Music Tradition of Malawi

The southeast African country of Malawi was a Bantu settlement in the 10th century, a British colony in the 19th century, and became an independent nation in 1964. A country of great cultural diversity, Malawi shares many musical traditions with its African neighbors of Tanzania, Zambia, and Mozambique.

This recording, made in 1991 and originally released in 1996, presents diverse Malawian traditions of storytelling through song and competition through dance, using native instruments like the ulimbaxylophone and bangwezither, showing Western influence with military march-style rhythms and formations.

Track Listing

101	Ulimba - Mama Wo	Group of Ulimba musicians from Malawi	03:45
102	Bangwe - Phumbwa, Pezera	Mangulama Kutcha	02:07
103	Tchopa - Saulo	Group of dancers and musicians from Malawi	02:51
104	Mazoma - Mphini	Group of singers and drummers	04:35
105	Nyakatangale	Mayeso Petro Lawrence	01:13
106	Beni - Ayana	Group of singers with instrumental ensemble	03:38
107	Bangwe - Ellis	Chitenje Tambala	02:46
108	Nkhwendo	Performers from Chiphilira Village	03:28
109	Msindo - Uyaka, Kuwathanda a Ngwazi	Group of vocalists	02:45
110	Ngoma - Boya Boya	Group of vocalists	03:45
111	Buyeni - Kamwana Kamwini, Kaya wiyo	Group of female vocalists and dancers	04:13
112	Mganda - Chidindo cha jombo	Vocalists with percussion	03:37
113	Chimtali - Nasiwelo	Female vocalists with dancers and percussion	03:39
114	Chisamba	Vocalists with percussion	02:48
115	Ingoma - Abafana bonkhe	Two male vocalists with male chorus	03:10
116	Gule wamkulu - Akuluakulu adapita	Group of vocalists	03:26
117	Mitungu - Bagholi bane bakale	Group of vocalists with percussion	02:58
118	Ingoma - Boye Boye	Group of vocalists with percussion	02:19
119	Vimbuza - Awoliyere mwana akulira	Group of vocalists with percussion	02:16
120	Visekese - Nthengwa wayimanya wekha	Group of vocalists with percussion	04:17