Remembering Evison Matafale

The late Evison Matafale in deep thoughts

He bursted onto the local music scene like a powerful tropical thunderbolt. Overnight his music conquered the airwaves. His sharp soul-piercing voice became ubiquitous and subject to mimic from up and coming artists. The twenty-first century Malawi was experiencing a revolution without guns, bombs or bloodshed - a musical revolution - the Matafale revolution. But if his entry into the music scene was dramatic then his exit was mystifying. Evison Matafale reportedly died in police custody on 27th November 2001 leaving behind several unanswered questions. I have never seen Malawians mourning a musician the way they mourned Matafale. Today, exactly 10 years after his death, memories of the slain Malawi's king of reggae remain as fresh as they were ten years ago.

Despite being a secondary school drop-out, Matafale was well informed on a diversified array of issues. Always ready to take issues head on, he epitomised a new brand of the 21st century youth. He was never a coward and always called a spade by its name. He landed himself into trouble on several occasions for being a firebrand. In fact, many people in the corridors of power looked down on him with disdain. For instance, he was booted out of Lilongwe Teachers Training College and nearly got assassinated in Kasungu for speaking out his mind. It was also the venomous letter he authored to the president of the time that landed him in prison whence he never came back.

Matafale was a musician extraordinnaire. Many people have said that he never wrote his songs, they just came straight from his mind. I still remember this musical genius in 2001 show at the Silver Stadium in Lilongwe. During the show he challenged the huge audience he had mesmerised with his hit songs that music flowed in his blood. And to prove it he told us that he was going to play a song that we had never heard before and continued saying that the song was going to be released in later albums, say Kuyimba 15 or 16. He played the song and hell broke loose as the entire stadium took to the dance floor. Even Zimbabwe players who were to play a game that afternoon joined the jolly malawians in dancing to the Thafale beat. I still don't remember how the song went like, but it was one of the best songs ever composed by the youngman. Unfortunately, we will never hear that song again.

Matafale's music is timeless. It addresses current issues with the same force it addressed issues ten year ago. The songs touch almost every aspect of our life and they appeal equally to all: men and women, boys and girls, the rich and the poor, believers and non-believers. Just listen to songs like Sing a song, Malawi, Nkhawa bi, Nkhoswe, Zaka zonsezi, Freedom and Yang'ana nkhope, you will agree with me. These songs are as relevant today as they were almost ten years ago. Matafale has always remain the same in time and space. Great South African reggae musicians Sipho Johnson and Angola Maseko who came to perform in Malawi a year after the death of Matafale were completely puzzled by the quality of his music. It never occured to them that a Malawian could produce the music of Matafale's calibre. 

However, with continuous creativity and fame of his remnants, the Black Missionaries, Evison Matafale is slowly becoming a footnote in the Kuyimba trademark having contributed only two of the eight Kuyimba albums so far. There are even fears that the Kuyimba architect might be lost along the way as the Black Missionaries continue the epic journey started by the versatile Evison Matafale. The band is now getting stronger and stronger as time goes. The fortunes from their sweat and creativity are also better as compared to what Matafale used to get ten years ago.

The onus is therefore on the Black Missionaries to keep the Matafale legend alive and strong. So far they have shown that they are more than willing to keep the Matafale heritage alive for ever. For instance, every Black Missionaries live concert begin with Matafale compositions. They have sang songs about him alongside the other fallen Chileka soldiers: Musamude and Gift Fumulani. The Chileka memorial shows, which are held every year will also go a long way toward maintaining the Thafale legacy. Tommorrow I will be attending the Tenth Evison Matafale Memorial Annivessary in Chileka and I know that I will have some nice time. All along I have been impressed with the efforts taken by Anjilu Fumulani and company in sustaining the Matafale legacy through this annual event. They are doing exactly what the sons of the late Bob Marley and Peter Tosh Jamaica.

But there is still more that the Black Missionaries and even other stakeholders can do to promote the Matafale legacy. For instance, Matafale's memorial T-shirts can be printed and sold on the market. And what about writing a book or producing a documentary? A small museum can also be built on a family plot in Chileka where some of his belongings can be kept. The entire information on the Fumulanis can also be stored in such a museum for use by curious followers of this musical family. Imagine how it can feel to read the draft of  one of Matafale's songs written in a tattered note book! It will definitely feel great.

The Black Missionaries should also think about producing a Matafale "dub" album from some of his selected songs. Malawi has a lot of studio wizards who can play with the computer to produce such dub songs for the fallen star. They should also consider producing a "riddim" album from some of his songs. Beats of songs like Freedom, Rasta has the answer, Mkango wa Yuda, Watsetsereka and Step down babylon among others can make good reggae riddims. A number of artists can be approached to contribute their songs on such a riddim album. If well produced such an album can be a tribute befitting the Malawi's fallen reggae king. Just listen to the Jamrock riddim, which has been popularised by the likes of Damien "Junior Gong" Marley if you want to get me loud and clear. You may be interested to know that the Jamrock beat was originally done by Ini Kamoze in the early 1980s. So the jamrock riddim has help to revive Ini Kamoze, an almost forgotten musical genius. It is my hope that Anjilu and company will buy this idea and try to implement it. May the soul of Evison Matafale rest in eternal peace.