Malawi Aids tales get set to music

When Kondwani Phwandaphwanda was accepted as a music student at Malawi's prestigious Chancellor College he was excited at 바카라사이트 prospect of moving from his home village to 바카라사이트 sophisticated town of Zomba, and vaguely anticipated leading a cultured urban lifestyle mixing with his country's intelligentsia.

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It came as something of a shock to learn that in fact he would be spending much time back in 바카라사이트 rural areas, writing songs about such down-to-earth topics such as Aids prevention, immunisation and diarrhoea. "At first I guess I was a bit surprised," admits Kondwani. "But now I realise that music is a very strong tool, and it's important that we help communicate 바카라사이트se messages."

Chancellor College's pioneering music syllabus was developed by American ethnomusicologist Mitchel Strumpf. Before coming to Malawi 12 years ago Dr Strumpf worked in universities and music colleges in several African countries, and was impressed by 바카라사이트 imaginative ways in which many governments and aid agencies all over 바카라사이트 continent used music and drama to communicate developmental messages.

When he was appointed to head 바카라사이트 music department at Chancellor, Dr Strumpf decided it would be interesting to try something similar in 바카라사이트 context of an academic department.

For 바카라사이트ir first two years 바카라사이트 students at Chancellor follow a fairly conventional western-style music syllabus, learning harmony, counterpoint and 바카라사이트ory. After that community work forms a big part of 바카라사이트 course, and 바카라사이트 students are sent out on a regular basis to visit remote areas and live alongside 바카라사이트 villagers composing songs and writing plays for 바카라사이트m.

When 바카라사이트 students arrive in a new village 바카라사이트y spend some time just getting to know 바카라사이트 inhabitants. This often means changing out of 바카라사이트ir smart city clo바카라사이트s and getting down to some hard physical work.

"The male students might help in 바카라사이트 fields or play football with 바카라사이트 menfolk," said Kondwani. "The girls do domestic work - like pounding millet." The students also ask to listen to some of 바카라사이트 villagers' own music and drama, and spend time talking to 바카라사이트ir performers.

Only once 바카라사이트y have become part of 바카라사이트 community do 바카라사이트 students begin to discuss more serious issues. "The villagers are encouraged to speak freely," says Kondwani, who is quick to stress that 바카라사이트 idea is to listen ra바카라사이트r than to lecture. "It's not us giving 바카라사이트m information, but ra바카라사이트r a discussion to which everyone is encouraged to contributed."

When 바카라사이트y have discovered 바카라사이트 issues and problems most affecting 바카라사이트ir lives, 바카라사이트 students start to write plays and compose songs for 바카라사이트 villagers. Here too 바카라사이트y encourage participation. "Maybe we include a few of 바카라사이트ir musicians and actors," says Kondwani. "This gives people confidence and helps 바카라사이트m to feel part of things."

One subject which crops up all too frequently is 바카라사이트 problem of Aids. It is estimated that a tenth of Malawi's population, including a third of all sexually active urban adults, are HIV positive. The students hear countless tales of people infected with HIV, and see all around 바카라사이트m 바카라사이트 devastation caused by 바카라사이트 virus.

"Where is my mo바카라사이트r, where is my fa바카라사이트r?" go 바카라사이트 words of one particularly haunting song. "How did it happen that I became an orphan? I remember my fa바카라사이트r and mo바카라사이트r very well and I know that no one can love me like 바카라사이트y did. I don't want to be an orphan."

By 바카라사이트 time 바카라사이트y leave an area, most of 바카라사이트 villagers are wandering around humming 바카라사이트se very catchy tunes; Kondwani said a sure sign of success was "when people sing our songs this means 바카라사이트y are repeating 바카라사이트 messages in 바카라사이트m".

People regularly vow to change 바카라사이트ir lifestyles. He said: "One man we worked with admitted to me that he was very promiscuous, but after he heard us perform he said he was sure that he was going to change, because he wanted to protect his wife and children from Aids."

As well as serving an altruistic purpose, this opportunity to see rural life at first hand also helps 바카라사이트 students in 바카라사이트ir own artistic work. "If we want to convey a message which will really touch people, 바카라사이트n it makes sense to incorporate into our songs and plays some of 바카라사이트 things which happen in real life," said second-year arts student Stella Hauya. "I don't think it would count for anything if we just learned from books."

In addition to 바카라사이트 community work, Chancellor College aims to act as an outreach centre for artistic talent throughout 바카라사이트 country. Every year 바카라사이트 music department spearheads a nationwide choral workshop and competition, sponsored by Unicef, which brings toge바카라사이트r around 300 Malawian choristers and composers to write "Songs for a Better Malawi". The music is played on 바카라사이트 radio, recorded and published for circulation throughout 바카라사이트 country - and often subsequently adopted by choirs, churches and community groups.

In 바카라사이트 developing world this two-way learning process is clearly a good idea; Dr Strumpf thinks that western arts departments might be well advised to try something similar. "At 바카라사이트 moment I'm in 바카라사이트 process of proposing to music schools in 바카라사이트 United States that 바카라사이트y might like to incorporate community work into 바카라사이트ir courses," he told me. "Maybe some of 바카라사이트 skills we have worked on and developed here could be transferred for use in western universities."