first of its kind in Malawi, where audiences will have a chance to see all performances as each
of the performances will be happening one after another at one place, that is, The Arts Café at
Nanzikambe Arts premises located on Plot No. SW8/500/16B on Mibawa Avenue in Naperi
Township, Blantyre. There will also be workshops conducted by professionals in their respective
artistic fields.
Aims of the Festival
Nanzikambe Arts aims to develop a better understanding and appreciation of arts
among Malawians and its linkage to socio-economic and geo-political needs of the
society by introducing quality indigenous, regional and international talents while at the
same time offering the public other diverse cultures with the aim of fostering
understanding and appreciation of cultural diversity.
Creating an annual, unique, thrilling new form of entertainment as well as further raise
performance standards within the creative industries in Malawi with a focus of
marginalized arts genres: poetry, acoustic music, traditional dance and theatre through
exposure to professionals in the field.
Providing, through the festival, add-ons such as training workshops to performance &
fine artists as well as arts-oriented support workers such as lighting technicians, sound
technicians and artisans such as set designers and builders, mask and puppet makers,
carpenters and stage and production managers.
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Providing family entertainment for audiences of different cultural backgrounds, three
days in a row: Friday, Saturday and Sunday, once every year in August at The Arts Café
for Nanzikambe Arts.
Mwezi Wawala International Arts and Theatre Festival will act as a forum for exposing
and developing talent. Nanzikambe Arts will provide a professional environment for
artists and audiences
Working with the Malawian Government to help achieve the Malawi Growth &
Development Strategies (MGDS) on the cultural development front
Working in partnership with the private sector and NGOs with visions of realising the
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on the cultural development front
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Introduction to the Main Groups that will perform at Mwezi Wawala International Arts and
Theatre festival – Malawi 2012
NANZIKAMBE ARTS - MALAWI (ORGANIZER & HOST)
Nanzikambe, literally meaning chameleon, is a leading
arts development organization that is involved in the
creation and performance of high quality, innovative
touring theatre productions, film and radio drama, and
work with the development community to use theatre
and the arts to support positive social transformation on
key thematic areas of health, good governance, malaria
prevention, HIV&AIDS prevention, maternal health and
climate change. Since its formation in March 2003,
Nanzikambe Arts has grown to become a centre of
excellence in the southern Africa region, performing
collaborative work within Malawi, across the SADC
Region, and internationally. The organization has over 15
productions of international standards to its credit and is
releasing in 2012: The President’s Prerogative, And Crocodiles are Hungry at Night, Come
Freedom Come, and The Story of a Tiger, among others, all of which will be part of the festival in
August 2012.
CHANCELLOR COLLEGE THEATRE - MALAWI
The main catalyst for an orientation towards popular theatre in Malawi came from the
University of Malawi, Chancellor College. Malawi University Travelling Theatre started with
adaptations. Throughout the 1980’s Chancellor College theatre grew in strength supported by
the introduction of a fine and performing Arts Department. Chancellor College performances
are highly professional, thought provoking and entertaining.
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ST ANDREWS INTERNATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL – MALAWI
The high school came to be known as Saint Andrews International High School in 1994 (Saints)
as it is known now to reflect the international and diverse nature of its student body. The
demographics of the school include students of Asian, African, and European descent. The
school with its highly qualified theatre practitioners boasts of impressive productions of
international standards.
MUDZI CULTURAL TROUPE – MALAWI
Mudzi Cultural Troupe is among the best
dance groups in Malawi. It has performed
in Scotland, Zambia and Zimbabwe. The
group also featured in the award winning
play, Mercy Madonna of Malawi, directed
by Toby Gough which was performed
across Malawi and at the Edinburgh
Festival in Scotland.
NYAMALIKITI NTHIWATIWA, Q MALEWEZI & LINDA POETICANGEL GABRIEL [POETS] MALAWI
CHISOMO MDALLA, popularly known in entertainment circles
as Nyamalikiti Nthiwatiwa, is a Malawian artist working in
theatre, poetry, prose and fine art. He has performed his
poetry at the Crossing Borders festival in Uganda and the Arts
Alive Festival in Johannesburg, and recorded a yet-to-be-
marketed poetry collection. He completed his Honors degree
in drama and film at Wits University, South Africa while he is
previously a student of medical geography, French and
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education. He has been running Chiphwelemwe, an arts outfit that fuses theatre and folk music
to poetry as a fully staged performance.
QABANISO MALEWEZI, better known as ‘Q’, was born on
7th September 1979 in Lilongwe, Malawi. Passionate about
performing arts, he was accepted into the prestigious
Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts (LIPA) whose patron
is Sir Paul McCartney. Q’s acceptance into the institute was
a historical mark because he was the first African to ever
be accepted. After LIPA he went on to the Academy of
Contemporary Music (ACM). Although most of his training
has been in music, Q has always been a poet and a writer at heart. His vivid writing style is full
of life, vibrancy, rhythm and imagination as echoed in his self described ‘I will not tell you, I will
show you’ approach to writing. As a performer, Q has the ability to capture and relate to any
audience invoking a range of emotions through his heartfelt performances laced with slight
doses of humorous undertones.
LINDA POETIC ANGEL GABRIEL
She is one of the crop of exciting female
performance poets to emerge out of Zimbabwe.
Bilingual, her linguistic versatility is forged into
brilliant poems written in either English or Shona,
depending on which language effectively expresses
what issue. She started performing poetry in high
school and has since participated in major literary
events in Zimbabwe and the rest of Southern Africa. She is one of the poets to take part in the
British Council initiative, ‘Power in the Voice’ that saw her travel to Zambia. The Poetic Angel
has added a musical dimension to her performance and formed a performance band.
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DYSON GONTHI
He is a veteran radio dramatist-cum-cultural
activist with over 30 years work experience with
Malawi Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) Radio
One as a broadcaster in addition to having worked
as a Chichewa news bulletin editor for MBC and a
reporter for the Information Department. He is
famed by the household Kalondolondo radio
programme that was aimed at unearthing
historical information, hitherto unknown to
Malawians in addition to his renowned role of anchoring Nzeru nkupangwa. The multi-talented
Gonthi also featured in Malawi’s first ever television TV soap opera, Mama’s Restaurant as
Chisale. Dyson is a Chewa who hails from Ntchisi district in central Malawi and enjoys Gule wa
mkulu due to its lessons around issues of morality. He also likes Chisamba, a traditional dance
involving women and teaches about life and death. A church elder for Peak Hour Church, Dyson
has had it all: handles Tilondole ananu on TVM, a culture-oriented programme, stage
performed The Coming at Robert Blake Secondary School in 1964, a play about the coming of
Dr. Hastings Kamuzu Banda into Malawi to fight for freedom and has been to Singapore
studying evangelism at the Haggai Training Institute and has been to conferences in such places
like Holland. Currently, Dyson is the director for Dygo Cultural Troupe and also heads Culture
Heritage and Development Centre based in Chief Jonathan’s area in the area of Traditional
Authority Kapeni in Chileka, Blantyre. He is also the vice chairperson of the Blantyre Arts
Festival and is fascinated by story-telling, such that he goes into villages story-telling to children
and others.
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PLANET B - FRESCO THEATRE, WELL WORN THEATRE COMPANY AND DARK LAUGH – SOUTH
AFRICA
Planet B was conceptualised by Kyla Davis
(Well Worn Theatre Co), in collaboration
with Helen Iskander (Fresco) and Mongi
Mthombeni (Dark Laugh). The aim was to
make a non-didactic, engaging piece of
theatre about climate change. Wits
University offered them an Artistic
Residency to create the work and a
platform to perform. The play first performed at the Nunnery Theatre, Johannesburg in May
2011. It then toured to the National Arts Festival, Grahamstown (July2011), Out The Box
Festival, Cape Town (Sept 2011), and as part of the COP17 conference on climate change in
Durban (Dec 2011). Playing to great critical acclaim, Planet B continues to gather momentum,
with further plans to tour nationally and internationally during 2012 – 2013.
THEATRE KONSTANZ – GERMANY
Theatre Konstanz is the oldest permanently performing theatre in
Germany (since 1607). Today the theatre has about 100 employees,
including 22 actors. This company produces around 25 shows every year.
The theatre attracts more than 100,000 spectators a year and is,
therefore, an important factor in the public life of Konstanz. Theatre
Konstanz is situated far in the south of Germany directly at the border
with Switzerland.
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JUNGES THEATRE OF GOTTINGEN – GERMANY
Junges Theatre of Gottingen is an old and
exciting German-language theatre company
based in the small city of Gottingen,
specializing in the provision of high quality
drama in German for both young children and
adults. Junges Theatre of Gottingen’s
productions are highly professional and
entertaining. Junges Theatre of Gottingen
harnesses talents – actors from Germany and other parts of the world, directors and script writers in
creating their magical new concepts in theatre. To date Junges Theatre of Gottingen has created
numerous shows for school children as well as conducted workshops with them on a wide range of
issues through theatre for education. www.junges-theater.de
FIBIN TEO – IRELAND
Fíbín stands for "an explosion of joy and
happiness". Founded in 2003 Fíbín is a young,
new and exciting Irish-language theatre-
company based in Connemara, specializing in
the provision of high quality drama in Irish for
children, young people and the young at heart.
By using an innovative combination of drama
and puppetry together on the one stage, the end
result is a highly visual style of presentation which transcends all language boundaries; Fíbín
productions make the Irish language accessible to everyone. Fíbín also harness locally produced
Gaeltacht talents - actors, puppeteers, designers and script writers in creating their magical new
concept in theatre.
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BLACK NORDIC THEATRE – NORWAY
Nordic Black Theatre is a self-run theatre foundation established in 1992. The core activity is
theatre production but they work with a wide spectrum of partners in a variety of creative arts.
They also work with developing young transcultural actors via their theatre school Nordic Black
Xpress (NBX). Nordic Black Theatre is run by Jarl Solberg as Director and Cliff A. Moustache as
the Artistic Director.
BEN MICHAEL MANKHAMBA
Guitarist, Singer, Song writer, Composer, Performer, Producer, Percussionist, Choreographer,
Actor, Director and Social Activist
Ben Mankhamba has performed his music at many
festivals worldwide, notable of which are: the Bayimba
Festival in Kampala, Uganda under the Goethe Institute
funded Moving Africa Project in September 2011, the
85th Agricultural Commercial Show in Lusaka, Zambia in
July 2011, performed and conducted workshops in
Germany (Munich, Berlin and Hannover in May 2011.
In July 2010 he represented Malawi at the 84th
Agricultural Commercial Show in Lusaka, Zambia,
represented Malawi at the 4th Africa Freedom Day in
Lusaka, Zambia in May 2010, as well as winning the Fair Play for Africa Song competition in
2010, has, since 2010 to date, been the Standard 3 Radio programmes teacher, Mr. Chibwana,
for Primary Curriculum and Assessment Reform (PCAR). He attended in 2010 a film production
workshop conducted by German film director, Wolfgang Panzer, he teaches African Drumming
Ensemble at Sir Harry Johnston International School in Zomba, Malawi and composed songs for
a Theatre Company called RISE UP MALAWI for the play Mercy Madonna of Malawi that was
performed at the Edinburgh International Festival in 2010 and won 2 awards. Ben also
composed the winning the Pakachere ONE LOVE theme song composition organized by a local
Organization, Pakachere Health and Development Institute, represented Malawi in 2009 at the
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2nd Pan African Cultural Festival in Algiers, Algeria with The Zig Zaggers Band and was chosen in
2008-09 by the Malawi Electoral Commission as the only Band to Civic Educate people on the
electoral process in view of 2009 elections. Above all this, Ben Mankhamba has been a six times
winner of the national Kuche Kuche Music Competition from 2000 to 2006. In 2003 and 2004,
he composed sound tracks and songs for “African Macbeth” with Nanzikambe Arts and
performed at HIFA in Zimbabwe. In 2006, Ben performed in Tokyo, Japan with Kohei Yamada on
World Aids Day and served, from 2006 to 2008, as Board Member for UNESCO Malawi.
WALIKO MAKHARA
Ethnomusicologist, TV Producer, Choreographer, Cultural Activist, Columnist, Poet, Literary
Critic, Composer, Multi-instrumentalist and Stage Actor
Walikho Makhara is a multi-talented professional based in Blantyre. He
is currently the Chief Producer at TV Malawi and MBC Band. Walikho is
the Founding member of Wakhumbata Workshop Theater with Du
Chisiza Jr. He has been to different arts festival among others; the
famous SADC Cultural Festival in Harare, Zimbabwe, African Festival in
Kwazulu Natal, South Africa, the Taipei Arts Festival Republic of China,
and other musical festival including the Paris Musical Festival. Walikho
Makhara was commissioned in 1987 by the government of Malawi to
conduct a nation- wide research on the position of arts and culture in
Malawi, and later Commissioned by Government to establish Malawi Cultural Troupe. Walikho
is also the founder of the famous Jalawe Band. Walikho is also a Columnist with Malawi News -
Cultural Heritage
CHARLES CHAVALAMANGWERE MKANTHAMA Charles Chavalamangwere Mkanthama is an ethnomusicologist who was trained by his great
grandfather and other griots that used to visit the area he grew up in and has recently been
connected to the world of music through training done by two Zimbabwe-based music schools,
the Nhasi Mangwana School of Music and the Zimbabwe College of Music. Chavalamangwere
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also benefitted from music training at the University of Pretoria where he was mentored by the
renowned Professor Mike Mzewi.
In 2004, Chavalamangwere went to Zimbabwe for a course at the University of Malawi and also
attended a two weeks music workshop in Gweru, Zimbabwe the same year. In 2005, he
received a Certificate in indigenous Music of Africa from the Zimbabwe College of Music.
In 2005, he was privileged to be the King’s Soother for the Zambia-based Chewa Chief, Kalonga
Gawa Undi, who is headquartered at Mkaika, Zambia and his role was to play music for the king
at the 2005 Kulamba Annual Chewa Celebrations thereby being accorded the chance to
scrutinise and even question even the King’s behaviour without being reprimanded.
2009 saw Charles Chavalamangwere Mkanthama as a student at the University of Pretoria
where he got yet another Certificate in African Indigenous Cultural Arts Education.
In 2008, he went to attend an Education Week Festival in SENEGAL, representing teachers from
the SADC Region who use locally available musical resources where he came across a musical
instrument called Cora which is what makes his music special and with which he plays Sans i
Bangwe, Marimba, Mangolongondo of Nsanje, Timbila of Mozambique, bow - a Zulu women
instrument and Mbira of Zimbabwe.
In October 2009, Chavalamangwere accompanied 5 kids whom he also trained to Norway and
conducted a 3 weeks’ music workshop with 17 kids in Fredrickstad, Norway in addition to
facilitating the International Children’s Workshop and led performances in Oslo, Norway and
Sweden.
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IMBEWU PRODUCTIONS COMPANY PROFILE
Imbewu Productions formed in
2011 as Khayelitsha-based
collaborative project of five Cape
Town based theatre makers:
Thando Doni, Laen Heshler, Aphiwe
Qhama Menziwa , Asanda Rilityana, and Mkhuseli Richard Tafane. The organization is geared
towards producing professional theatre in the townships of Cape Town and providing an access
to resources and networking possibilities for local theatre artists. The vision of the company
includes cultivating a professional arts culture in the townships through festivals, workshops
and the construction of theatre spaces that will bring in audiences from the city and inspire
economic growth in the community. We believe in the great potential of the performing arts to
heal, inspire, and positively transform our community as well as the global community, at large.
With its most recent production, Mhla Salamana ( Zabalaza Festival 2012), Imbewu sent
tremors through the South African theatre world and has already been requested for runs in
three Cape Town theatres. The show not only captured the heart and souls of its audiences but
also made a great statement for the potential of Xhosa text and performance styles to reach
across the perceived barriers and succeed within both a community and mainstream theatre
market. Imbewu Productions is currently in the process of becoming a registered South African
Non- Profit ad Public Benefit Organization.
THE NATIONAL DANCE TROUPE
Profile not yet here
And more applications are yet to be reviewed.
Contacts For details, please send email enquiries to:
[email protected] [email protected]
telephone: +265 (0) 111 611 410 or +265 (0) 999 951 273, +265 (0) 994 063 120, and +265 (0) 111 620 182
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