Acoustic icon Giddes’ childhood dream comes true: Chalamanda coming to America tour
Malawi’s acoustic icon Giddes Chalamanda’s childhood dream to perform in the United States of America is steadily coming true as the 86 year-old legend is scheduled to perform in USA on July 6 2016.
The acoustic icon, who shared his dream in one of his songs, ‘Bufallo Soldier’—“I had enough money I would to America”—will also offer lectures to several colleges and conduct workshops on Malawi’s performance culture dubbed “Malawi Night”.
The trip, dubbed “Giddes Coming to America Tour’, is being spearheaded by a group of vibrant and robust Malawians including media consultant MacDonald Chapalapata, artist Edgar ndi Davies, economist Wilkins Mijiga, marketer Emmanuel Maliro, E-wallet Manager Felix Njawala, lawyer John Gift Mwakhwawa, Darlington Ndasauka, Mphatso Kamzingeni, Chimwemwe Kanyenda and Frank Kapesa, among others.
Addressing the media on Friday, Chairperson of the Giddes Coming to America project, Mijiga said they have teamed up to help Giddes realise his dream of performing live in America.
Mijiga also said the initiative is also aimed at marketing and promoting Malawi music beyond the borders.
Giddes, who has been performing for over 50 years and has performed twice in Europe, mainly in Germany, is one of the Malawi’s surviving veteran who is still active on stage and old school music maestro, will be joined on this epic tour by the elite present generation music genius Duet of Edgar ndi Davies, and top rated gospel artist, Patience Namadingo.
They will all travel with their bands which altogether puts the number of artists at 12.
“Our aim is to bring Giddes’ “I had enough money I would go to America” dream a reality. It’s about promoting and exporting this brand of Giddes, Edgar ndi Davies, Patience Namadingo.
“As a group of vibrant and robust artists, events professionals and proud Malawians we find it very important to export our music to other countries not only to celebrate Malawi’s performances culture but to sell our cultural tourism as well,” said Mijiga.
He said the total cost of this tour for a 12 member band for two weeks is US$32,000 (K25 million) including their US$20,000 air fares.
Apart from a massive performance on Independence Day, Giddes will a host a traditional 6th July discussion Forum which an Association of Malawians living in the US conducts annually, where they will, among others, reflect where Malawian music has been, the history and the challenges artists face.
The crew will host several gigs in Atlanta and Indiana, among other places in the USA, according to Mijiga.
Mijiga therefore called on the corporate entities and individuals to take advantage of this “shining galaxy” to market their brands to both Malawians living in the US and Americans interested to come to Malawi.
“It’s about marketing Malawi. It’s about marketing our music performance culture. Giddes Chalamnda, Edgar ndi Davies and Patience Namadingo are Malawians brands that can sell well anywhere in the world.
“This USA tours is a Malawian tour and we should all actively promote and market these brands,” said Mijiga.
On his part, Davies Njobvu of Edgar ndi Davies duo, said they have lined up a number of fundraising shows and they also be reaching out to corporate entities and individuals to support this cause.
Njobvu said they will launch the Tour in Blantyre and Lilongwe March 4 and March 5 respectively.
“At these shows, Malawians will have a chance to interact up close with The Legend Giddes. Since this is about Malawi, we are happy to announce that any designer who is willing to come on board and design outfits for the crew and especially Giddes is welcome,” said Njobvu.
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Zanjala zokhazo we all know who is to blame. Amalawi tinakhalika bwanji? Boma ndiye likuenera kuthetsa mavuto amenewa. I would rather support this tour for the old man rather than sympathise with this useless govt’s shortfalls.
akulu akulu nonse mukukamba zanjala ndizinazo apa mwalowa mbali yolakwika. people will never stop attending social issues because machine ena ake or kuti chipatala cha queens chagwa chonse.
mavuto tinawapeza ndipo tizawasiya. enjoy when you have the chance. osati eeh njala eeh mwakuti mwakuti…..
after all there are different classes of people if you are at the lower classes please dont point fingers at those who are above you kuti ndiomwe akuononga zinthu coz sakukuthandiza yet iwe umangogona uku ukuzikanda waiting for free stuff.
i am poor but i think straight.
Zanjalazo blame Govt not these people. Nice trip agide. If the govt if failing to supply enough maize ndiye mwati awa akagula kwanu. Ndi zinthu zosiyana. Evryday people are travelling ngakhale kuli njala….
I think the timing of this is ill conceived. Much as ART is important but when we have this magnitude of hunger and problems in hospitals can we really be busy with donating money so that Chalamanda can enjoy mapwevupwevu in America zoona? Can your conscious be cleear when you realise what that money can do for people who are starving. Mijiga and Co shoul have thought about the timing of this. What kind of company would spend money on this kind of social responsibility, if that is what you want to call it, when two days ago we were… Read more »
ZIKUBWERA MOCHEDWA, EVERYTHING IS COMING LATE…ULENDO UMENE UKUBWERA MOCHEDWA, ZIKUBWERA TITAKULA KALE. ALL THE BEST TO AGIDE. DAVIES AND EDGAR, I HOPE YOU WILL DO EVERYTHING NECESSARY TO MAKE A GIDE FIT TO TRAVEL. HE IS STRONG…YES STILL WALKING GOOD DISTANCES. GOOD CHECK UPS ETC. WE WANT HIM TO ENJOY EVERY MOMENT WHILE THERE
Seriously njala imeneyi we should be doing this to promote USA tourism?koma kusauka sikwabwino. Instead of you putting efforts to assist the poor and kukopa azungu to come to Malawi you want to externalise dollars to USA through such a trip?
How can I send my contribution towards Giddes costs? Only airtel money or MO626.