JB donates K2m to Chewa Heritage for Kulamba ceremony
President Joyce Banda has donated K2milllion to Chewa Heritage Foundation (Chefo) to help them prepare for the Kulamba ceremony which will be held on 31 August, 2013 at Nkaika, Katete district in Zambia.
Apart from preparing for the event, the money will also help in transporting and feeding 137 chiefs who will attend the event.
Making the donation on Wednesday night at a dinner fundraising ceremony, the President said she recognized the challenges that the Chewa Heritage Foundation was facing in preparing for the event and decided to come in with the assistance.
Banda described Kulamba ceremony as an important event that has helped in unifying the people of the three countries [Malawi, Zambia and Mozambique].
The President then said considering the significance of the event it would have been irrelevant for Malawian chiefs to miss the ceremony because of insufficient money.
“Kulamba ceremony is an important event that has helped in unifying Chewa people from Zambia, Mozambique and Malawi.
“The event helps in protecting, promoting and preserving the Chewa’s cultural beliefs hence the need for our chiefs to grace over the annual event in Zambia,” Banda said.
Prof. George Kanyama Phiri, Chairperson of the Chewa Heritage Foundation commended the President for the assistance, saying it was timely.
“We are very thankful to the President for coming to our rescue. We hope that this donation should help us to purchase gifts for our King and also sort out some of the problems we are currently facing,” Prof. Phiri said.
Every year, Chewa people from Mozambique, Zambia and Malawi gather at Nkaika to pay homage to their King Kalonga Gawa Undi where, among other things, discuss how best they could preserve and promote their culture.
