By our reporter
This year Malawi is experiencing a dry spell. One cannot fault the hydrological cycle or the Christian God, it is simply a scientific phenomena come to play and measures have to taken for our survival.
Although we acknowledge the role of science, one cannot help but listen to other theories that arise in times such as these. Recent reports in the local newspaper are acknowledging old Nyanja (ethnic group) myths of rainmakers found in the southern region of Malawi. The Nyanja people celebrate Mbona, the rain maker and have a shrine for him. Rainmakers were people through possession with ancestral spirits, tried to find the cause a drought. Once the cause of the drought had been identified the ancestral spirits would provide the rain maker with a remedy. The remedy usually involved changing an inappropriate behavior that is believed to have caused the drought and offering special librations to the offended spirits. Legend has it that Mbona, was an apprentice of a rainmaker Mlauli his uncle; who was slighted by the ancestral spirits. Although reluctant Mbona performed a rain dance and the rains came. Unfortunately for him, the lightening from the rain storm killed his uncle’s son. Spurred by his grief stricken wife, Mlauli cast Mbona away from the village upon the accusation of using witchcraft to bring down the rains. Mbona later turns himself in and dies by the hands of his own people.
With desperation and the fear of hunger looming, the legend that man can be responsible for rain is fast becoming a truth. The Daily Times newspaper recently reported that a forty year old woman, Maria Keyala, from Thyolo district in southern Malawi had her property destroyed by enraged villagers who alleged that she was a witch and was keeping a pot in her house that was tying up or locking up the rains.
My question at this point is what government is doing to deal with this plight? Should people be reduced to resurrecting shrines? The national annual prayers were conducted by tradition, fair enough, but it is obviously time for a different strategy. Government like the elders of Mbona’s day, need to find a way to adapt to the changes caused by global warming.
Government needs to kick up its green campaign and urge its people to conserve, conserve and conserve! The current usage of catchment areas for maize fields in rural areas is a devastating sight. Government and it subordinate authorities in districts need to make sure that these sites are protected because they reserve water.
The grow-a-tree campaign should be promoted constantly. In this way, the chances of this country becoming a dessert will be reduced. Government should see to it that the few remaining forest reserves are protected at all costs. It is a sad sight when you look up at Zomba Plateux and see it bare in big patches. People in the cities and rural areas have to be made aware of the damage they cause when they do not recycle plastic or glass materials, burn compost and or use soil eroding tiling methods in their maize fields. Emphasis should also be put on the economical use of water and electricity. These campaigns on radio or print will be the first steps to reduction and solution to pollution and conservation.
It is only right to acknowledge that in Malawi, the green mindset is quite foreign and it will take government and its people a long time to adapt to its policies. However, it is worth implementing in order to fight food and water shortage for next generations to come. It will also stop the desperate witch hunts and keep our elderly safe in their homes.
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