CREAM rises at FCC

FCC screams for CREAM! It was a beautiful scenario, a rare combination but all for one cause to promote women in the arts.   CREAM! Women in the Arts (CREAM!) was hosting a musical performance at The French cultural center (FCC) in Blantyre . The interesting thing was that this music festival was a combination of gospel artists, urban, reggae, Soul/Jazz and other Malawian local rhythms. The women artists that graced the occasion included Estiner Katengeza, Ethel Kamwendo Banda, Maria Chidzanja Nkhoma and her daughter, Chigo (poet and singer), Rina, and Lioness. Some male artists were also featured and these were Sally Nyundo, Theo Thompson and Marko Sadiki. CREAM! is an initiative of Blackmore Creatives set up with the purpose of promoting women in the Arts.   One could not miss the faces of other local musicians who were around to support the women artists and CREAM. It was a great gathering especially that it was a mixed audience each with different taste of music but everyone seemed to get the satisfaction from the performances.   Maria Chidzanja Nkhoma, a musical veteran rocked the stage with a Chichewa song addressing the issue of property grabbing in a scenario where a husband has passed away and his relatives swarm to grab the grieving widow’s property. She also sang a song about Africa and a piece in South African language (could not figure out what the language was oops!).   After Aunty Maria’s performance the stage welcomed Chigo a talented poet with a unique style of reciting and expressing the message carried in her poetry. She stood in front of everyone and words kept flowing smoothly out her mouth as she carried a smile on her face. What struck me most was that after her recital, she sang a song (or may be she sang out her poem), what a beautiful voice she had. I could not miss overhearing the audience asking one another “akuyimba ndi iyeyo?” (Meaning is she really the one singing?). She recited her poems with a sound track, talk about unique talent!   As I mentioned earlier we also had some male performances and Theo Thompson who has taken Blantyre by storm, performed one of his tracks and gave us his dancing styles which wowed the audience. As he jumped off the stage and danced among the audience, one could tell that this was no ordinary singer but someone who knows how to capture his audience. At some point two boys jumped on stage and danced with him following the rhythm, it was spectacular.   Ethel Kamwendo graced the stage in a beautiful beige long skirt and matching blouse, she gave us her three pieces to which the crowd echoed. She managed to get everyone off their seats and on their feet dancing and singing away.  As we watched the beautiful sunset over FCC, Ethel performed her last piece and the show came to a close.   All in all it was a nice gathering and I enjoyed the performances, even though I came in a bit late and missed Estiner’s performance, I hear it was wonderful.  Estiner will be launching her album “Zili bwino” at FCC this weekend.   As I walked home, my legs aching from the dancing, I could not stop thinking of what talent we have in Malawi and what a brilliant idea it was to promote women in the arts.  The women artists who represented CREAM! on this day were but a fraction of talented Malawian women. Many talented women artists are out there doing their stuff in the privacy of their own homes, now is the time to come out and join fellow writers, poets, designers, musicians, the list is endless through CREAM!.   What happened at FCC on 20th June 2010 is an indication that YES Women CAN stand out in the arts and YES WE CAN promote and collaborate with other women artists through such networks and platforms like CREAM!.   If you are interested to know more about CREAM- Women in the arts, contact  the chairperson Zilanie Gondwe on 0991674570 and Email cream.wita@gmail.com